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I wanted to punch him just to make him shut the hell up, but it wasn't like me to lose my cool like that. I couldn't stand when someone criticized another person, and it was even worse when they weren't there to defend themselves.

  "Daryl, I think everyone here will point out that you were never under consideration for the position because you're a lazy jackass."

  He opened his mouth to say something, but then closed it. Just seeing him speechless was good enough. I left them and continued towards the bar. I hated to leave Becca waiting.

  I scanned the bar as I approached but quickly forgot about my friend. Instead, I spotted the woman I’d be taking home that night. Her back was towards me, but just in the way she filled out her little black dress, I knew it would be hard to find anyone hotter that night. I drank her in, from her black high heels up her legs to the swell of her hips. Her dress was cut low in the back, revealing several seductive freckles on her creamy skin. Her brown hair was up in one of those fancy twists that exposed her long neck. I was sure it was begging for my lips.

  As I came up behind her, I placed my hand on the bar so that when she turned around, she’d already be in my arms. The bartender was talking to her and eyed me suspiciously as I moved closer to her. She smelled sweet and familiar, like lilacs, and I immediately wanted more of her.

  "Hey there, gorgeous, I’m Gideon. Gideon Kohl."

  "Of course I know who you are," she said with a laugh. "I was wondering when you would get here."

  Becca turned around and kissed my cheek. For a moment, I didn’t know what to say. What happened to my cute friend? This wasn't her, this was a knockout. I couldn't take my eyes off her.

  I took a step back to give her some space and twisted my ring around my finger to ground myself.

  "I just got here," I said. "You look…beautiful. But where are your freckles?"

  So many other things flashed through my mind at that moment that seeing Becca looking like this had me out of sorts. She looked better than beautiful, she looked delicious. I wanted to taste her. But I couldn’t say that. I couldn't tell my best friend I wanted to savor every inch of her body.

  She laughed. "My freckles? Really? That's what you notice? I'm wearing make up. Hmm, I guess you've never seen me dressed up before."

  "Well, you clean up well," I said, mentally kicking myself for sounding like an idiot.

  "So do you." She giggled and looked away shyly. "I’m not used to seeing you in a tuxedo. I don’t think I’ve ever even seen you in a suit."

  "Yeah, suits really aren’t my thing, but I know it's standard fare for these fundraisers so I got a tux."

  "And the bow tie?" she asked as she reached up and straightened my bow tie.

  "It's old school. You know how much I love shit like that. Plus you know it looks good on me. It's how I'm doing my part to bring sexy back."

  I spun around to give her a good look as she laughed. Our eyes met for a moment before she lowered her gaze. I spun my ring around my finger again.

  She placed her hand over my hands, then looked up at me with confusion in her eyes.

  "Is everything all right?" she asked.

  "Of course. Everything's perfect."

  "You’re playing with your ring. Whenever you start twisting that around, I know something’s bothering you."

  Damn her for knowing me so well.

  The ring had been in my family for years. It belonged to my grandfather and even though I never met him, it meant a lot to me. The ring was my only connection to my family besides my brother.

  I shoved my hands in my pockets to stop myself from playing with the ring, then forced a smile onto my face. I had grown into the habit of telling Becca everything, but now I had something I couldn’t say.

  Becca’s eyes flashed excitedly as someone behind me caught her attention. One of her hands shot up and she waved as she squeezed my arm with her other hand.

  "Oh, it’s Drake and Samantha Winslow," she said. "I’ve always been a big fan of his, and his wife is awesome. She introduced me to him a couple of weeks ago at one of our lunches at Mirabella’s. He told me he was going to be here and that he wanted to talk about our plans for the South End. I’ll catch up with you later."

  I didn’t know what took over me but before she walked away, I grabbed a hold of her waist and pulled her against me. I didn’t want her talking to another man, I wanted her all to myself.

