Beatrice moved on top of my chest then lay down. Her arm circled my waist and her hair cascaded across my chest. The strands smelled like vanilla, and her scent immediately came into my nose.

  I didn’t move. I didn’t even blink.

  She cuddled with me like I was a teddy bear. “Could you run your fingers through my hair?” Her voice came out weak. “To get rid of my headache?”

  I was frozen to the spot and unable to move. She’d never laid on me like this before. Her behavior was completely out of the ordinary. I knew the liquor in her system had something to do with it.

  I hated the fact that I kept analyzing every single feature. I noted the deep curve in her lower back and how her ass stuck out. She had a tiny waist and birthing hips. Her legs were long and lean. When she lay on me like this she felt weightless. It was like a stuffed animal was across me.

  My hand slowly inched to her head then entered her hair. It was softer than I expected. My fingers moved through it without a single tangle. Beatrice released a loud sigh like my touch felt good.

  My cock came to life.

  No, not now. I can’t do this now.

  But the more I touched her, the more my body betrayed me. I shifted myself discreetly so she wouldn’t be lying right on top of it. Hopefully, she wouldn’t move and notice it.

  That would be awkward.

  My hand continued to caress her strands of hair. Instead of watching TV, I watched her. Her eyes were closed so I couldn’t see the green fire deep in her eyes. Her back rose and fell at a steady rate, and feeling her on top of me made me realize just how small she was. I was at least a foot taller than her, and I was twice her size.

  We lay on the couch for a long time and I continued to massage her. I wanted to make her headache go away but I also just loved touching her. Sometimes I felt the back of her neck and realized just how slender it was. Sometimes I got brave and moved my hand down her back.

  This was dangerous.

  When she’d fallen asleep, I pulled her into my arms and carried her into my bedroom. I lay her down then pulled her shoes off. She lay still, totally knocked out. After I set her shoes on the floor next to the bed, I tucked her under the sheets.

  Beatrice immediately sighed and hugged the pillow to her body like a stuffed animal.

  I watched her, unsure why I was staring so much. I wanted to get in bed beside her and pull her close to me. Her smell would wash over me all night long. When I woke up in the morning, she would be the first thing I saw. But I couldn’t let that happen.

  I just couldn’t.

  Chapter Seven

  Beatrice

  When I woke up the following morning I was in Jared’s bed. I still wore my clothes from the night before, and there was a distant thud behind my eyes. The migraine that started the night before was still present.

  And it was annoying.

  Jared was nowhere in sight so I assumed he put me on his bed then slept on the couch. I distantly remembered him running his fingers through my hair and something about elephants…but that was all I could recall.

  I walked into the living room and saw Jared asleep on the couch. A blanket was bunched around his waist and he was shirtless.

  Wow.

  I knew he was in shape and defined just by his outline in his clothes. He worked out a lot and played baseball with his friends. He had broad shoulders and thick arms, and his thighs were muscular. But I didn’t expect…this.

  His chest was thick and expansive. The lines of his pectoral muscles were carefully chiseled and defined. His abs were just as lean and tight, and he had narrow hips that made a noticeable V before it disappeared into his shorts. A small patch of hair began just above his shorts and vanished under his boxers.

  I stared at him like a damn creeper.

  I walked around the back of the couch then headed into the kitchen. If I stayed in there, I wouldn’t be tempted to look at him. The fact I wanted to look at all made me feel all weird inside… I knew Jared was attractive. I recognized that truth the moment I looked at him, but now my internal temperature was suddenly warmer than it was before I got out of bed. I felt a collection of sweat on the back of my neck.

  What was wrong with me?

  I brewed coffee then raided his fridge for something to make for breakfast. Once I found the Advil, I swallowed a few pills with orange juice. Hopefully, that would do the trick.

  “What smells so damn good?” Jared appeared behind me, running his fingers through his hair with a sleepy expression on his face. His face had a slight shadow from not shaving.

  My eyes immediately went to his chest.

