Chapter 7
Tobias
There is no way. No fucking way. Titus wouldn’t do that to me. He’s my brother. He loves me.
I think.
My employees give me weird looks as I rush past, cutting through the shop before racing out into the hall. I’m not running—technically—but I am moving fast enough a few people have worried looks on their faces.
Probably because the last time I ran through here something had exploded.
Same thing could happen today, except I’m the guy who’s going to end up in pieces.
Everyone I pass gives me a wide breadth, eyes following as I stalk down the halls. The only person who doesn’t seem unnerved by my behavior is Maren, the temp working as our supply clerk. For some reason, she smirks.
But I don’t really have time to ponder what the reason for that might be. Right now I’ve got a one-track mind, and it’s leading me straight to Titus’s domain.
His team takes up a large section of the main building, occupying both individual offices and large co-working rooms. I skip the co-working rooms, assuming what—or who—I’m looking for will be in one of the offices.
Titus doesn’t keep a space for himself here, but it still exists. A room with a private bathroom and a beautiful view of the pond and fountain flanking one side of our sprawling campus. Since he’s always worked from home—and wants to continue doing so—there’s never been anything or anyone in it.
Until now.
I stop dead in my tracks at the open door, staring into the room at the woman I was fairly certain I’d find.
Brooke stands abruptly, forcing me to take in all her perfection.
She was pretty in her twenties, but now she’s fucking stunning.
Mind meltingly gorgeous. Her dark hair falls in loose waves around her shoulders, brushing against the silky fabric of her shirt.
The high waist of her fitted black pants shows off every curve she’s gained since we went our separate ways.
I would give all the teeth in my head for the opportunity to touch just one of them. She could even pick which one. Hip. Thigh. Hell, I’d be happy with her elbow.
“Tobias.” My name rushes through her full lips. The whispery sound of it so close to something I’ve imagined a few too many times, my body reacts all on its own.
I pull in a deep breath, hoping to calm the blood racing through my veins, but that’s a mistake. Because the air is as filled with her as my thoughts have always been. The scent is sweet. Soft. But carries a hint of something deeper. Darker.
Brooke gives me an uncertain smile, motioning to the basic office chair sitting in front of her desk. “Do you want to come in?”
Yes. More than I’ve wanted anything in a long damn time. Almost as much as I wanted to hold her when I discovered her crying in my parents’ house.
But I can’t. I don’t know what happened to bring her here, but it was likely something big. Something she probably needs time to recover from. I should give her space. I should give her room. I should give her—
“I do.” I step into the office, closing the door behind me while keeping my eyes on her.
I can’t pull them away. I’m afraid if I do she’ll disappear. That all this will be a hallucination my lonely mind conjured up. That I’ll go back to being alone and miserable. No one to take care of. No one to love.
No one to give me hope.
Brooke clears her throat, hands sliding along the fabric covering her hips like she’s trying to smooth it out. “I’m sorry. I just found out Titus hadn’t told anyone I was going to be working here. He should have—”
I shake my head, cutting her off. “It doesn’t matter.” I step toward Brooke instead of the chair she pointed out. “How long are you staying?”
I don’t have the right to ask her questions like that, but it doesn’t seem like that’s going to stop me. It does make me a little concerned the inability to stop myself might become a trend. Which would be a bad thing. I need to be stopped.
Because if I thought I could pull it off right this minute, I’d be on my knees begging Brooke to be mine. To give me a second chance. I’ve had almost a decade to think about everything I did wrong. And all the ways I’d make it up to her if I ever got the chance.
Now I just have to keep my shit together until I can put all those plans into action.
Brooke takes a shaky breath, her shoulders straightening the tiniest bit as she says, “I guess as long as Titus wants to keep me here.” Her dark eyes meet mine. “I don’t want it to be weird for you though, so if you don’t want me here—”
The thought of this opportunity slipping through my fingers—of losing her again, this time before I even really had her—short-circuits my brain. Steals every bit of sense I have ever possessed right out of my head, leaving nothing but panic, fear, and desire to govern my next act.
