Chapter 15 Bear
FIFTEEN
BEAR
Towel in hand, I step from the bathroom of our new apartment in a wave of steam and stroll over to my room.
With my chest bare and another towel wrapped around my waist, I pull the curtains closed so I don’t give anyone a show as I get ready for my evening with Holly.
When we were choosing rooms, I went for the one at the front of the property and it had nothing to do with the fact that if I lean out the window slightly, I can see Holly’s bakery.
The apartment above the gym is still a work in progress, but it is suitable enough that I’ve finally been able to move from the B he knows exactly what I’m referencing.
In the city, the two of us had gotten into disastrous relationships that had almost destroyed our bond as blood brothers.
This was several years ago now and it took us time to get over it.
In fact, I’ve not dated anyone since then.
Elliot pushes away from the wall, clearly frustrated. “I’m not talking about me. I’m talking about Clay. You know how intense he gets.”
“I can hear you,” Clay calls from the other room, stepping out with his arms crossed as he looks between the two of us. “I’m not a child. I am capable of handling emotions.”
Clay and his feelings towards Holly could be problematic.
Usually if this issue had come up, I wouldn’t have dreamed of trying to win over a woman that he was interested in.
However, Holly isn’t just any woman and something inside me is pushing me to pursue this.
Clay gets that, he can feel it too. That is what Elliot doesn’t understand.
Holly is the type of woman you hold on to. I can’t let this moment pass.
I huff out a breath and shake my head. I can’t believe I’m having to explain myself.
“First of all, Holly is going to choose if she wants this to be a date or not. I left that decision up to her, so don’t start jumping on me until we know what’s actually happening.
” Gesturing to Clayton, I keep my focus on Elliot, seeing as he’s the one who seems to need this explanation.
“Secondly, Clay and I have had a chat. None of this is happening behind his back. The ball is in Holly’s court and we shall respect whatever she chooses. ”
I expect Elliot to back off now I’ve explained that Clay is on board with my plan. Only, he’s scoffing and stepping towards me, my words seeming to have the opposite effect.
“Can you hear yourself? We just got here and you’re already talking about relationships!” he spits out incredulously, gestures becoming larger the angrier he gets. “We left the city to start a new life here. The business isn’t even open yet. Can you not control yourself? She’s one woman.”
I don’t understand why he’s so angry. Sure, Holly wasn’t part of the plan when we moved out here, but I’m not going to pass this by just because Elliot has his knickers in a twist, as though I couldn’t possibly run a business and be in a relationship at the same time.
He’s speaking directly to me here, silently accusing me putting Holly before them. He’s referencing what happened in the city and how it almost tore us apart. That won’t happen again, and honestly I’m pretty pissed that he thinks I would allow that to happen.
“Holly is special. She is so much more than one woman.” Clay jumps into the argument, his upper lip pulled back in a snarl as he defends Holly.
He’s right: Holly is special. I haven’t been able to get her out of my mind.
Clay is clearly in deep, and if I was a better man, I would step back.
I am not a better man. This is about to get out of hand and I need to calm everything down before I leave.
It’s not Clay that I’m worried about, but our other brother.
However, what I don’t understand is why Elliot is so wound up about us both pursuing her.
“Why are you so upset about this?” I ask him directly, keeping all accusation from my voice. We need a straight answer and not a comment made out of anger.
Huffing out a sigh, he runs his hands through his hair as he tries to calm down. “This is supposed to be for us,” he starts, voice even despite the fact his body is practically vibrating with frustration. “She’s coming between us already.”
I don’t buy it. He’s the one that’s causing this problem, no, creating a problem where there wasn’t one. This is between me and Clay, and has nothing to do with Elliot. He’s acting like a jealous boyfriend!
Wait. Is that what this is all about? “You’re jealous.”
He snorts and shakes his head. “Holly is all yours, I don’t want to be involved. This isn’t like with Rosalie; that was one occasion.” He cuts himself off and raises his hands in a stop motion. “I am just asking you both to be careful. I have given up a lot to start this business with you here.”
Elliot spins on his heel and stalks back to his room, the door closing firmly behind him. I stare at the place he was standing, and slowly glance over at Clay.
“The man doth protest too much, methinks,” Clay finally mutters, and I silently agree with him. Elliot’s reaction seems pretty extreme.
“Anyway.” Clay gives me a tight smile and shrugs his shoulders. “I would wish you luck, but, you know.”
“I get it. I’ll see you later.” Chuckling, I leave the apartment and make the short walk over to Holly’s.
I knock on her door, bang on the dot of seven. Am I nervous? There is a buzz of nervous energy running through me, but really I’m more excited to spend time with her. Calm down, Bear, don’t jump ahead. I still don’t know if she wants tonight to be a date or just a meeting over dinner.
Her door swings open and my smile instantly widens as I take in her gorgeous form-fitting red dress.
It hugs her curves so tightly that I find myself jealous of the fabric.
To be wrapped around her body like that…
Her golden curls are pulled up into a bun, exposing her long, pale neck.
I am starting to regret inviting her out for dinner, I happily would’ve eaten here, and it wouldn’t be Italian food on the menu…
She would be my sustenance for the evening.
Stop. I need to get these thoughts out of my head before I get hard.
Turning up to a first date with a boner is not a great start in trying to get her to choose me.
I’m trying to show her that I can be a gentleman and treat her right.
Alternatively, if she doesn’t want this to be a date, while I would be severely disappointed, I can show her that we are nice neighbours and not going to destroy her business.
However, the dress she is wearing is not a casual-dinner-with-a-neighbour type of dress.
Hope rises inside me at the possibility of what this could mean.
Clearing my throat after being momentarily stunned, I take a deep breath, to greet her, or give her the tulips, but she smiles and beats me to it.
“Shall we get this date started?”