  Goddammit.

  I quickly looked away. “Pancakes. That was the only thing I could find in this kitchen besides orange juice.”

  “Orange juice?” He yawned loudly. “I don’t have orange juice.”

  “Well, I just had some. So yes, you do.”

  He opened the fridge then bent over to grab it from the bottom shelf.

  And stupidly, I glanced at his ass.

  What was wrong with me today?

  He held the carton and examined it. “It’s been expired…for three months.”

  I cringed. “I thought it had a kick to it.”

  His face broke out into a grin, and a dimple formed on each cheek. “I’m sure it did.” He tossed it in the garbage then eyed the pancakes on the grill. “Hurry up, woman. I’m hungry.”

  “Woman?” I turned my fiery gaze on him.

  “You have a vagina, right?” He stood right next to me, the scent of his day-old cologne coming into my nose. “Or do I need to check?”

  I slapped him gently on the arm. “Shut up.”

  He chuckled then rubbed the area where I hit him. “Sometimes you need a second opinion. And I’m always here if you need one.”

  I rolled my eyes then flipped the pancakes.

  “You want me to pick up anything from the store?”

  “No. This is fine.”

  He poured himself a mug of coffee. “If you cook breakfast every time you crash here, you need to come over more often.”

  I held up the spatula. “I’m going to spank you harder than your mother did.”

  He gave me a cocky grin. “Ooh…now you’re speaking my language.”

  I shook my head then turned the pancakes over. “How do you run a business when you never take anything seriously?”

  He came close to me, his face near mine. “I can be serious.”

  I was suddenly aware of how close he was to me. His blue eyes appeared darker than usual because there was limited light. The scruff on his chin made him classically handsome, like an old-fashioned man in the sixties. His natural scent hinted at masculinity. I forgot about everything else other than his proximity.

  He kept his eyes glued to mine. “Pancakes are burning, B.”

  “Huh?” I noticed the smell of burnt food. I turned back then scooped them onto a paper plate. “Well, you can eat those.”

  “I’m sure they’re still great.” He snatched the plate then sat down at the table, eating them with his bare hands. He acted like a caveman sometimes. I’m surprised he didn’t spill his coffee all over his chest when he drank it.

  I made my plate then sat across from him. I did everything I could not to stare at his naked chest. It was incredibly distracting and I wish he would put on a shirt, but I was way too embarrassed to tell him that so I held my silence.

  “You doing okay?”

  “Why wouldn’t I be okay?” I said defensively. “I’m totally fine. I’m not uncomfortable…”

  Jared’s eyes narrowed on my face. “I meant because of your migraine.” He pointed at the side of his head. “Because there’s a bottle of Advil on the counter but it’s tipped over…”

  “Oh.” My cheeks flushed crimson red. “Yeah…it’s a little better.”

  “Because you took a few pills?”

  “Sure.” I couldn’t think straight. I was so embarrassed. I didn’t want him to know what I was actually thinking.

  “You sure you’re alright? And I’m not talking about the migraine this time.”

  “I’m super duper good.” What the fuck did I just say?

  He nodded his head slowly. “Did you hit your head or something?”

  “No. I’m fine. Geez, calm down.” I ate faster than I normally would because I was uncomfortable with him staring at me.

  Jared finally dropped the subject. “B, you’re a weird one…but I like you that way.”

  I kept my eyes glued on my plate and did everything in my power not to stare at his perfect chest, hard biceps, and his tight abs. “Thanks…I like you too.”

  ***

  Did he know?

  Did he know I was staring at his chest? Did he notice how weird I was acting? Did anything seem different to him?

  I would be mortified if he knew.

  Totally. Completely. Irrevocably.

  I didn’t have feelings for him. I just saw his nearly naked body and liked what I saw. It didn’t mean anything.

  Right?

  I hadn’t been with anyone in a really long time. The last guy I was with was Conrad and that was over two years ago. Our relationship was based on so much more than physical desire and sex. We were together for a year before I gave myself to him, and we weren’t together long enough for me to really enjoy just how good our physical relationship was.

