Page 98 of Nothing to Win

“I thought I knew,” she admitted, fixated on his fingers lacing between hers.Subtle, the action would be invisible to most of the rest of the room.How then could it be affecting every atom of her whole being?“You hurt me, Brogan.You scared me.”

“Scared you?Baby, how?”

“I thought you were a certainty, that nothing would… not until the deadline anyway.I was pacing myself for that date and then… I don’t know.”This was wrong, she couldn’t sink into her delusions again.Pulling her hand away, she tried to be discreet about rubbing it against her thigh in a fight to rid the tormenting sensations of his caress from her enlivened skin.“You were right to do what you did.We were too precariously close to the line we weren’t supposed to cross—I was too close.We were reckless and it was irresponsible of both of us… We lost our minds…” She peeked at him.“I asked you to fuck me in the kitchen for goodness’ sake.”

Where had her reserve gone?Her sense?Her upbringing?

“I remember,” he said, nothing about his creeping smile suggesting shame.

No, it was pleased and yet so feral that her own lips reacted.“Stop it.”

“Stop what?”

“You’re thinking about it… about your kitchen… about… us.”

“No, I’m not,” he said.

Narrowing her eyes, she didn’t believe him.Was he teasing her?

“No?What are you thinking about?”

“I’m thinking about fucking you,” he said, boom, no big deal.

Except, uh, yeah, it was.She quickly checked no one was close enough to hear.

“Brogan,” she hissed, trying to hush him.

“I’m thinking about how it would feel to kiss you right now, to pick you up and put you on that table.”

Gia blinked, and when her eyes opened, the table was all she could see.“This table?”

“Might not be a good idea.”

Shock was so potent, she couldn’t even think about incredulity.“Might?”

He lifted a shoulder and scanned the table.“It’s lower than the island, not as sturdy.”His hungry eyes landed on her.“And the last thing I want to be is gentle with you.”

Her hand leaped to his lips to silence him.“Brogan,” she whispered, fingertips on his lips betraying how close she’d leaned in.“What is wrong with you?Why are you saying these things?”

Curling his fingers around her wrist, he drew her hand down.“Because losing you has made me realize there are worst things in the world than telling the truth, even if the words might be deemed inappropriate by some… There’s nothing I could say to you that’s inappropriate, as long as it’s true.”

“As long as it’s true?”

“The chains are gone, Irish.We’re no longer obligated to each other for anything.I’ll fund your friend’s search, not because of our deal, but because no amount of money is too much if it makes you happy.”

“I thought I was expensive.Always one cause or another.”

Slowly, the knuckle of his index finger touched the apple of her cheek, descending in an excruciating line to her jaw.

“You’re a woman who should be celebrated, for your heart, your beauty, your tenacity.I’d let you bleed me for every cent and still have faith your cause was true.You’re more worthy of the money than anyone alive and it’s always been my honor to share it with you.”

What was she supposed to do with that?

A shadow cast over them; Julius materialized, blocking them from the room.

“Much as I love this picture,” he said and rolled his eyes sideways.“You might want to break it up.”

Sliding back in her seat to see beyond him, her father and Bram barreled through the crowd.Everett may have been lured into another dance with someone else.He’d asked her several times if she’d dance with him.She hadn’t.With Brogan, she’d become accustomed to not dancing at functions, now it felt wrong to consider it.