30. Brian
CHAPTER 30
Brian
“Hi.” I clear my throat, the words sticking like glue. “I’m Brian. You’ve probably seen a lot about me in the press lately, but what you don’t know is that I’m, uh…” Damn it, what the hell do I even say?
Taylor’s waving her hand, urging me to keep chatting up her phone’s camera.
Fine. Sigh . I give in. “Hi, folks. I’m a total dumbass whose watch was stolen. And my sister? She’s a firecracker who’ll kick my ass from here to kingdom come if I don’t get it back.”
“Cut!” Taylor shouts, like she’s directing a full Hollywood production. “I need more heart, Brian. Deep, desperate—like you’d crawl through glass to get that watch.”
I shoot her a look. “I’m not exactly auditioning for The Bachelor .”
“Maybe lead with ‘I’m filthy rich and offering a reward.’” Unfazed, she claps her hands like she’s running an actor’s boot camp. “Now, back to one, people! ”
I lean in toward Jules, my voice a rough whisper. “There’s literally just the three of us here.”
“She takes social media seriously. Blink the wrong way, and she’ll have you shirtless and greased up for the next shot.”
Taylor squints at her iPhone, a smirk curling her lips. “Whoops. Forgot to hit record. My bad—I’m not usually behind the camera. So, what filter are we feeling? X-Pro II or Clarendon?”
“One where I’m not naked,” I snap.
“Boo,” Taylor pouts, scrolling through her options like she’s selecting her next target.
I tug at my tie, rolling up my sleeves as I study the woman suddenly lost in a selfie spiral. “How exactly does Taylor know Sydney Sun?”
She hesitates, biting her lip in that telltale way she does when she’s skirting the truth. “They’ve known each other for years. We all have.”
“Is that so?”
“Yup.”
I glance at Jules, sensing a disturbance in The Force. “No laptop today?” The absence of it hits me like a soldier without his weapon.
She bites her lip—again—and my patience snaps like a frayed wire.
I tug her closer, drop my voice low, and let it curl around her like a dark temptation. “Don’t lie to me, Jules. Or I’ll have to take you over my knee.”
Her eyes widen, and the soft gasp that slips past her lips goes straight to my cock. And that blush blooming on her cheeks? A bright red flag to a pent- up bull.
I arch a brow, daring her. “Well?”
She swallows hard, and I can practically feel her pulse racing. “It wasn’t mine. The person who owned it wanted it back. So, I gave it back. And my old one won’t turn on because, ugh, I don’t know. It’s ten years old and identifies as a paperweight.”
I study her for a moment, then shake my head with a smile tugging at my lips. Who borrows a laptop? “What happened to the credit card I gave you?”
“That’s for emergencies,” she said, so matter-of-fact that I know she’s convinced herself it’s true. Because why would her sworn enemy give her a credit card?
Just like I know Jules will never get it through that stubborn, beautiful head of hers that maybe, just maybe, I gave it to her because I wanted to.
Or maybe it’s easier for her to avoid the risk of disappointment when our fairy dust romance inevitably ends.
By this point, with the scent of apple blossom shampoo teasing my nose, I don’t know, and I don’t care. I tilt her chin up, catching her uncertain gaze in mine, needling through the small crack in those walls she’s built.
“No, Jules. That’s for whatever the hell you want.” I catch Taylor out of the corner of my eye and smirk. “Clear your calendar. After Taylor’s done parading me around like a prized show dog, we’re going shopping.”
“First, I don’t have a calendar. Only executives and Tiger Mom’s have calendars. And second, you don’t have to do that.”
“Yes, I do. You’re my wife.”
The words slip out so naturally, it catches both of us off guard. The air between us shifts, heavy with the beating of our hearts and silent confessions, making the moment feel almost too much.
Too real.
Jules blinks, a flicker of something unreadable passing through her eyes. Then, she quickly brushes it off, as if nothing was said at all.
“Ready?” Taylor waves the camera at us, snapping us back to the task at hand.
I reach to straighten my tie, but Jules’s soft fingers land on mine, stopping me in my tracks. The warmth of her touch lingers as she takes a good, long look at me.
“Don’t,” she says, her voice steady, flames playing in her eyes. “It’s perfect. This is exactly how you should look.”
“How’s that?” I ask.
“Like the guy next door. But, undone.”
A slow grin spreads across my face as I lean in, just enough to tease the distance between us. “Just fucked, it is.”