  And now I missed it.

  I didn’t just miss Conrad and what we had. I missed the physical intimacy. Now that I’d experienced that satisfaction, I wanted it. I’d never touched myself before, but the longer I went without having something I wanted to try. But then I felt too self-conscious and stopped thinking about it.

  Seeing Jared like that reminded me of what I didn’t have.

  It was purely physical. I didn’t have feelings for him. He’d become my best friend and I saw him almost every day, but that didn’t mean anything. Just because we were close friends and loved to be together didn’t mean there was anything there.

  There wasn’t.

  “Did you talk to the bottling company?”

  I jumped ten feet into the air and dropped my clipboard. “Jeremy, you scared me to death.” I put my hand on my hip and caught my breath.

  My brother gave me a suspicious look. “I came right at you…it wasn’t like I crept up behind you.”

  I guess I was too deep in thought to notice. “Sorry.”

  “You okay, sis?”

  “Just a bit distracted…that’s all.”

  Jeremy picked up the clipboard and handed it to me. “And what are you distracted by?”

  Like I could ever tell him. “Just the new wine bar.”

  “Don’t stress out about it. I’m sure it’ll be a success.”

  I forced a smile. “Thanks.”

  He and I headed to the office and tackled some paperwork.

  “How’s Jared?” he asked as he flipped through a folder.

  “Jared?” I blurted, on alert. “I don’t know. I haven’t talk to him today. Why would I know?”

  Jeremy raised an eyebrow. “Are you sure you’re okay? When you start squeaking like a chipmunk I know something is wrong.”

  “I don’t squeak like a chipmunk.” My voice was high-pitched just like he claimed. “Okay…maybe I do. But there’s nothing wrong.”

  “You mean, there’s nothing you want to talk about?” The look he gave me reminded me so much of Dad it was eerie. Jeremy had a lot of characteristics from our mother, but he also carried a lot from our father.

  “I guess…”

  “Does it have something to do with Jared?”

  “No…” I was the worst liar ever.

  Jeremy seemed to catch on. He was too smart for his own good sometimes. “I really like him, Beatrice. He seems like a good guy. He’s a good businessman, he’s polite, and he’s not stiff like you.”

  I glared at him. “I’m not stiff.”

  Jeremy gave me a questioning look.

  “Anymore.”

  Satisfied, he looked away.

  “There’s nothing going on between us. We’re just friends.”

  “Well, why don’t you be more than friends? He’s a good-looking guy.”

  That was a huge understatement. He was gorgeous. I always knew he was attractive but when I saw him shirtless in the morning I really noticed him. When he ran his fingers through his hair and had a sleepy look in his eyes, he was downright sexy. “Jeremy, I’m not having girl talk with you.”

  “Well, you don’t have any girlfriends so I’m the next best thing.”

  “Just because Dad is gone doesn’t mean you need to replace him. Don’t breathe down my neck about who I date or who I don’t date.”

  He leaned back in his chair and sighed. “I’m afraid if I don’t you’ll end up alone.”

  I looked away because I feared that would really happen. After Conrad left, I didn’t know who I was anymore. I threw away something really great, and it was a regret I would always carry. Would I always push people away? Would I push Jared away if he ever became something more than a friend? Was I doomed forever?

  “You need to forget about Conrad and move on. You’ve been spending a lot of time with Jared. If you can be around him constantly and open a business with him, he’s probably a good match.”

  Conrad was a lost cause. I’d never get him back. He was happy with Lexie and nothing I did would ever change that. I’d accepted that. I had moved on.

  But I couldn’t move onto Jared.

  ***

  Jared spotted me in the bar then headed my way. His friend Shane was with him, and I suddenly felt my heart slam in my chest. Jared wore a black t-shirt, and his arms looked nice in the sleeves. His shoulders were broad, and I was reminded of his bare skin. My palms suddenly felt sweaty and clammy at the same time.

