Page 34 of The Deal Breaker
“Yes.” Except Dash didn’t know how he felt about Raina.
Not really.
He enjoyed spending time with her. She put up with his work schedule and gaming. They had fun and shared many common interests. He appreciated that she was low maintenance and how she got along with his friends and their significant others. Beyond that…
Dash didn't love her. He wasn't even sure if he could ever love anyone.
“They must have known they’d found ‘the one,’” she said.
As a three-carat-diamond sized lump lodged in his throat, he nodded. Henry had brought Brett and Laurel together through one of his birthday adventures, but the two were meant to be a couple. It had just taken them time to figure that out. Adam and Cambria had been the first to fall in love and marry. Kieran and Selah followed. Mason and Rachael had been next. Blaise had hired Hadley to win the bet, but he ended up marrying the matchmaker instead. And then there was Wes and Paige, two people who were a perfect match. Yes, his friends had each found their one, but that wasn’t a topic for discussion.
Not now.
Or ever.
Dash swallowed. It didn’t help. He cleared his throat. Time for a subject change. “I came over tonight because I want to tell you something.”
Her eyes twinkled, as if a million stars had turned on just for him. She leaned toward him. “I’m listening.”
He wiped his hands again. “Iris needs a place to live for a couple of weeks until she can move into her apartment. I told her she could stay with me.”
Raina stiffened. “At your house?”
Dash nodded, not liking the way her smile had vanished. Tension emanated from her, too.
“Why would you do that?” Her words came out clipped and rushed.
“She needs a place to stay.”
“A hotel would be better. It’s the best solution.”
Okay, he hadn’t expected that. But Iris had warned him. “Why?”
“Because you’re my boyfriend, and she…” Raina looked away.
“What?”
“Iris will use this to her advantage.”
Dash scratched his chin. “I’m not following along with this.”
“She’s crazy about you and will try to make you fall in love with her.”
He stared dumbfounded. “You realize Iris has had fifteen years to do that, and she hasn’t.”
“I see how she looks at you.”
“I’m never home, or if I am, she’s not there.” Dash couldn’t believe Raina was saying this about Iris. “You said it yourself. I’m more her boss than her best friend.”
Raina raised her chin. “Then Iris wants to seduce her boss.”
The words hung in the air as if surrounded by a dialogue bubble.
“That’s—”
“The truth,” Raina finished for him.
“Iris has never said or implied anything like that.” Dash thought back to when they’d been younger. There’d been that one time they almost kissed, but Iris had appeared as embarrassed as he was. They’d made their deal to be friends forever and never mentioned it again. She would have never agreed if she wanted more. “Not ever.”
