“W-what?”
“I said I’m sorry.”
“You. . .” Her gaze ping-pongs between my face, my chest, and the bushes next to us. Confusion dulls the anger in her tone when she speaks next. “Why are you apologizing?”
“Because you’re right. I overstepped. You’re an adult. You can speak with whomever you choose, date whoever you want. I don’t have to like it,” I admit, my ears burning with shame. “And I behaved like a dick instead of giving you your space.”
“Stop being so. . . so. . .reasonable,“ she spits. “I can’t even be angry with you if you say sorry already.”
I shouldn’t laugh. Iabsolutelyshouldn’t laugh. But I can’t stop the little tickle in my belly when I realize she’s frustrated with me for owning my mistake too quickly. Fondness for this unbelievably sweet woman overtakes every other thought. The gentleness of her soul is so evident, it makes me ill to have caused her stress.
“Do you want me to retract my apology so you can be angry?”
She slants me a look that says if she could get away with kicking me in the balls right now, she would. If it makes her happy again, I might let her.
“I was putting myself out there tonight. It’s been alongtime since I’ve done that without feeling like I’m doing it wrong.“ Her lower lip wobbles in disappointment and any flicker of amusement I feel burns in the spark of remorse flaring inside me.
“You did good, Tots,” I say softly, taking a tiny step closer. I’m glad she doesn’t shift away. “I saw how much people enjoyed speaking with you. I’m sorry I fucked with your momentum.”
“With Theo or with someone else, I just want to feel for one night that I am. . .”
“That you’re what?”
“Good enough.”
Motherfucking hell, never have two words been such a knife to my gut.
“He’s the one who’s not good enough for you.”
No one is.
Alia scoffs, wrapping her arms around herself, as though warding off some invisible pain. “Don’t patronize me, Callum.”
“I’m not. . .”
“You may not have found me attractive enough to sleep with, but if Theo does, then what’s the harm?”
“You think I don’t find you attractive?” I snap, my voice rising sharply.
“You’ve made that clear, and I respect your choice. But you need to respect mine. I already have Rohan I tiptoe around. I don’t need another protective older brother.”
My entire body lurches in revolt. “I amnotyour fucking brother.”
“Then quit behaving like it!”
We’re toe-to-toe, glaring at each other, neither willing to back away. Her ability to stand up to me, especially after her admission of not feeling strong enough, makes me want her with a ferocity that obliterates all logical thought. I can’t even stop what I’m about to do—and I don’t want to anymore. I’m tired of fighting with myself to stay away from someone I obviously can’t ignore.
My path to hell now has a pitstop with a gigantic neon sign that has one name: Alia.
“Be brave.” My voice comes out gravelly and rough, my entire body vibrating with the need to prove myself.
I don’t know if it’s a request or a demand, but her brows clash. A tiny voice in the back of my head niggles at me to quit before I do something irreversible, but I’m too far gone to listen to it.
“Say yes, and I’ll show you how not-brotherly I feel toward you.”
19
ALIA