Page 5 of Dirty Hot Valentine
“You must be a bitch,” Zach interrupted.
My eyes widened.Oh my God. Did he just call me a bitch? That’s his first word for me?
The other two swore, their feet scurrying toward us to the rescue.
“Zach, what are you doing?”
“C’mon, man. Be nice.”
What the hell was I still doing here? I was too taken aback to say anything. To even move. I shook my head, snapping out of it. Then I grabbed my purse and rose, my chest heaving. “I don’t know why I… I should go.”
“Miss Gibson, wait. You just got here,” Brandon said. “I’m so sorry. Could you please just come with me?”
I glanced away from him and glared at the evil twin, who didn’t even bother to apologize…or do anything but staring like a creep. He didn’t deserve that face.
Kyle touched my arm, ushering me out. Brandon went ahead of us and let us in another small room down the hall.
“First, I’m sorry about my brother’s behavior, but I can assure you he didn’t mean what he said.”
“Your brother is a grown man. He can apologize for himself. But obviously, he’s too much of a…” I wanted to say dick, but I clenched my teeth instead. I shifted my gaze toward Kyle. “A little rough around the edges? Seriously?”
“Could you please be patient for a minute and hear me out?” Kyle requested.
“No, thanks. I have no interest in going anywhere with your cousin, Mister Beastly. Congratulations on your wedding. I hope you’re nothing like him for your bride’s sake.” I spun for the door, not planning on spending another minute in this house. I must have been a lunatic to come here in the first place.
“Zach lost his girlfriend two years ago,” Brandon said, stopping me in my tracks. “That’s why he’s a little…rough. He’s shut down ever since, isolated himself here. He barely talks to anyone. You should have seen him before.” Brandon sighed. “I’ve always been the cranky one. He was…happy.”
A contradicting mix of emotions hit me. Sympathy. Confusion. Sadness. Anger. I turned, unsure how to respond.
“When I got divorced, I moved in with him. That’s when he barely got back to himself. Kyle and I have been doing everything we can to get him out there to meet new people,” Brandon explained. “And when Kyle made you that proposition today, honestly, I thought it was a bad idea. But when I saw it was you…a respectable, educated, beautiful person like you, I thought, yeah, this could be really good. That’s exactly what Zach needs.” He stepped toward me. “I know you shouldn’t be concerned with any of this, but if you just give him a chance… He’s trying, Miss Gibson.”
“Please, call me Keera,” I said.
He smiled at me. Damn. Why wasn’t he the one who needed the date? “Keera…would you please sit with my brother again?”
Chapter Four
Zach
Fuck this shit. I told them I wouldn’t go to the wedding, and if I did, I’d go alone. There was nothing wrong about being alone. Especially when it came to a motherfucker like me.
This…person…was nothing like I’d expected. I thought she’d be ugly. Or had mosquito bites for tits. She’d be glad to lose it, enjoy free cake at the wedding and be gone.
But she was nothing like that.
The way her dark hair fell around her shoulders, her clothes, her makeup, everything about her was simple and elegant. She wasn’t only beautiful and graceful with enough tits to fill my big hands. There was an innocence to her that called to me. Nagged me, sending a stupid urge to take her in my arms and protect her. Because she looked so delicate, like she might fly away if a breeze blew through the room.
What the hell was wrong with her? What the hell was wrong with me?
I knew what was wrong with me. They would be telling her all about it now, and it would drive her away. Or worse. She’d come back out of pity.
But what was wrong with her?
Any fucker with a dick would want a piece of that. Why wouldn’t her boyfriends touch that pussy?
Did it smell? Bite?
Heels clicked my way. Was she coming back or just leaving?
