Congrats, I guess. Branching out on your own is…”
Not like you.
Reckless as she was, sometimes, that didn’t apply to her character, professionally.
The Brooke he knew would have done the leg work for months, if not years, and started up when she was good and ready, not so suddenly her brother hadn’t even known about it.
Shane was pretty sure that Jack hadn’t known; he would have mentioned something. Sure, he didn’t tell him everything about BB, but he shared the grand lines – her graduation, her new job…
“Where are you staying anyway?”
“My parent’s.”
That was it: now he definitely knew that something was up.
“For now, anyway. I need to save money if I want an effective launch.”
Oh hell. Thinking back to Jack’s text, Shane was pretty sure of what his friend had wanted to run by him.
Jack had been given access to some of his trust fund when they’d graduated; with it, they’d bought a humongous foreclosure and, putting Shane’s architectural degree to good use, they’d turned it into an amazing, eco-friendly, unique house that made them their first, second and third million.
Investing most of their money right back, they’d bought another five properties, and the rest was history.
Shane lived in a spacious penthouse in the middle of the city; as Jack was having some work done in his home, he’d temporarily moved in, too. They’d sell the place, eventually, but right now, it fit their purpose – although five en suite bedrooms, two offices, a library, a billiard room, an humongous lounge and a rooftop pool was a bit of an overkill for two single guys.
So Shane would have sworn Jack wanted to offer one of the spare rooms to Brooke. Of course he did; her place was there with them, not in the cold house, with parents who made her feel like crap on a daily basis.
However, seeing her everyday at home might become problematic.
Shane had never forgotten The Kiss.
His cheating wife had just left him, and they’d been drunk as hell, so he convinced himself that it was a mistake he should regret…
But it had also been the best kiss he’d ever had. Soft at first, then hungry, deepening as she straddled him, feeling so damn good against him. He cock had been harder than steel, pulsing to come out; she must have felt it through their jeans.
If it had been any other girl, he would have opened his fly, torn her damn trousers and dived right inside her.
But it had been Brooke. Brooke Barnes. She was not rebound material. She was – she should be – just like one of his sisters, dammit!
Shane had high tailed it out of her flat, hurried back to San Francisco, and he’d never visited her since, reducing their contact to the occasional email, and lame gift cards for her birthdays.
But now, that shit had come to an abrupt close.
The brat was back.
Chapter Two
Nine years ago.
They were on cloud nine; winning the regional championship just before college was the crazy cherry on top of the pie.
Nothing would ruin that night for them; nothing.
Jack passed him the trophy when he spotted his sister running towards him, her big brown eyes full of tears, smiling so bright she outshone the lights around the stadium.
People were talking to him, patting his back, congratulating him for the last minute goal. He could see his own parents waving, calling him to them.
Fuck that.
He entrusted the golden cup to coach, before jogging towards Jack, who was hugging the only family who’d bothered to be there for him like she was his lifeline.
Unabashedly, without any apology for it, Shane intruded in their hug, embracing them both in his arms.
They were family, too.
Now
Brooke
He’d offered; of course he’d offered. He was a good guy, to the bone.
However, she could see how he forced the words out of his mouth, how desperate he was for her to decline the invitation to stay at his place.
So, she did.
“Nah, thanks. I’ll be fine, the
Not like you.
Reckless as she was, sometimes, that didn’t apply to her character, professionally.
The Brooke he knew would have done the leg work for months, if not years, and started up when she was good and ready, not so suddenly her brother hadn’t even known about it.
Shane was pretty sure that Jack hadn’t known; he would have mentioned something. Sure, he didn’t tell him everything about BB, but he shared the grand lines – her graduation, her new job…
“Where are you staying anyway?”
“My parent’s.”
That was it: now he definitely knew that something was up.
“For now, anyway. I need to save money if I want an effective launch.”
Oh hell. Thinking back to Jack’s text, Shane was pretty sure of what his friend had wanted to run by him.
Jack had been given access to some of his trust fund when they’d graduated; with it, they’d bought a humongous foreclosure and, putting Shane’s architectural degree to good use, they’d turned it into an amazing, eco-friendly, unique house that made them their first, second and third million.
Investing most of their money right back, they’d bought another five properties, and the rest was history.
Shane lived in a spacious penthouse in the middle of the city; as Jack was having some work done in his home, he’d temporarily moved in, too. They’d sell the place, eventually, but right now, it fit their purpose – although five en suite bedrooms, two offices, a library, a billiard room, an humongous lounge and a rooftop pool was a bit of an overkill for two single guys.
So Shane would have sworn Jack wanted to offer one of the spare rooms to Brooke. Of course he did; her place was there with them, not in the cold house, with parents who made her feel like crap on a daily basis.
However, seeing her everyday at home might become problematic.
Shane had never forgotten The Kiss.
His cheating wife had just left him, and they’d been drunk as hell, so he convinced himself that it was a mistake he should regret…
But it had also been the best kiss he’d ever had. Soft at first, then hungry, deepening as she straddled him, feeling so damn good against him. He cock had been harder than steel, pulsing to come out; she must have felt it through their jeans.
If it had been any other girl, he would have opened his fly, torn her damn trousers and dived right inside her.
But it had been Brooke. Brooke Barnes. She was not rebound material. She was – she should be – just like one of his sisters, dammit!
Shane had high tailed it out of her flat, hurried back to San Francisco, and he’d never visited her since, reducing their contact to the occasional email, and lame gift cards for her birthdays.
But now, that shit had come to an abrupt close.
The brat was back.
Chapter Two
Nine years ago.
They were on cloud nine; winning the regional championship just before college was the crazy cherry on top of the pie.
Nothing would ruin that night for them; nothing.
Jack passed him the trophy when he spotted his sister running towards him, her big brown eyes full of tears, smiling so bright she outshone the lights around the stadium.
People were talking to him, patting his back, congratulating him for the last minute goal. He could see his own parents waving, calling him to them.
Fuck that.
He entrusted the golden cup to coach, before jogging towards Jack, who was hugging the only family who’d bothered to be there for him like she was his lifeline.
Unabashedly, without any apology for it, Shane intruded in their hug, embracing them both in his arms.
They were family, too.
Now
Brooke
He’d offered; of course he’d offered. He was a good guy, to the bone.
However, she could see how he forced the words out of his mouth, how desperate he was for her to decline the invitation to stay at his place.
So, she did.
“Nah, thanks. I’ll be fine, the
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