Total pages in book: 76
Estimated words: 76759 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 384(@200wpm)___ 307(@250wpm)___ 256(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 76759 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 384(@200wpm)___ 307(@250wpm)___ 256(@300wpm)
“Is this from you?”
I blink, my heart pounding like the hooves of a wild mustang, unconstrained and free. “Of course not. What would make you think that?”
He removes the buckle, hands it to me.
“It’s really beautiful.”
“It is.”
“Whoever bought it has exquisite taste,” I say, “but why do you think it’s from me?”
“Turn it over.”
Right. I had it engraved With lots of love. That was it.
I turn it over and—
“Oh my God!”
“See what I mean?”
That stupid clerk. I told him to engrave With lots of love. Not With lots of love, Brianna.
Damn it all to hell! I knew I should have unwrapped it and looked at it before I put it under the Pikes’ Christmas tree.
What was I thinking?
“That right there is why I think it’s from you,” he says.
Embarrassment wells through me. My cheeks are burning. “It was meant to be anonymous.”
He frowns. “Why?”
“I don’t know.” I drop my gaze to the floor and then wander around the living room aimlessly. “I saw it and I thought of you. Every time I see you, you seem to have a different belt buckle on. This one was beautiful.”
He closes the distance between us and takes the buckle from me, the warmth of his hand making my stallion heartbeat turn to wild antelope. “If it was supposed to be anonymous, why is your name on it?”
I sigh. “Tell me and we’ll both know. The clerk fucked up.”
His gaze softens then, and his dark eyes burn into me. “Brianna, I’m not looking for—”
I hold up a hand to stop him. “That’s not what this is about, Jesse. I just wanted you to have it.”
He places his hand on my shoulder—my bare shoulder—making my flesh burn. “Good. Then we have an understanding?”
“Of course. I mean, it was only one—”
He touches his fingers to my lips. “That never happened.”
My heart cracks a little then. He truly isn’t interested. Perhaps he’s attracted to me—I mean, you can’t kiss a person like that if you’re not—but he’s not interested in me in that way.
Maybe I shouldn’t go on this tour after all.
“Well, thank you for the gift.”
“You’re welcome. I guess I’ll see you at the airport.”
“Yeah. See you then.” He turns, walks out the door.
Damn that clerk. I’m going to have him fired. First thing tomorrow I’m going back to that mall and—
A tear wells in my eye.
No, I’m not going to have him fired. He’s a clerk at a small shop. He probably needs that job. Maybe he’s the owner of the shop, in which case I can’t have him fired anyway.
He screwed up.
Who the hell hasn’t screwed up in life?
I sure did. I should’ve opened the package and made sure the engraving was right.
This is no one’s fault but my own.
And now?
I no longer want to go on the tour.
But I already talked Maddie into going, and I can’t disappoint her. Not after she’s already been disappointed by my cousins and me on so many occasions.
I walk down the hallway to my bedroom, flop on my bed—right on top of the gorgeous dress from Diana—and the tears come.
Chapter Eighteen
Jesse
Two weeks later…
My pulse is hammering in my neck. We’re ready to leave for the UK.
Brianna Steel is here, waiting for the plane with us. She and Maddie are in first class, along with Brock, Rory, Donny, and Callie.
Brock tried to pay for the rest of us to go first class, but the only one to take him up on it was Dragon.
I wanted to.
The thought of this eight-hour flight in those ninety-degree seats kind of makes me sick.
But I’m not taking any more Steel money.
“Ladies and gentlemen, we’re now ready to board Flight 756 with nonstop service to London. We’d like to offer pre-boarding to any of our active military passengers, as well as any passengers traveling with small children. You’re welcome to board now.”
A few guys in fatigues—Cage and I thanked them for their service when we got to the gate—along with one family with a toddler and a baby—that’s going to be fun—head toward the gate for boarding.
A few moments later—“Ladies and gentlemen, if you are in our first-class cabin, you’re welcome to board now.”
Brianna rises, along with Maddie, Donny, Callie, Brock, Rory, and Dragon. They head through the gate with their carry-ons.
“We’re idiots,” Cage says to me.
“Why do you say that?”
Cage eyes the line of people boarding the large plane. “Because we could be going into that posh first-class area right now.”
“There was nothing stopping you from taking Brock up on his offer.”
“No,” Jake says, “only you and your fucking glare.”
I shake my head, snarling. “For Christ’s sake. See if there are seats available then. Change it.”
“Not a bad idea,” Cage says to Jake.
Jake rises. “I’m with you, buddy.” They head to the counter.
A few minutes later, just as the first-class passengers are done boarding, they trail off to the end of the line.