Which is not a great development given my original intention to offer Brooke time and space.
Because in the blink of an eye, there is no space between us. My hands cradle her face as I revel in the sensation of her lips against mine for the first time in years.
I thought I’d committed them to memory, but I was wrong. They're softer. Warmer. Sweeter.
But maybe that’s just because I know what it’s like to live without them.
The air against my cheek cools as she sucks in a sharp breath through her nose, surprise stiffening her frame. But only for a second.
Before I can pull away—like I should—her fingers wrap around my wrists, holding tight, her soft body leaning into mine as she melts against me.
It’s everything I could’ve ever hoped for, and the worst thing to happen.
I have to stop this now. While I can.
It takes everything I have to drag my lips from hers. Her hands stay wrapped around mine as they fall between us. And just that tiny chaste kiss leaves me fighting for air as I back toward the door, missing the feel of her hands the instant she lets me go.
Forgetting I closed us in, I bump against the wood surface, fumbling behind me for the knob, because even now I can’t stop looking at her. The flush of her cheeks. The way her fingertips brush the lips I just claimed.
“I need to get back to work.” It’s the lamest thing to claim, but I have to put space between us.
I fucked everything up with Brooke once, and I’m not going to do it again. I need to show her I’m better. That I learned. That I’m good enough to be what she deserves.
And what she deserves is a man who will give her everything she needs, even if it’s the last thing he wants.
I manage to get the door open and nearly fall on my ass trying to get out the gap. When I finally clear the frame, I pull the door closed because God knows I need a barrier between us.
Except it’s not locked, so I could easily…
No.
No.
No.
Space. Brooke needs space.
And space is a good thing. It will give me time to get my shit all the way together.
And time to kick Titus’s ass. Not for hiring Brooke, but for not telling me. I feel like that’s something I deserved to know.
Back in my office, I drop in my seat, determined to find myself enough to keep me busy so I’m not tempted to push Brooke into something she’s not ready for.
After making a few phone calls that should do the trick, I head out on the floor and throw myself into helping my teams. We have a lot to get done, and hopefully being sweaty and covered in grease and adhesives will discourage any ideas I might have about finding my way to Brooke’s office again.
I do manage to sneak in a quick break, placing a lunch order for delivery before getting back into shit. Before I know it, it’s late as hell and everyone has gone home except me.
A great development as far as my determination to leave Brooke alone goes, but poor Copper’s probably ready to piss herself.
Or inside my boots.
After packing up, I load my shit into the pickup truck I drove today, and head home.
I’m relieved when Copper is frantically dancing around as I walk through the door.
Hopefully it means she hasn’t already taken her aggravation at my absence out on a pair of my shoes.
I don’t even know how in the hell she manages to pee inside them, but it’s a skill set the miniature poodle acquired not long after Brooke left her in my care.
Probably because she was just as disappointed in me as I was for letting Brooke leave.
“Come on, baby girl. Let’s get you outside.” I head to the back door, grabbing a flashlight before following her out onto the deck, making sure to scan the surrounding area for any wildlife that might consider my pet easy pickings.
They would be in for one hell of a surprise, because I would fistfight a mountain lion for that dog. She’s been the only woman in my life since Brooke left, and I’m not sure I would’ve survived this long without her.
As Copper is finishing up, a set of headlights cut across the night as someone pulls into my driveway.
Not surprised Titus has come to try to apologize for accidentally forgetting to tell me he hired the woman I’ve been hopelessly in love with for the better part of a decade. He better have brought caramel cake, because I’m not feeling particularly forgiving right now.
I could have royally fucked everything up today—probably almost did considering I grabbed Brooke and kissed her within two minutes of walking into her office. Advance notice might have changed that.
Maybe.
After taking Copper back inside and giving her one of the homemade dog treats filling a lidded jar on the kitchen counter, I head for the front door, swinging it open before my brother can even—
Brooke jumps a little, gasping as she yanks back the hand preparing to press my doorbell.
Shit. This is not good. Not good at all.
“Hi.” She shifts on her feet, looking uncertain.
