Rogue Devil (The Rourkes #11) - Kylie Gilmore Page 0,46
this confused where a guy’s concerned.
Brendan leans back in his chair, spreading his knees and resting his arm across the back of my chair. Is he making a move on me, or is he man spreading? I guess you could say I don’t have a good handle on the male species. I should read up on their psyche, really figure this stuff out. If I turn it into a scientific exploration, maybe I’ll be less confused.
The rest of the reception goes by relatively smoothly. Brendan and I talk a lot, and he takes me around, introducing me to people in his family. I do the requisite small talk, but all I can focus on is Bren’s palm at the small of my back or his smile or his hand holding mine. His touch is casual, reassuring, and I’m starting to crave it.
We get back to Brooklyn late that night. I fell asleep in the car, so I’m groggy when we walk back to our building, but the moment we reach my door, I wake up. He’s quiet, but there’s a comfortable intimacy between us after spending hours together talking, touching, craving.
He looks down at me, his blue eyes intent on mine, his expression serious. “Thanks for going with me.”
“I had a good time.”
He gazes into my eyes, and all I can think about is the classic end-of-date goodnight kiss. But this was a friends date, right? Right?
I thrust my hand out to shake. He stares at it for a long moment, making no move to follow suit. I turn it into a little farewell wave, my cheeks hot.
He takes my hand and brushes his lips across my knuckles, his eyes half hooded. A tingle runs up my arm, my stomach flip-flopping.
“Bren,” I say on a shaky note. He’s still holding my hand.
His voice is husky, his gaze hungry. “Yeah?”
I need to stay strong, to hang on to what we have, especially knowing he hasn’t been longing for me the way I’ve been longing for him. He’s been with other women. “We have boundaries for a reason. I only have a month left on my internship before I leave for Villroy, and then I’m back to school.”
He drops my hand. “You’re gonna see your guard in Villroy, aren’t you?”
“Yes, we’re friends.”
He scowls. “I know exactly what kind of friend arrangement you had with him.”
“It’s not like that anymore.”
“He’s not over you, Chloe. If he felt strongly enough to propose, I can guarantee he’s gonna try to win you back.”
“You don’t have to be jealous. I can have guy friends. Like you and me.”
He clenches his jaw and bites out, “Not even close.”
I swallow hard. Brendan is never mad at me. Things are about to go downhill between us despite my best efforts. The thought makes it hard to breathe, a panicky feeling making me desperate to fix it.
He backs away, his voice harsh. “Goodnight, Chloe.” He turns and stalks to his apartment next door.
“Wait, Bren!” I close the distance. “I have no plans to go back to friends with benefits with Michael. He might take it as encouragement that we have a future. We don’t. I’m staying in the US long term, and he’s staying in Villroy, okay?”
He crosses his arms and studies me for a long moment. “Why’re you telling me this?”
“I just don’t want you to be upset.” I wring my hands together. “It’s over between me and Michael. In fact, he mailed back the stuff I left at his place. But if I see him in Villroy, which I’m sure I will since he works at the palace, I’m not going to give him the cold shoulder. I don’t want to hurt anyone.”
He uncrosses his arms, relaxing a little, though he still seems mad at me. “And what about Blaze, huh?”
My cheeks flush, and I go on the defensive. “What about the fact that you regularly stay out all night hooking up with random women?”
We have a staredown. His hookups are much worse than me using Blaze. My outrage must shine through because I win.
He throws his hands up. “I lied, okay? There. I said it.”
I blink a few times, my mind rearranging what I thought was reality. “But—”
He runs a hand through his hair, rumpling it. “I wish I could stop thinking about you long enough to even give someone else a second look!”
I suck in air.
He plants his hands on his hips. “I crash at a friend’s place in the city after a late night. That’s