Chapter Seventeen
B rady
Brady leaned against the edge of the bar with his forearms resting on the flat surface. It had been more than three weeks since he’d seen or spoken to Jane. Three fucking weeks. He huffed out a sharp breath.
“You look like a zombie.” Taylor clapped Brady on the back.
“Thanks. And fuck off.” He didn’t mean to be rude to his best friend but he felt like a zombie. The Walking Dead creatures stood hunched over and acted all miserable too. Maybe he was a zombie or the closest thing one could be to one.
“She comes back soon.” Taylor said. “Tonight or tomorrow, right?”
He snapped his gaze to Taylor, then looked around to see where Rex may be.
Rex sat in the office, his chair swiveling back and forth, pretending to review his reports on their distribution in the Carolinas.
The woman he had been seeing—Anna—was on her way here to meet the crew.
Rex could barely sit still for a minute.
Brady looked at his smart watch. It was true. Jane was expected back this weekend—at least from what he could remember.
“Are you going to tell Rex?”
“No.” He shook his head. “There’s nothing to tell.”
Taylor chewed on his bottom lip and shook his head. “I always thought you were the brightest of us all. But I’m beginning to rethink that.”
“You’re full of compliments today, aren’t you?” Brady narrowed his eyes on him. He pushed off the bar and wandered to the office door, leaning a shoulder against the frame. “Why are you such a Nervous Nelly?” he teased Rex.
“Shut up.” Rex rolled his eyes.
Brady snickered. “I like seeing you like this.”
“Like what?” Rex clicked a few things on the mouse, then closed the laptop. He leaned back in the black leather office chair and crossed his arms over his chest.
“Restless. A little uptight.” He smiled. “You’re usually so cool. Too cool. It’s nice to know someone can still have an impact on you.”
Rex had had a horrible break up with a woman that he’d hinted at possibly marrying until he found her sleeping with one of his friends in their condo. After that, Rex spent every night with different women and completely shut down his emotions. Kind of like Brady.
“You impact me every day with your annoying comments.” Rex retorted.
Brady rolled his eyes. “You know exactly what I mean, dipshit.”
Rex’s phone buzzed. After reading the text, he shot up from the chair. “Well, she’s here.” He blew out a breath. “Please behave.”
“Go get her.” Brady stepped aside to let Rex go get his girl.
Taylor grabbed Brady’s arm. “Come on.” He tugged him through the tables and people toward the front of the brewery.
“What are you doing?”
“Don’t you want to witness this meet and greet?” Taylor chuckled.
Brady laughed. They reached the front doors and both cupped their hands around their eyes to watch Rex meet Anna in the parking lot. He was sure they looked like the weird neighborhood peepers.
Rex touched Anna’s face and kissed her. Brady hadn’t expected the tug at his heart. In fact, it had been so sharp, he sucked in a sharp breath.
“You could have that.” Taylor nudged him.
Could he? Could he be so enamored with a woman that he couldn’t wait to see her. To kiss her. To not wait another second to touch her. Yes, he could. He was.
Rex entwined his fingers with Anna’s and walked toward the doors.
He did want that. But he wanted it with Jane and he wasn’t allowed to have her. He exhaled and pushed the door open to walk outside with Taylor as the couple approached.
“Way to be discreet,” Rex teased.
“You know discreet isn’t in my nature.” Brady held out his hand to Anna.
A somewhat funny thing to say to the brother of the woman he’d been secretly fucking.
Perhaps discreet was more in his nature than even he’d known.
“Hi, Anna. I’m Brady. It’s such a pleasure to meet you. Rex hasn’t stopped talking about you.”
Anna blushed and shook Brady’s hand. “It is so nice to meet you, Brady. I must admit, I’ve heard plenty about you as well.”
“From this cad?” Brady nodded in Rex’s direction. “Don’t believe a word of it.”
They all chuckled and finished introductions before heading back inside. Taylor offered Anna a tour of the brewing room and she accepted with the utmost enthusiasm. But not without getting some affection from Rex first.
“I think someone is falling in love.” Brady snickered. He hadn’t seen his friend behave this way in quite some time. “I never thought I’d see the day.” He motioned to Sam to bring them a pint of stout.
“I never thought I would either. I don’t know what it is about her.” Rex shook his head. “Something about her got under my skin immediately and took root.”
Sam slid the pints of dark beer across the bar.
“Thanks, Sam.” Rex nodded, then picked up his pint and sipped.
Brady drank from his glass. “You seem happy.”
“I am. Like in a way I’ve never been before.” Since meeting Anna, Rex had seemed lighter. Not light enough to admit he’d slept with his sister.
“Good. You deserve it.” Brady grinned at his friend. Rex did deserve happiness. Didn’t everyone?
An electric current shot through the air and raced up his spine. He knew before he heard her call out her brother’s name that Jane was not only back in town, but she had entered the brewery.
He turned, and the sight of her nearly knocked the wind out of him. It was like taking a punch to the gut.
She weaved through the crowd, her gaze scanning, her hips swaying. Goddamn. She was beautiful. And he had missed the fuck out of her.
His lungs emptied like they forgot how to breathe.
Her long blonde ponytail bounced with each step, her skin kissed golden by the Mexican sun.
She wore black harem pants scattered with white hibiscus blooms and a snug white crop top that hugged her curves, revealing just enough of her toned stomach to drive him absolutely insane.
Fuck me .
Jane rushed into her brother’s arms. “I’m so happy to see you.” She rested her chin on Rex’s shoulder but opened her eyes to look straight into Brady’s soul or, at least, it felt that way.
“I’m glad you’re back.” Rex squeezed her before pulling back and looking at her. “You look good. Refreshed.”
She giggled and the sound went straight to his dick.
“My head is the clearest it’s ever been.” She flashed a smile that damn near unraveled him. “Brady. Good to see you.” She leaned in and pressed a kiss to his cheek.
Her jasmine scent wrapped around him, warm and familiar.
“Jane.” His voice came out rougher than he intended. He placed a hand at her waist and kissed her cheek. His thumb grazed a sliver of exposed skin above her waistband, and she hummed in his ear.
Every drop of blood in his body rushed south.
Staying away from her? Yeah, that was officially impossible.