Falling for the Good Guy (Can't Resist #2)(8)

“I didn’t tell you because Connor was way out of my league. I mean, c’mon, the man must have re-introduced himself to me at least six times over the course of nine years.”

“No man is out of your league,” he growled, upset his brother had inadvertently made her feel that way.

Her gaze shot back up to his, startled.

“My brother’s an ass for not remembering you all those other times. Back then, he was way worse when it came to women.”

Surprised filtered into her tone. “And still you would’ve tried to set us up if I’d asked?”

“Of course. You know I’d do anything to make you happy, sweetheart.” Except tell you the truth about why Connor is staying away. “Back then, I would’ve done even that for you if it was what you really wanted.”

“Nice caveat with the ‘back then,’” she said ruefully. “Now, I bet you’re glad you didn’t.”

“No, now I still want you to be happy.” He tugged her a little closer. “With me.”

There was a slight catch in her breath that gave him a glimmer of hope…before she took a hammer to it with another bout of logicizing.

“There are unwritten rules against this sort of thing, Brian. Actually, there’s probably a written one about this: You don’t hook up with your best friend after his wife passes away, especially not when the wife was also a friend.”

She tried to turn away but he wouldn’t let her.

“Abby, by that logic, you and I would never get to see where this could lead.”

“Precisely.”

“I refuse to accept that,” he growled, hauling her into his arms. “I don’t care what the rules say. Everyone should have a chance to fall in love. Hell, we’re both halfway there and apparently, the world knows it—”

Startled, he paused his diatribe at the sudden horrified pallor of Abby’s face. “Honey, what’s wrong?”

Turning, he saw what she was staring at with such tension and swore viciously under his breath. Gabriella. One of Connor’s particularly unwise one-monthers. Her family had been friends with theirs for years, and Gabriella had chased Connor nearly the entire time.

Damn it all to hell. He’d heard the story from Connor—how Gabriella had tried and nearly succeeded in tearing Abby down by assaulting her with the cruelest possible verbal torture. “Hold it together sweetheart,” he whispered in her ear, “don’t let her get to you.”

“Well, well, if it isn’t Connor’s little charity case.” Hell, just by the woman’s voice alone, a blind man could pick her out from a litter as a purebred bitch. Gabriella barely spared Brian a glance before baring her teeth and spewing out even more nastiness at Abby. “I’m glad to see you found a Sullivan more your speed, though it’s a shame you had to ruin Connor in the process.”

An evil sparkle twinkled in her eyes when Abby’s breath caught. “Oh no, honey, don’t get your hopes up. I didn’t mean to imply he was hung up on you. I just meant he seems to have developed a thing for goodie-two-shoes like yourself. At least judging by the girl he’s with now.”

What? Brian studied Gabriella’s expression and didn’t get any hits off his bullshit radar. She’d no better than to lie right in front of him about something like this. Could Connor really be dating another nice girl? That certainly wasn’t the sort of comment anyone had ever mistakenly made about Connor before.

“Glad I found out he had a thing for bottom-feeding before I made the worst mistake of my life,” continued Gabriella, flashing the huge diamond on her ring finger. “Daddy found someone far better suited for me than Connor. Sucks to be you though. It must be awful to get replaced by someone just like you…but better.” Her smile was positively waspish. “I hear this one’s even lasted longer than a month.”

He felt Abby stiffen beside him and he shoved himself between the two women to put an end to this. Gently, he cradled Abby’s face in his hands. She looked so hurt and lost, it was breaking his heart. “Come back to me, sweetheart. It’s just you and me here, no one else.” He brought his mouth down on hers and pulled her into his arms, shielding her as best he could from all the ugliness Gabriella was attempting to sling her way.

He pressed gentle kisses to her eyelids, her cheekbones, and kept whispering, “I’m right here, and I won’t let anything hurt you. Open your eyes, honey.”

When she did, he took her lips again, coaxed her, cherished her.

Until finally, she responded.

A slow burn sizzled through his veins and exploded across his senses when her mouth opened up to his fully. Heart pounding, body flush against hers, for a few deep, mind-melting moments, there really was no one else in existence besides the two of them.

He barely heard Gabriella huff and stomp away. And he hardly registered the fact that it had begun drizzling all around them.

What he did notice, what he felt in every fiber of his being was that this was the most intense kiss he’d ever experienced. It was perfect. She was perfect.

Eyes closed, he exhaled her name like a prayer.

…And felt her stiffen suddenly and leap back, hands covering her mouth in horror.

Her face was ash-white again but this time, it looked as if she’d just seen a ghost. She whispered a pained apology and he was mystified as to what just happened, what she could be possibly be saying sorry for.