Brady Remington Landed Me in Jail(9)

"Can I be the first to congratulate the happy couple?" Clarissa had sauntered up to us.

Brady laughed and kept me in place when I tried to step out of his arms. He moved his chin to my other shoulder and smiled widely. "You could. I don't think that guy was too happy to hear that I was off the market."

Just like that. It was a flip of a switch and broiling Brady had reverted to his old joking self.

I shook my head and sighed.

"What's the matter, Ray?" Brady asked in my ear. His voice tickled me and I couldn't stop a shiver. "Are you cold?" He wrapped our arms tighter, bringing me closer against him. "I was being cool about it, wasn't I?"

Clarissa watched the two of us.

"What do you mean?" I turned my head to the side and tilted my eyes to meet his.

"You know, what I said before—I didn't actually mean it."

Wait—he didn't want me to loosen up and sleep with guys? Really? I rolled my eyes. "What do you expect of me? I'm supposed to read your mind?"

"Yeah." It made perfect sense to him. "That's what best friends do."

I shook my head. "Come off it, Brady. You told me to loosen up. Now you're saying that you didn't mean it."

"Well, I just said that because—" He sputtered to a halt, remembering Clarissa's presence. "We can talk about that later."

"I'm sure we will."

"So…" Clarissa's eyes lingered on our enjoined hands. "It looked like you were enjoying yourself, Rayna. Until you slapped him, I mean. What's up with that?"

"Nothing," I said primly. "He just said some stuff that I didn't like hearing."

"About what? Or who?" Her eyes sparked at the 'who'. Something told me that Clarissa knew exactly who we had been talking about. And when her eyes snapped to measure Brady for a moment, I knew I was right.

"About me." I was different. I didn't fit in with this crowd, but what infuriated me was that he had put Brady in one group and me in another. He said I didn't belong with him. Maybe he was right. Maybe I wasn't experienced or sophisticated like Clarissa, but I had something going for me that Joshua or Clarissa couldn't take away.

Brady was my best friend.

I repeated that statement to myself. It was true. He was my best friend, not Clarissa's. Joshua was wrong. I did belong; at least I belonged with Brady.

Brady might've sensed my inner turmoil, or maybe he did that 'best friend mind reading' thing, because he turned me around and started to move us beyond the trees. "What's wrong, Ray?"

"Nothing." I gritted my teeth and hoped he'd let it go.

He didn't when he turned me in his arms, gripped my shoulders, and forced me against a tree trunk. The bark bit into my skin, but I didn't feel it. My eyes were entranced with his as his bore down on me. "Don't lie to me, Ray. What's wrong?"

"Nothing." I slapped his hands away.

Brady grinned as he caught my wrists with his, but I wrenched them free. When he tried to capture them again, I slapped away his hands—and Brady slapped mine away instead. Before long, his deep laugh came out and I was grinning when I dodged one of his playful slaps. It wasn't long before he wrapped his arms around me, squashed my hands between our chests, and rocked back and forth in a soothing motion.

It felt good. It felt comforting.

I chuckled and rested my head on his shoulder. Then I closed my eyes when Brady soothed a hand down my hair. "I don't know what that guy said, but he was wrong. Whatever he said, he was wrong."

I tightened my hold. Joshua hadn't been wrong about all of it.

"And I'll make sure that he leaves you alone, okay?" Brady whispered.

I looked up. "You're going to beat everyone up if they say something that pisses me off?"

"Depends."

"On what?" I couldn't hide my grin.

Brady smiled back. "On whatever he said to hurt you."

I saw a clear genuineness in his eyes right then. It took my breath away. "It's done with. It don't matter anymore."

Brady tipped his head back, scrutinized me for a moment, and never bothered to point out the incorrect grammar. He just shrugged. "Okay."

"Can you take me home? I'm tired."

"What? You don't want to loosen up some more?" He let me go, but then his hand slid down my arm and found mine. He entwined our fingers and led me to the parking lot.

"Shut up," I groaned.

"You did hit someone. And that make out session, woohee—if that wasn't hot then I don't know what is." Brady squeezed my hand again.

I flushed. "I did not make out with that guy."

"Yes, you did. He even did the leaning thing with you."

"Shut up."

"I can lean for you. You want me to lean for you, Ray?" As Brady turned to walk backwards he caught both my hands in his. His eyes danced as he waited for my answer.

I held my breath.

Brady just chuckled. "I'm way better at leaning than that prick."

"Could you please shut up?"

Brady tightened his hold and jerked me close for a hug. He whispered, "Next time that guy tries something; remind him who your boyfriend is. That should send him running."