Page 49 of Wilde Flame

Ensley rolled her eyes again. She started to say something, then closed her mouth and searched my face, her gaze narrowed. “Something is…different about you.”

I took a step back. “Nothing is different.”

She suddenly gasped, slapped a hand over her mouth, and pointed at me. “Oh my God!”

“No!” I quickly said.

“Oh. My. God!”

“Ensley!”

“You and Caden? Holy shit—did he know you were a virgin? Did he make it good for you? I’ll kill him if he didn’t make it good for you!” She spun away from me and started to pace. “What does this mean? Holy crap! This is huge!”

“It’s not huge. It’s really not that big of a deal.”

Ensley faced me once again. “Not a big deal? Lilibeth, my brother is crazy about you!”

Confused, it was my turn to narrow my eyes. “What on earth are you talking about?”

“I’m talking about the fact that he has feelings for you.”

A humorless laugh escaped my lips. “Why would you say that?”

“He told…” Her words quickly faded away.

“He what?” I asked, suddenly very interested in what she had to say.

“I know my brother, Lilibeth. He likes you. He’s just afraid.”

It felt as if the air was violently pulled from my lungs. Had I done the wrong thing by sleeping with Caden? I liked him, no matter how much I tried to pretend I didn’t. Yet, I knew going in he couldn’t give me anything more than the time we’d spent together. Now, Ensley was telling me he liked me. But liked me how?

I drew in a deep breath and slowly let it out. “Yes, something happened between us, but it’s not what you’re thinking. I think we were both lonely, and we needed each other for different reasons. He was upfront with me that nothing would come of the time we spent together.”

She looked concerned. “And you were okay with that?”

Shrugging, I replied, “He was honest with me, and I was honest with him. I wanted him, Ensley. And I don’t think I have to apologize for that.”

“Of course you don’t. But I see the way you two look at each other—”

I held up my hand. “Please don’t.”

Her shoulders fell. “Oh, Lilibeth.”

I felt the tears sting the back of my eyes. Forcing myself to smile, I whispered, “Sometimes our hearts want something that’s just…out of reach.”

Ensley closed her eyes then, and she slowly nodded. It was clear she’d felt the same way at some point in her life, but I wasn’t about to press her for more.

When she turned away from me, I wondered if she was upset with me, but when she turned back, a tear was slowly making its way down her cheek.

“Ensley,” I said, as I rushed to her and took her hands in mine. “What’s wrong?”

She let out a small laugh and shook her head. “Lilibeth, if I can give you one piece of advice.”

“Yes, please.”

“Don’t let him push you away, because he’s worth the fight. You’ll regret it forever.”

I led her to my office, and we sat down in the two chairs I had in there. “Do you want to talk about it?” I asked.