It’s better than the way she looked when I found her in my parents’ house, so I’ll take it. Seeing her like that almost pushed me over an edge I didn’t know was coming.
She looked so sad. So broken.
So alone.
I have a few guesses about why that is, but I’m not going to start asking her questions. She’ll tell me what happened in California when she’s ready.
Until then, I’m going to do everything in my power to make it clear she’s not alone. That I’ve got her. That I’ll take care of her. That I’ll do whatever it takes to make sure she never feels that way again.
Starting with making her life as easy as possible.
I point at the vehicle in my driveway. “Is that a rental?” The question is rhetorical. It’s clearly a rental. If the base model sedan’s plates didn’t give it away, the sticker stuck to the window would have.
Brooke turns and looks at the car like she doesn’t quite remember how she got here. Facing me again, she gives me a tight smile. “It is.” She doesn’t offer any more explanation.
Which is fine. I will get it at some point, that point’s just not now.
“I’ve got a spare car.” Or five. “You can drive it instead. It’s nicer, more comfortable, and will save you money.” I lay out all the reasons she should let me take care of her.
Most of the reasons.
“I—” She’s going to argue, so I decide to distract her.
Stepping back, I jerk my chin toward the inside of my house. “Come inside. It’s chilly out here.”
Spring is headed our way, but the nights are still cool. Cool enough Brooke is rubbing her arms through the fabric of the cheap sweatshirt she’s wearing. She takes a deep breath before crossing the threshold into my home. Putting her squarely where she belongs for the first time.
“Are you hungry?” I close the door behind her. “I was just getting ready to make myself some dinner.”
“Actually, that’s why I came.” She trails behind me as I walk toward my kitchen. I peek over my shoulder and watch as her dark eyes take in the space. “I wanted to thank you for ordering me lunch today.”
“You don’t need to thank me.” I brush it off like it’s no big deal. “I was ordering food for myself and figured you’d had a busy day. Probably hadn’t even thought about lunch.”
I know Brooke has changed since I last knew her. I know she’s different because so am I. But certain parts of people—who they are at their core—that doesn’t change.
And gorgeous, perfect Brooke is a bit of a workaholic. She also tends to get a bad case of tunnel vision when she’s focused on what she’s doing.
“Well, I appreciate it anyway.”
Her expression brightens as Copper makes a beeline for her, butt wiggling because she still prefers her mama.
Even though I’m the one buying her food and cuddling with her at night, I’m a smart enough man to know I will always be her second favorite human.
That’s why I ‘accidentally’ had my mom watching her anytime I heard Brooke was coming into town.
Made sure they could see each other without me fucking it up for either of them.
But now…
“Look at how cute you are.” Brooke crouches down, scooping the miniature poodle up. She gasps as she gets a good look at Copper. “Are your nails painted?”
I move to the kitchen, satisfaction settling deep in my gut at the sight of Brooke and Copper together in my home.
“The groomer did it a couple years ago, and I couldn’t tell her shit for weeks.
I took it off when it started to chip, and Copper moped around the house, staring at her paws despondently.
” I can’t help but smile at the memory. “She perked up the second I polished her nails again.”
Never in my wildest dreams would I have seen myself learning how to paint a dog’s nails, but seeing the joy it’s put on Brooke’s face—the way it’s easing a little of the sadness she’s carrying—is worth every hour I’ve spent trimming, filing, and polishing.
Brooke’s smile holds as she looks over Copper’s nails. “That sounds like her.” She snuggles the curly-haired dog closer. “Thank you for taking such good care of her.”
“No problem.” I pull out a pan before turning to the fridge. I dig out the steak I planned to grill up, along with the container of mashed potatoes and pack of asparagus I got to go with it. It’s plenty of food for two people, but I’m for sure going to have to make a trip to the store to stock up.
Because I know it’s a bad idea, but I’m going to figure out a way to make sure this isn’t the last dinner I make Brooke this week.
Giving Brooke a grin so she doesn’t know how serious I am, I say, “I’m good at taking care of things.”