Lover (Court University, #4) - Eden O'Neill Page 0,18
things she probably shouldn’t.
At least, when it came to me.
“I was in the bridal party actually,” Ramses stated, which explained his suit. It’d been similar to the groom’s when I’d seen his. Soft laughter hit his chest as he laced his fingers across it. “I was the man of honor.” He opened his hands. “So, I guess I was there for the bride.”
Shock silenced me, surprise more than anything else. I suppose that was becoming more and more common, though. A woman choosing a man as her lead attendant. I grinned. “You two must be close. You and the bride?”
His fingers formed around his glass. “I suppose you could say that.”
She’d been lovely, the bride. Well, what I’d seen of her. I’d been sitting in the back of a room filled with at least five hundred people, the reception completely luxurious.
It’d even snowed.
Like inside, snow. It hadn’t been real, of course, more a lighting affect than actual flakes. Those had been there too. I recalled brushing them off in the bathroom. “How long have you two known each other?”
“Since high school.” I noticed it took him a moment, his index finger weaving along the condensation of his glass. Eventually, his eyes lifted in my direction. “She was, uh, the first girl I ever really loved if you can believe that.”
Choke, like a legitimate choke since I’d taken a drink. Had I heard him, correctly? I patted my chest. “You’re serious?”
Yeah, nothing funny about what he’d said there, his finger scratching the side of his neck. “As a heart attack.”
Wow.
Super intrigued now, I leaned forward. “Alright.”
“I mean, it was a long time ago, but yeah.” His chuckle a bit dry on the end there, he sat back, his hands tucked under his arms. “It’s there. A history there.”
Well, hell. My lips parted. “And that’s alright? I mean, the groom was okay with that?”
Obviously, since the pair exchanged nuptials and Ramses had said this was in the past, but still.
Legitimate humor touched his eyes now. He angled his head back and forth. “Prinze, her husband, and I have a history too. And it was rough back then when it was all going down. Not going to lie.”
“And now?”
“He tolerates me.” Light returned to his eyes, and I was glad for it. I found I didn’t quite like him too serious. If anything, I appreciated how laid-back he was, not so easy for most people, me. His head tilted. “He’s definitely softened to me over the years, though. We aren’t best bros or anything, but we’re far from the days of him wanting to kick my ass.”
“My God, had it gotten that bad?”
“We may or may not have thrown down in the hallway in high school.”
Jesus, I thought, but he grinned.
“But like I said, that’s in the past.” He pushed his glass away. “Obviously. They got married, and that makes me happy since she is. Prinze is good to her, there for her. He loves her, and how could I want anything other than that for her? She deserves that.”
How very mature of him. Even still, I could imagine that would be hard. “Are you happy?”
Maybe a too personal question, and definitely one I had no right to ask.
I lifted a hand. “I’m sorry.”
“Don’t be.” But I noticed he wouldn’t allow me to go away, pinning me to the creaky booth where I sat with his gaze. That easy grin returned to his lips, his fingers pushing away those brown curls. “But you can’t ask me that without giving me some of your dirty laundry.”
Well, would you look at him? Thinking, he could go there with me. I tapped my glass with my nail. “You’re being cocky again.”
“Am I?” And when his fingers eased against mine, my breath stalled, my tummy tight. A flourish of heat ghosted over my knuckles when he touched them, his boyish expression teasing once again. “How about this?”
How about this, his thumb brushing the center of my palm. It was such a subtle touch but drenched my entire core in hot lava. I felt like I flooded my panties.
What the hell?
Absolute panic on my end, and a man of his age definitely shouldn’t have this much game. “How old are you?”
It was like I needed to know, that it mattered for some reason. Like this was anything other than just a shared pizza between two strangers.
“How old are you, Bri?” His cockiness showed once again. “Only fair if you tell me too.”