  I wanted to kiss her, but not like the peck she gave me before. I wanted to give her a kiss that made her think of me differently. I wanted her to think about me and that kiss for the rest of the night. I wanted that kiss to make her as vulnerable and confused as I was feeling right now. But I couldn't do what I wanted.

  Becca’s eyes flicked up at me. She didn’t have to say anything, her face always said what she was thinking and feeling. She was wondering why I stopped her, why I was holding her. But I couldn’t tell her why, so I let her go.

  I watched her as she walked away. I couldn’t take my eyes off her. How did I never notice that wiggle in her ass before? Why didn't I ever look at her this way before? It wasn't just her being dressed up, there was something more.

  Eddie Salvador knocked on the bar to get the bartender’s attention. He worked in an office down the hall from Becca. He was in his early thirties, but the deep grooves in his weathered skin made him look older.

  "Hey, Gideon, how have you been?" he asked, his voice gravelly.

  "I’m alright, Eddie. Good to see you tonight. We appreciate your support," I said, reciting the lines I knew Becca would approve of.

  He leaned with his back against the bar. I didn’t turn to look at him even though I knew I was being impolite. I just couldn’t take my eyes off Becca.

  "Was that Becca I saw you talking to before?" he asked. "She’s looking good tonight."

  Eddie suddenly had my full attention. I tried to think about my other conversations with him. Was he married? Did he have a girlfriend? Maybe he was gay. The thought of another man looking at my Becca the way I was sent a flash of anger through me.

  "Yes, she is," I growled.

  "She seeing anyone? Because, you know, maybe I should show her a good time."

  My hands balled up into fists. In my mind, I imagined myself beating Eddie to a pulp, and it made me feel better. But I had to remind myself of my place. Becca was just my friend, my best friend. I had no claim on her, but I didn't want anyone else looking at her the way I was.

  "I don’t think that would be a good idea," I said. "She’s pretty serious with someone right now."

  "Oh, that’s too bad. I’ve never seen anyone else around her, other than you of course. I thought maybe she was available."

  "She’s not," I lied. "And he’s very jealous too so if I were you, I wouldn’t flirt with her or even compliment her. I don’t think you should talk to her at all. Just keep things professional."

  Out of the corner of my eye, Becca finished talking to the Winslows and was making her way farther into the party. My plan of finding a woman to take home that night was out the window. I couldn't have the one I wanted. My new plan was to keep an eye on my best friend.

  I couldn’t explain what was going on in my mind. Was this just a one-night thing with Becca? Would things go back to normal tomorrow? Or was this the start of something new?

  As I followed her from a distance, I kept reminding myself of one thing — Becca was my best friend. I’d be an idiot to screw that up.

  Tonight, I would make sure no one bothered her, no one got too close to her, and I'd enjoy the view while I did. Tomorrow, everything would go back to normal. But even as I tried to convince myself of that, I knew I was wrong.

  Chapter Two

  Becca

  Three Months Later

  I was running around the house in a new pair of black yoga pants and a light blue t-shirt doing some last-minute clean up when the doorbell rang. As I slid towards the door in my socks, I spotted my lopsided pile of mail on the counter. Clutching the pile to my chest, I raced in
to the kitchen, opened a drawer, and dumped the mail in. Carefully closing the drawer, I made sure none of the envelopes slipped out.

  "I'll be right there," I called out.

  Cinder, my ten-year-old black Lab, tilted her head as she watched me run over to the Christmas tree in the corner. I had visited the shelter several months ago as part of the revitalization project and once I saw her, I had to have her. She reminded me of a dog I had growing up, there was no way I could leave her there.

  Once I plugged in the lights, the tree gave the room a warm glow. It was the day after Christmas, and I wanted to light the tree as often as I could before I had to pack it back up.

  The doorknob twisted before Cassie knocked on the door impatiently.

  "Come on, Becca," she said. "It's cold out here. Let me in."

  "I'm coming," I said as I turned around and gave the room a final once over.

