Priceless (Forbidden Men #8)(33)

Reaching out until I found his face, I cupped his bristled cheek and murmured, “Nothing between us is ever going to change, whether I get a boyfriend or not.”

I was fairly certain I wouldn’t. I was enough of a realist to know one date didn’t mean anything. But it was sweet of Brandt to think it did.

Leaning closer until his breath washed across my face, he whispered, “Promise?”

I closed my eyes, wondering what it’d feel like to press my lips to his even as I murmured, “On my mother’s grave.”

“Good.” Seemingly settled by my assurance, he rolled onto his back and brought me with him until he had me positioned against him with my cheek resting on his chest. “`Night, then.”

As he fell asleep, his heartbeat echoing through my ear, I stole a couple seconds to merely enjoy the feel of him, warm and hard and comfortable.

I hadn’t been lying when I’d promised him nothing would ever change, because that was how he wanted it, and I’d always be whatever he needed me to be.

That’s what friends did for each other, and he was my most cherished friend.





SARAH




“Mason!” Reese hollered through the house. “You should probably come get your little heathens before I strangle them.”

I laughed as Gracen, Reese’s two-year-old son, slipped out from under her arm and raced back to me where I sat on the bed, followed almost immediately by his twin sister Isabella when she wiggled free of her mother. As they crawled onto the mattress, Issa fascinated with my earrings and Gray tugging at the silver heart broach of my necklace, Reese spun back and threw up her hands in defeat.

“I give up. There’s no stopping them.”

“What’s wrong?” Mason appeared in the doorway, cautiously peering in at the chaos.

“Your children...” Reese pointed them out, in case he’d forgotten which ones they were, I guess. “Keep crawling all over Sarah.”

He blinked, clearly stumped. “That’s what they always do.”

“I know, but I’m trying to get her ready for her date, and it’d be really nice if she wasn’t slathered in toddler ick for once. Can you...?” She motioned toward the twins and winced when Gray sneezed on the front of my dress.

“Yep. I got this.” Mason strode in, hauled his son under one arm and daughter under the other, then lifted them both off me. Issa and Gray burst out giggling as he jostled them on purpose, threatening to drop them.

“You are the most amazing man ever,” Reese cooed, cupping his face in both her hands before lifting onto her toes to press a soft, lingering kiss to his mouth.

He winked. “You can pay me back later.” As his gaze wandered to me, his grin fell. “You look nice,” he murmured before asking his wife, “Are you sure that dress isn’t too short?”

“It’s perfectly respectable,” she argued. “It goes all the way to her knees.”

“Until she sits down, which she’ll be doing the entire night. Then it rides up higher.”

Patting his cheeks, Reese chuckled and nudged him out of the room. “All the more to tease her date with.”

“Tease?” he echoed, cranking his head around to gape at Reese. “Wh-wh-why would there be any teasing? There doesn’t need to be any teasing.”

“Oh, pish. She’s twenty-two. Stop worrying so much.” With that, she smacked his butt to urge him along.

He looked as if he wanted to argue with her before he glanced my way and must’ve seen the ache in my eyes. Shoulders collapsing with defeat, he blew out a breath and then turned away, asking his wiggling kids, “Who wants ice cream?”

Their cheers echoed down the hall as he carried them away. Reese groaned as she returned to me. “Yeah, that’s what they need,” she lamented. “A sugar fix to make them more hyper.”

“He’ll probably give them cookies too,” I felt the devilish need to add. Because it was true. Mason spoiled his children rotten. I thought it was an adorable look on my brother. Reese moaned about it, but I knew she loved it too, mostly because she loved everything about him.

She scowled at me a moment before breaking into a reluctant grin. “I’m sure he will. The big softie.”

Oh yeah, she definitely liked his kid-spoiling side. I would too if I were married and my husband’s biggest weakness was our babies.

A pang of loss but also anticipation coursed through me. Realistically I knew I’d probably never experience that for myself, but...maybe. If tonight went well—

Ack, I needed to stop thinking that way. Poor Seth. If he only knew what kind of dreams and expectations I was already pinning on him.

Which I was going to stop doing. Right...now.

Or now.

Ugh, this dream-stopping business was hard stuff.

In front of me, Reese rubbed her hands together with relish, looking at my face like an artist gazing upon a blank canvas.

“I think we’ll start with a blue-based silver in the corner of your eyes, then some navy underneath.” Flinging open the makeup kit that looked more like Barbie’s dream tackle box, she reached in for half a dozen eyeshadows. “Then dust with some peach and rose plum...”

She lifted one color to my face and shifted her gaze between my eyes and eyeshadow case before tsking and shaking her head. “No. Maybe...aha. Rose gold. Ooh, yes. That’s perfect.”