Sweet Billionaire Stepbrother(60)
28: Grayson
I’d raced to Sloane’s house to pick her up and then made it back to the house in record time. She’d called me nearly every single f*cking day for a week after Dad invited her, asking me questions like what was my favorite color and fragrance. It seemed she was going all out to try and please me. She was sweet, and very lovely—for some other lucky guy.
The more I tried to act casual and be evasive, knowing that it didn’t matter what the f*ck she did to try to impress me, the harder she persisted. If only I could tell her that it wouldn’t change how I felt about her because I was already in love with her best friend.
Sloane made small talk all the way, the best I could do was to nod or answer her back in monosyllables.
“Alice has let me help her plan this party. It’s going to be spectacular. Milton is such a lucky man to have found her the second time around.”
“Yeah, that’s true,” I agreed. Only because it brought Layla into my life.
In my opinion, it was the smartest move my father had ever made.
I parked the car and frowned as I rounded the front of it to open the door for Sloane. The whole damn Matthews family had just arrived and the valet was busy helping them get parked. I clenched my teeth. How I was going to stay calm all night with both of the brothers there I didn’t know. One was bad enough, but two? Disaster waiting to happen
If Seth lays as much as a finger on Layla . . .
Sloane took my hand and climbed out of the car. She followed my gaze to where the Matthew’s family stood before waving at them, all cheery and smiley, as if she wanted them to notice us together.
“Oh, look, Seth is here. I bet that will make Layla get out of her funk. She’s been acting strangely ever since the ball. She won’t tell me anything about what happened between them two. Yet I’m damn sure something big happened.”
I quirked an eyebrow. “Oh? What makes you say that?”
Even though I knew Layla wasn’t into Seth, I still couldn’t control the wave of jealousy that flooded my veins. He was probably going to try his best to charm the panties off of her in front of me and there wouldn’t be much I could do about it. Fuck.
“I’m sure she lost her v-card that night. But she insists she didn’t let Seth fu . . . um, you know.” She laughed awkwardly. “She has a glow that wasn’t there before. You know, the kind a girl only gets when she’s crazy for a guy. She can’t fool me.”
“Is that right?” I couldn’t help the smirk that crossed my face. If I was the guy who made her glow—f*ck yeah.
The fact that Layla had been avoiding me like I had the plague since I returned from the U.K. didn’t help much. I needed to talk with her and find out if she was okay. I needed to tell her that London had been the best experience of my life and I’d missed her when she left. Since the moment she waved goodbye at the airport, London seemed dark and gloomy, a perfect reflection of my mood.
Seven years wouldn’t have been enough time to explore each other completely and do all the things I wanted to do to her, never mind seven days. I had to finally tell Layla that I wanted her and only her, that I couldn’t think of anything else besides her.
“Let’s go around the back. I’m not in the mood to try to be polite to the Matthews. Do you mind?” I’d already placed my hand on the small of Sloane’s back and was steering her in that direction. I wanted to be out there as soon as possible.
Watching Seth.
Watching Layla.
Sloane laughed. “Oh okay. You seem eager to get to the party. Thirsty?”
“Yeah, I need a long cold drink,” I said. “I’m still a bit jetlagged and dehydrated from my flight back.”
“I’m so jealous that you took Layla to London. I so wish I was who had gone. I’ve been dying to go to Europe. Maybe next time you go I could come?” Sloane fluttered her eyelashes at me coyly.
My chest tightened at her words And I had I cleared my throat before I spoke. “I won’t be going back there for a long while. I’ve given up my apartment and moved my stuff out. I’m starting my new job at Forbes International in a few weeks. I’ll have no time for anything if Dad has his way—he’s throwing me in the deep end for being a bad son.”
Sloane lay a hand on my arm. “Well, I for one am glad you’ll be staying in Sydney. I like you Grayson, I really want to see more of you.”
Talk about shooting straight. This chick was definitely not afraid to speak her mind. Honestly, I admired that in a person, if only she wasn’t gunning for me.
I stopped short of the party and pulling her hand through my arm, I led her in the opposite direction. It was time I put Sloane straight. I couldn’t carry on with the charade when my heart just didn’t want her.
She beamed as we made our way to a garden bench nearby. Shit, she’s thinking I’m going to say things she wants to hear.
“Let’s sit here for a moment. I need to tell you something.”
“Sure.” Her eyes glimmered in the light. Fuck, this wasn’t going to be easy. I stood beside her, one foot up on the wooden bench. I leaned forward as she smiled up at me.
“Sloane, I like you very much—”
“Oh, Grayson, I like you too—”
I held up a hand to stop her before she said something that would feel awkward about when she heard what I had to say. She froze immediately, her back stiffening.