Best Friend's Brother #4 (Best Friend's Brother Romance Series - Book #4) by Alycia Taylor Read Free Book Online Page A

then she looked up and noticed
me and it was too late. Taking a deep breath and trying to man up, I went over
to where she was sitting and sat down.
    “Hi,” she said. Her eyes looked sad or nervous or
something and I felt bad.
    “Hey,” I said, sliding into the seat across from her.
“Did you order?”
    “No. I’m not really hungry. I just wanted to talk.”
    “What about?” I asked her. I couldn’t do this. I
couldn’t tell her that I didn’t want to be with her. It would be the biggest
lie I ever told.
    She sighed loudly and said, “Really, Ian? This is
ridiculous. We’re not kids. Can you please just tell me what has been going on
with you, like an adult?”
    I took a little bit of offense at that comment. I
may have taken more, if she hadn’t been right. “I’ve just had a stressful week.
You want pepperoni or just cheese?”
    “I just said I’m not hungry.”
    “Okay, I’ll be right back.” She looked at me like I
was crazy…and again, I don’t blame her. I got up and went to order a pizza that
neither of us wanted. I was stalling as much as I could. While I was up there,
I got myself a drink and went back to join her again. I sat the number plate
they gave me at the edge of the table and she watched me until I was settled
and then she said,
    “Got everything you need?” Her tone was sarcastic,
obviously annoyed. I nodded and she went on to say, “I wasn’t mad when I left
the other night. I was…annoyed, I guess and I let myself wonder if you and I
were doing the right thing by being together. I thought about all the ups and
downs that we’ve already had…but Ian, I decided that right or wrong didn’t
matter, because I really want to be with you…”
    God, she was fucking killing me. I wanted to reach
across the table and pull her towards me and shove my tongue in her mouth. I
wanted to take her in the bathroom and push her up against the wall and rip
those little shorts right off of her. I wanted to tell her that as much as she
thought she wanted me, I wanted her more. Instead, like the chicken-shit I was
turning out to be, I said the opposite.  
    “Alexa, I know you weren’t mad. You asked for space
and I gave it to you.” I tried to will the vision of her naked against the
brick wall in the bathroom away. It wasn’t easy.
    “I appreciate it, but I don’t need it any longer.
I’m sitting here telling you that I want to be with you. You say you’re not
ignoring me and you don’t want to break up with me, so why are you pushing me
away?”
    “I’m not pushing you away. I told you, it’s just
been a really stressful week. I’m still not sleeping well, and then there was the
stuff with you and crazy Kristie. I have a champion ship fight coming up too and
I need to focus.”
    “And I make you lose focus?”
    The pizza arrived. I let the server set it down and
ask if we needed anything else. Then I did what any coward would. I picked up a
slice and shoved a big bite in my mouth .   Alexa stared at me the whole time I
was chewing it. When I swallowed and took a drink of my Coke she said, “Are you
going to answer me?”
    “I’m not sure what you want me to say.”
    “I don’t want you to say anything. I want you to
tell me what’s wrong, honestly. It’s not much to ask…at least I don’t think it
is. You keep saying nothing, but I don’t believe you. I know you well enough
now to know that this behavior is not you. Something is going on. Why won’t you
just tell me what it is so we can talk about it and move on?” Her tone changed
then. I could tell she was trying to keep it steady, but it quivered a little
as she said, “If you don’t want me, I’m a big girl, I can take it. But I
deserve for you to tell me that to my face.”
    I choked on those words. I couldn’t tell her that I
didn’t want her. Even if I managed to say the words, there was no way they
would come out sounding sincere. She was sitting here telling me that she
wanted me. I want her. Why is