  It was Cassie's first time there since the renovations had been completed a month ago and I was excited to have her over. Cassie and I met when she answered my ad for a roommate. We hit it off immediately and I convinced my uncle, a mixed martial arts trainer, to interview her when he was looking for a physical therapist for his team. My uncle's boss was Gabriel Kohl, and now he and Cassie were married and raising his daughter. It was another of my favorite couple stories, especially because I had a hand in it.

  Cassie stomped her feet and rubbed her arms as I opened the door. "I could have frozen to death out there," she said.

  "It's not that cold, you can't even see your breath. Plus you were in the hall, drama queen. I just wanted everything to look perfect for you."

  She laughed as we hugged. "You know I can't stand the cold." Cinder came over and shoved her head against Cassie's thigh. She knelt down to pet her, and Cinder licked her face. "I can't believe this place, Becca. It doesn't look anything like it did when I lived here. I mean, look at these hand-scraped floors and granite countertops. You even tore down the wall between our apartment and the Nelsons’. I can't believe how big this place looks now that it's one house instead of two apartments. This had to cost you a fortune!"

  "Well, you know what a dump this place was and what the neighborhood was like, so I got it pretty cheap. Then I had a lot of help with fixing it up."

  "I know, I heard all about that," she said with a sly grin as she took off her coat. "Gideon worked his ass off here. I had no idea he was so handy. Then again, it is you."

  "What's that supposed to mean?" I asked.

  "Give me a break, Beck. I know I always tease you about being more than friends, but be honest with yourself. Do you really think any man is going to do all this work just for his friend?"

  It was a question I had asked myself plenty of times over the past six months since I bought the house. Gideon insisted on helping me with all the work. What he couldn't do, he found the people who would do it. And now that I thought about it, I realized I never paid for any of it. He told me they'd bill me, and I was so busy with work that I never realized no one did. Gideon must have taken care of it and I was too dense to piece it together.

  "I'm sorry," she said. "Maybe I should have kept my mouth shut about it, but I really thought you could figure it out on your own. You're not just friends."

  "We are, Cassie. I swear. Okay, I'll admit it, I've been a little obsessive about this job and I've obviously ignored certain things, but if Gideon thought of me as more than just a friend, I'd know it."

  She entered the kitchen and poured herself a glass of water.

  "Have you asked him?" she asked.

  "I don't have to, I'd know. Besides, you know how he is. He flirts with every one. And he's always falling in love. He doesn't just like someone, it's always love. You know that."

  "I also know that he hasn't seen anyone in at least three months."

  "Oh? Three months?" I asked as I turned away from her to hide how curious I was. "Did he say that? Why do you say it's been three months?"

  "Because I remember that night at the Boone with the fundraiser. That was also around the time he moved into Gabriel's old penthouse downtown."

  None of this was news to me, Gideon and I texted every night. But since the fundraiser, I kept thinking something had changed with him. I couldn't put my finger on it though.

  "I think you're reading into things too much," I said, more to myself than Cassie. "The past few months for Gideon have also been crazy. His architectural design firm really took off after he finished Mason Abernathy's eco ranch. I think he's having a hard time dealing with his own success."

  "Maybe," she said. "You do know him better than I do. I guess if something was going on with him Gabriel would have said something. You know they're close."

  She pulled out a chair from the small round wooden kitchen table and sat down. As I handed Cinder a biscuit, she flung it into the air and jumped after it as I sat down across from Cassie.

  "How is Gabriel? Is he out with Wendy tonight?"

  "No, they're home, it's movie night. I was tempted to stay, but I thought they should have some quality time without me around. She never says anything, but I'm sure she misses having her dad all to herself."

  "The way you two get along? She loves you, Cassie. It's obvious."

  "About as obvious as you and Gideon being more than friends," she said.

  "Really? I thought we were done talking about him."

  She shook her head. "As one of your best friends, I reserve the right to bring up Gideon whenever I want."

  "I think I need to demote you."

  "And where is this friend of yours tonight?" she asked as she arched her brow.

