Priceless (Forbidden Men #8)(31)

Because I was finally—finally—going to experience my first date. I refused to let my best friend ruin it for me.

“Promise!” I demanded, growing stern because Brandt was still gaping as if he were looking at a complete stranger.

“Uh...” he managed to say.

I dropped my hands from his face, sighing. “You’re not going to promise to leave him be, are you?”

He shook his head. “Who is this guy, anyway? You said Seth, right? Seth who? Where’d you meet him? How the hell did he break past your shy zone?” When my lips merely pursed with amusement, he growled. “You’re not going to tell me, are you?”

I shook my head and grinned. “Not until you promise.”

“Damn it, you don’t play fair.” After a dirty scowl, he rolled his eyes. “Fine. I promise. Now talk.” When I threw back my head and laughed, he lifted his hands, curling his fingers into mock-claws. “Sarah,” he warned. “Don’t make me tickle you until you pee.”

I gasped and shoved his hands away. “Whatever. Your tickling has never made me pee before.”

“Well, it will tonight if you don’t start talking.”

Knowing he was bluffing, I rolled my eyes. “I met him in the writing center when he came in for help on a term paper.”

“Oh, so that’s it, huh?” Lifting his eyebrows, he sent me an I-told-you-so look. “Well, if he thinks dating you will sweet-talk you into writing a paper for him, then I’ll just set him straight right now. You’re too honest to ever do that. For anyone.”

“Right,” I said slowly. “Because that’s the only reason anyone would ever want to date me.”

Brandt scowled. Then he leaned in and hissed, “That’s not what I meant. You know I don’t feel that way. Why the hell are you accusing me of that so much tonight?”

The fight instantly deflated inside me. Hugging myself, I glanced away. “I don’t know. Maybe because that’s what I keep thinking, that there has to be some ulterior motive behind this. I mean, no one’s ever seemed interested in me before just because they actually like me.”

“That’s bullshit.” He frowned. “I like you for you.”

Slashing my gaze his way, I sent him a dry glare. “I meant dating wise.”

The way his stare went intense made me think he wanted to say, “I do like you dating wise,” but I knew he’d only say that to make me feel better, so I’m glad he didn’t.

A second later, he sighed, then looked to the ceiling for guidance and returned his attention to me. His voice was soft as he murmured, “Come here.” After grabbing my arm and hauling me against his chest, he kissed my forehead. “I’m sorry. I know I’m overreacting, but I don’t know what to feel about you dating. This is...it’s weird. You’ve never talked about even being interested in guys before.”

I frowned into his chest before pulling back to blink up at him. “So, what? You thought I was gay?”

“No.” He scowled at me before pulling his expression into a pained wince. “No, I just...I’ve always seen you as, I don’t know, sexless maybe. Like the subject’s never interested you before.”

It took everything I had not to show how much that hurt. I knew it was pathetic, but I still secretly harbored a little wish that one day he’d look at me and see more, something beyond friendship. But all this time, he’d only ever seen bland, sexless Sarah.

Ouch.

“Well, it does interest me,” I muttered. Feeling lame, I glanced away.

“Since when?”

I scowled. “Since, like, I don’t know...forever.”

“Bullshit,” he repeated, squinting at me as if trying to pry into my thoughts. “When we first met, you told me kissing and dating and all that was gross.”

“Oh my God.” I groaned. “I was thirteen.”

“So when did it change?” he pressed, watching me so closely I grew uncomfortable.

“I don’t know.” Focusing on my lap, I remembered the exact moment I’d wanted to experience the same intimacies everyone else did. “Eighteen, maybe.” The day I’d heard him doing things with Hope Deardon.

When he blew out a hard breath, I glanced up to find his eyes glazed with an odd kind of shock. I scowled. “Is it a problem for you if I actually want to be normal?”

There must’ve been enough offense in my voice to get my feelings across because he immediately lifted his hands and claimed, “No! Not at all. You always have my support. You know that.” He pulled me against him and hugged me close, guiding my head to his shoulder. “All right then. So you’re going to do this dating thing. Fine. But do me a favor first.”

“What?” I closed my eyes and breathed in the scent of him. For as long as I lived, I knew I’d never smell anything better than the scent of Brandt.

“Don’t fall into bed with this Seth guy just because he’s the first person to ever ask you out, okay.”

“Oh my God!” I scowled, pushing against his chest so he could see it. “Who said anything about sex? I’m just going on one date. One. Date.”

He frowned back, grousing, “I’m just saying...I know you feel like you’re never going to get another shot at a relationship with anyone else, but...he asked you out, so more will. You’re amazing, Sarah, and someone was bound to realize it sooner or later.” After brushing some hair off my face, he leaned in and sniffed my temple.