BEST FRIEND’S BROTHER

Sasha managed to flash her eyes open and his smile took her breath away. God, why was he so beautiful? She could feel her body heat rising, her lips getting dry. She quickly averted her gaze, biting her lip.

“Um . . . why are we here?” she suddenly snapped in surprise, discerning the place they were at.

A flashy building, several flags of different states, and a big name of a famous . . . Hotel? Sasha’s eyes widened. She quickly faced Kaleb.

“Stop having those wild fantasies, will you? Let’s have dinner; there’s a nice restaurant in this hotel,” Kaleb said wittingly, laughing at her.

“I’m not fantasizing about anything.” Sasha smiled pathetically and clutched the door handle. “Damn him,” she mumbled under her breath while making an exit.

The food was splendid, much to Sasha’s content. The conversation took a different turn this time, from work to private life. Each of them was curious to know about the other and didn’t hesitate to ask when due.

“So how was class today after I left?” asked Kaleb, his eyes tentative on Sasha’s.

“It was fine. Normal… As a lecture should be,” Sasha answered curtly while chewing the grilled pork cutlets.

Seeing Kaleb frowning, she instantly cleared, “What? I did not miss or notice your absence if that’s what you’re curious about.” Her smile was teasing.

“I’m not curious,” Kaleb said flatly.

“You’re not?” Sasha raised a mocking eyebrow, fully aware of his lie. “But your face says otherwise.”

Smiling, Kaleb shook his head to the sides, amused by all her insistence. He slowly sipped the wine without abandoning her fine eyes. There was something mesmerizing about her, Kaleb thought to himself, but he had no idea what it was. He just enjoyed looking at her.

“I’m really not curious, trust me.” He narrowed his gaze, and his eyes glowed at the sparkling lights of the restaurant, gold and smooth.

“Fine.” Sasha sighed, taking another bite onto her mouth, devouring the succulent taste.

“But I disagree that you didn’t notice my absence.” He added, “In fact, I think that you not only did you notice, but you missed me too.”

Sasha glared at him, “No I did not” she insisted, “Don’t kid yourself. I go to school all the time and never once thought about you. I don’t think your ten minute presence will do any difference”

“You love arguing a lot, don’t you?” Kaleb muttered, his gaze on her moving lips.

Was she eating like a refugee? Sasha wondered as his eyes became too intense. “I do, when I have a point to prove.” She wiped her mouth softly with a napkin.

“Do you have a boyfriend?” Kaleb blurted suddenly.

Oh, so his guess was correct! Kaleb’s lips twitched into a smile, recalling the vague background check he’d done on her after she’d left his party. He had to know more about her, because she was a bit mysterious.

He didn’t understand what the hell was going on between her and Samson either. There was something about the way Samson stared at her that he didn’t like, and then she had confused him further when she’d let him kiss her. Not that she looked innocent. Hell no, she was far from an innocent girl from a parish neighborhood, who was afraid of men. Especially men of his kind . . . Rich and controlling.

She was definitely wild, and it drove him insane whenever he’d thick of that bold kiss and the feel of her body in his arms. She would make a very good companion in his bed.

“Why are you staring at me like that? You’re young, beautiful, and smart, I believe; so, it’s only natural to have someone.” He reclined back, staring deeply into her.

“Maybe I have a high standard,” Sasha muttered.

He laughed hard. “Really? That’s a lot to take in,” he remarked, and she only shrugged.

A short silence settled.

“What about you?” Sasha asked a moment later. “Does your girlfriend know that you’re here right now?”

And counterattacked when he least expected. “She doesn’t need to,” Kaleb quipped, “because we have a mutual understanding.”

Sasha bit her lip irritated. “Oh, like some kind of an open relationship?” she asked.

She’s a smart brat, too. Kaleb smirked.

“Sure, we can go with that,” he replied heedlessly and she scowled at him.

Annoyed with the subject, Sasha downed her glass in one go. “I see,” she uttered.

“Easy there!” Kaleb gasped at the sight. “This Chardonnay is a little strong.”

“I know. And I love the strong.” She snorted.

“Oh, that’s interesting.” Kaleb smiled.

Fuck, she was wild!

“Sure,” Sasha muttered and rolled her eyes at him.

It was the end of conversation, for which Kaleb kept smiling at her sulking face. She was beguiling and he was barely holding it.

“Is something wrong? Why are you quiet?” Kaleb asked.

Sasha glared sternly at him. “No, everything is fine.” She grinned while raising a glass to prove her statement, before mumbling, “What a moron!”

“What did you say?” Kaleb chuckled.

That foul mouth needed to be fixed, he thought and imagined several ways to make it shut.

“Nothing, the weather is very nice.”

“The weather?” He laughed hard, highly entertained.

“Yeah, the weather! Can we go now? I think I’m done,” Sasha said, tiredly, and, evidently pissed for some reason only she knew.

Kaleb drove her back home in an awful silence that she herself instigated. He kept staring at her from time to time, however, with a smile that wasn’t returned. Man, she was begrudging.

“Don’t think twice to call me when you need another…. Joyride,” he said, teasingly.

“Okay, I’ll keep that in mind,” Sasha retorted.

Ignoring his smiley face, Sasha collected her bag. “Thank you for today, Kaleb. I mean it,” she whispered while unclosing the door.

“My pleasure,” he muttered, and that heat of her sparkling eyes staring at him so tenderly began surging. How he wanted to grab her and kiss the hell out of her lips and every place that could possibly be kissed.

“Drive safe.” She grinned at him, and he returned it with a soft nod, same as his smile.

“Easy, Kaleb,” he breathed, watching her waving goodbye as she neared the entrance to her apartment. What the hell was he doing? he thought. Then without thinking, he got out of his car and went after her.