  "I don't know, maybe a date or something. Gideon doesn't tell me everything he does, you know."

  "You're lying," she said. "I can tell because you're scrunching your nose."

  I sighed as I pursed my lips. I had to be the worst liar on the planet.

  "Fine, just don't make it a big deal that I know. He said he was going out with some friends tonight," I said.

  "And? I know that's not all."

  "Gosh, you can be a real ballbuster when you want to be, you know that?" I asked, teasing her.

  "I do know. Gabriel tells me all the time," she said with a grin. "Now spill, are you seeing your friend Gideon later? Just because he's going out with some friends, it doesn't mean you can't see him afterwards."

  "I heard that, how you said friend. I know what you're thinking, but really, that's all he is. Maybe he'll text me later, but that's it. For the last time, we are just friends. Nothing more."

  Cassie pursed her lips and narrowed her eyes at me as she tried to figure out if I was lying.

  "You know friends sometimes make the best lovers. You've never thought about something more with him?"

  I squirmed in my seat and looked away, wanting to hide my lack of a poker face from her.

  "No, never. I've only ever thought of him as a friend," I said.

  "Ah-ha," Cassie exclaimed as she pointed at my face. "You scrunched! You just lied." She drew out the last word, making it last several seconds as she laughed. "I knew it! You're into him."

  "I am not into him. Is he gorgeous, funny, and one of my best friends? Yes. Have I ever wondered what he's like in bed? Yes, fine, I'll admit I have. But that's it. I don't have time for a boyfriend anyway. Plus he and I would never work out. We're friends, that's it. Nothing more."

  "Hmmph," she said after taking a sip of her drink. "I don't believe it. There's more there between the two of you. Maybe you're just not realizing it yet, but I'm sure of it."

  "Trust me, if there was, I would tell you. You know I can't keep secrets," I said. "Anyway, I baked brownies. Do you want one?"

  As Cassie nodded, my cell phone vibrated in my pocket. I set it down on the counter near the brownie pan, hoping she wouldn't notice while I read my text. The last thing I needed was to give her more ammunition.

  Gideon: Text me if you want to do something later.

  Becca: I thought you were going out with y
our college buddies.

  Gideon: Yeah, but you're more fun.

  The corners of my mouth tugged up into a smile.

  Stop it! Cassie is getting into your head. It means nothing. You're just friends. Nothing more, remember? I chided myself.

  Just as I was about to reply, Cassie shifted in her seat to face me. I casually slipped my phone back into my pocket and tried to hide the smile that spread across my face.

  After Cassie left, I headed straight to my bedroom and climbed into bed. As I lay in the dark, my phone lit the room with a new text. I didn't have to look to know it was Gideon.

  Gideon: Still up?

  Becca: Cassie just left.

  Gideon: Oh? Have fun?

  Becca: It was nice, talked about a bunch of stuff.

  Gideon: Anyone I need to worry about?

  Becca: What do you mean?

  Gideon: Never mind.

  I shook my head while I re-read his texts. It wasn't like him to say things like that. Not that Gideon didn't flirt with me, but that was just how he was. He rarely said anything that sounded serious.

  Becca: Are you home?

  Gideon: Not yet. On the way.

  Becca: You're texting and driving?

  Gideon: No, Navarro is driving.

  Becca: Navarro?

  Gideon: Yeah, Grayson Navarro. One of my best buds from college.

  Becca: Where's your car?

  Gideon: He's driving it. Don't ask.

  Gideon never let anyone drive his car. He had a red Bugatti that I called his girlfriend. The only reason I could think for him letting his friend drive was because he was drunk. Why else would he let Navarro drive?

  Becca: Let me know when you get home.

  Gideon: I will, Mom.

  Becca: Shut up.

  An hour later, I was sitting at the kitchen table nursing a hot chocolate. I couldn't sleep. I was too worried about Gideon getting home safely.

  He should have texted by now, I thought.