Page 33 of Destroyer
TEDDY
Teddy waiteduntil he was alone in the dining room before rearranging himself. No way was he getting up until things had calmed down. Minutes later, he was in the kitchen helping clear the table.
“How was your dinner for two?” Gabriel asked as Teddy loaded up the dishwasher.
“I didn’t want her eating by herself,” Teddy replied.
Gabriel chuffed out a laugh. “Yeah, you going with that?”
“It was nothing,” Teddy said.
“I see the way you look at her.”
“I see the wayyoulook at her.”
“Ishouldlook at her that way,” Gabriel whispered. “She’s my wife.”
Teddy glanced over. He knew that look. Gabriel was fucking with him. “Yeah, she’s my wife too. Guess we’ll have to share.”
Gabriel laughed. “It’s not like that with her.”
“How do you know her?”
“Just met her.”
Teddy eyed his older brother.Nope. “You’ve known her for a while.”
“How do you do that?” Gabriel asked. “Maybe I did just meet her tonight?—”
“No, you lay on the charm hard when you meet a woman for the first time.”
“Too much?” Gabriel asked.
“I say, go with whatever works,” Teddy said. “If a woman’s really hot?—”
“Like Sydney?—”
“Like Sydney. I get flustered. Words are not my thing.”
Gabriel’s eyes widened, his brows jutting into his forehead. “Seriously? Wordsareyour thing. It’s from all that reading you do.” Gabriel piled up the pans and baking dishes next to the sink. “Why not this time?”
“I met her at the restaurant. There, I’m bossman. I’m in control.”
“Maybe you can’t do the bullshit small talk.” Gabriel flashed a smile. “That’s my specialty.”
Teddy chuffed out a laugh. Despite their differences, thebrothers were close. He started washing. “Howdoyou know her?”
When Teddy glanced across the spacious room, the fam was relaxing around the kitchen table drinking espressos, sipping Amaretto, or munching on one of Elsa’s homemade desserts. Sydney was waiting, her white-hot gaze drilling into his. Her lips tugged up in a sliver of a smile before she broke eye contact.
Another hit of energy powered through him.
“Work,” Gabriel murmured. “I know her from work.”
“Which one?”
“Theotherone.”
Sydney Austin just became a whole lot more interesting, but instead of asking his brother, he’d ask her. This time, he was going to get out his own damn way. This time, he’d push past his shyness around this beautiful woman and go after what he wanted.