  Jared reached me with a beer in hand. “Hey, B.” He looked me up and down, noting the black dress I wore. My hair was pulled back, and his eyes glanced at the earrings I wore. “You look nice.” He came close to me but didn’t touch me. “Trying to impress someone?”

  “No,” I said too fast.

  “Well, you impressed me.” Shane winked at me.

  “Watch yourself, man.” Jared kept his tone playful but there was still a threat there.

  “So, you can compliment her but I can’t?” Shane asked incredulously.

  “I said she looked nice,” Jared said. “Big difference.”

  Shane rolled his eyes then turned to me. “Can I get you something to drink, beautiful?”

  “I’m okay,” I said immediately.

  “B can get her own drinks,” Jared said coldly.

  Shane gave Jared a dark look. “Or do you want to get all her drinks for her?”

  Jared shot him a nasty look.

  What did that mean? “Sorry?”

  “Nothing,” Jared said quickly. He turned to me. “How was your day?”

  “Fine,” I said. “How was yours?”

  “Pretty boring—like always.”

  Shane looked across the bar and spotted something he liked. “Man, look at that brunette right there. She has legs for days.”

  Jared didn’t look. He continued to watch my face. “Since I only sell wine and don’t brew it, my job is pretty uneventful.”

  “I wouldn’t say that,” I said. “I’m sure brawls break out and you have to fight them off with a bat.”

  “Not me,” he said with a laugh. “I’m usually up in my office signing checks and lying about my taxes.”

  Shane whistled. “Man, she’s got it all.” He continued to watch the brunette. “Jared, she looks like your type.”

  Jared still didn’t look. “Why don’t you go over there and buy her a drink?”

  “Why don’t you?” Shane countered.

  This was getting weird. Something obviously happened between them but Jared wouldn’t admit what it was in front of me.

  “Because I’m having a nice conversation with my friend,” Jared said. “If you want to go get your dick wet we aren’t stopping you.”

  “You want to get your dick wet too—but over here.”

  Jared clenched his jaw in irritation. I could tell he wanted to throw a punch but he managed not to. “B, I’ll be back in a few minutes.” He grabbed Shane by the arm and dragged him into the crowd so they could speak in private.

  I had no idea what was going on between them but it was obviously something. When Jared and I were alone I would ask him about it. Shane had always rubbed me the wrong way, like he was constantly hitting on me but acting like he wasn’t at the same time. Maybe he asked Jared to set us up but Jared refused to do it. It could be a million different reasons and I shouldn’t bother speculating on what they were.

  “Your hand looks lonely.” A man appeared at my side, holding out a glass of wine. “So I brought a friend.”

  Conrad taught me not to take drinks from strangers unless I saw the bartender make it. He told me a scary story that happened to Trinity, and ever since then I was always on alert. “Thank you.” I took it from him but didn’t take a drink.

  He drank his brandy while he examined me. He was a good-looking guy. He was tall, lean, and he had a smug look in his eyes that didn’t come off conceited. “My name is Don. What’s yours?”

  “Beatrice.”

  “Pretty name.”

  “Thanks…” I wasn’t good at this sort of thing. When men hit on me I was always awkward and uncomfortable. I never responded well to attention, and I hated to be stared at.

  “Beatrice, what do you do?”

  I glanced at Jared and saw him talking to Shane. Judging their hand gestures and irritated looks, they were arguing.

  “Friends of yours?” Don caught the exchange.

  “Yeah, they’re fighting about something.”

  “Probably you.” He said it with a straight face like he meant it.

  I tried not to laugh. “No…I’m not sure what their debate is about but I know it isn’t me.”

  He put one hand in his pocket. “So, what do you do?”

  “I own a winery.”

  “Oh.” He nodded like he was impressed. “That sounds interesting.”

  “It is. What do you do?”

  “I’m a cop.”

  “A cop?” He seemed too calm and polite to be a cop.

 

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