date with a six foot two amazon woman who thought bench pressing young uni blokes was a fun pastime. The bruise on my hip lasted for weeks when the giant unexpectedly pulled me off my feet and into the air. Someone made her laugh and there I was, a crumpled heap of gangly limbs and sore bones. I was lucky not to have broken anything when my hip hit the pavement.
“So it’s settled then. How fast can you plan this and what can I do? Call a caterer?”
Nate scoffed. “I’ll cook. Besides I have this new little thing I was hoping to impress…”
“No, no, no! Not again. Do not use this dinner party to put the moves on some tart you’ll toss away after one night of shagging.”
Nate had the presence of mind to look a tad trite. “You’re a funny one to talk. Isn’t that exactly what you are doing with the lovely Ms. Kelley? Trying to woo her?”
“Yes, but I plan on keeping this bird around. You, on the other hand, change bedmates more than you change your jockeys!”
He waggled his eyebrows. “Jealous?”
I rolled my eyes. “Hardly. I just…look, let’s try and make this as civil as possible. She means something to me. I can’t explain it.”
Nathaniel put his large hands out in front of him which mimicked the universal sign for “say no more.” “Alright, we’ll have it your way. No sexy vixens to keep me company.” He pursed his lips then pulled out his phone hitting a sequence of buttons. “Aspen love, how are you this fine chilly day?” The beat of my heart seemed loud against my chest. “Yes, well, I was wondering if you and the gang would fancy a dinner party at my flat this weekend?”
He waited a moment, drumming his fingers against his pant leg. After what seemed like eternity he clasped a hand over the speaker portion. “She’s asking Oliver about her schedule,” he whispered to me, taking the edge off a bit.
“Why?” I ask.
“He is her assistant and her best friend. I told you, they are two peas in a pod.” He rolled his eyes then smiled into the phone. “Brilliant, love! Dinner it is. Do you think it would be possible to invite your sister, London? She’ll be redesigning my flat after your wedding and I’d love for her to get a quick run through prior to the move in.”
Ecstatic didn’t begin to explain how I felt. I was amazed at how easily Nathaniel was able to come up with something so clever to bring the black-haired beauty around. At the same time I fought a deep seated anger all at once. I’d forgotten his plan to have her design his flat.
That was not going to happen. Over my dead body would he be in a confined space with my Beauty for any length of time. That tidbit of information could be discussed at a later date. First priority, get the bird to dinner. Next, get the woman in my bed. Lastly, convince her to give us an honest shot at something more.
“All sorted.” Nathaniel pocketed his phone and stood. I held out a hand. He shook it and smiled. I gave him one of my own.
“Dog’s bollocks, brother.”
“As the Yanks would say, now don’t screw it up!”
“I don’t intend to.” I looked at my desk and took a seat as Nathaniel reached the door. He held onto the door-handle and stopped.
“She’s special this one. True?”
I slid on my spectacles, clasped my hands in front of me, elbows on the lacquered surface and looked over the rims of my glasses at Nathaniel. He wasn’t only my brother, he was my best mate. His tall built frame filled the space, though the daily swimming he did kept his body from being too bulky. He waited for my response. I took a deep breath and let the air flow slowly through my too dry lips.
His gaze met mine. A hundred thousand words were said, ones only brothers, kindred spirits, could express without speaking. The word slipped from my lips, heavy with a deeper meaning.
“True.”
Chapter - 7
Aspen yanked my hand so hard she almost pulled my shoulder out of socket.
“Ouch! Stop it already!” I tried and failed
“So it’s settled then. How fast can you plan this and what can I do? Call a caterer?”
Nate scoffed. “I’ll cook. Besides I have this new little thing I was hoping to impress…”
“No, no, no! Not again. Do not use this dinner party to put the moves on some tart you’ll toss away after one night of shagging.”
Nate had the presence of mind to look a tad trite. “You’re a funny one to talk. Isn’t that exactly what you are doing with the lovely Ms. Kelley? Trying to woo her?”
“Yes, but I plan on keeping this bird around. You, on the other hand, change bedmates more than you change your jockeys!”
He waggled his eyebrows. “Jealous?”
I rolled my eyes. “Hardly. I just…look, let’s try and make this as civil as possible. She means something to me. I can’t explain it.”
Nathaniel put his large hands out in front of him which mimicked the universal sign for “say no more.” “Alright, we’ll have it your way. No sexy vixens to keep me company.” He pursed his lips then pulled out his phone hitting a sequence of buttons. “Aspen love, how are you this fine chilly day?” The beat of my heart seemed loud against my chest. “Yes, well, I was wondering if you and the gang would fancy a dinner party at my flat this weekend?”
He waited a moment, drumming his fingers against his pant leg. After what seemed like eternity he clasped a hand over the speaker portion. “She’s asking Oliver about her schedule,” he whispered to me, taking the edge off a bit.
“Why?” I ask.
“He is her assistant and her best friend. I told you, they are two peas in a pod.” He rolled his eyes then smiled into the phone. “Brilliant, love! Dinner it is. Do you think it would be possible to invite your sister, London? She’ll be redesigning my flat after your wedding and I’d love for her to get a quick run through prior to the move in.”
Ecstatic didn’t begin to explain how I felt. I was amazed at how easily Nathaniel was able to come up with something so clever to bring the black-haired beauty around. At the same time I fought a deep seated anger all at once. I’d forgotten his plan to have her design his flat.
That was not going to happen. Over my dead body would he be in a confined space with my Beauty for any length of time. That tidbit of information could be discussed at a later date. First priority, get the bird to dinner. Next, get the woman in my bed. Lastly, convince her to give us an honest shot at something more.
“All sorted.” Nathaniel pocketed his phone and stood. I held out a hand. He shook it and smiled. I gave him one of my own.
“Dog’s bollocks, brother.”
“As the Yanks would say, now don’t screw it up!”
“I don’t intend to.” I looked at my desk and took a seat as Nathaniel reached the door. He held onto the door-handle and stopped.
“She’s special this one. True?”
I slid on my spectacles, clasped my hands in front of me, elbows on the lacquered surface and looked over the rims of my glasses at Nathaniel. He wasn’t only my brother, he was my best mate. His tall built frame filled the space, though the daily swimming he did kept his body from being too bulky. He waited for my response. I took a deep breath and let the air flow slowly through my too dry lips.
His gaze met mine. A hundred thousand words were said, ones only brothers, kindred spirits, could express without speaking. The word slipped from my lips, heavy with a deeper meaning.
“True.”
Chapter - 7
Aspen yanked my hand so hard she almost pulled my shoulder out of socket.
“Ouch! Stop it already!” I tried and failed
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