Free Holiday Homecoming by Cheryl Douglas Page B

and
family come first, you know that.”
    She smiled as
she linked her arm through his. “I know. That’s one of the things I
love about you. No matter what, I can always count on you.” She
leaned her head on his shoulder. “Did I tell you that Jared called
me yesterday? He wants me to go out with him on New Year’s
Eve.”
    Ryan tensed as
she mentioned the man who had pursued Brianna for the past year.
They dated casually, but Ryan could tell by the look in the other
man’s eye whenever he saw them together that he wanted more, much more. Ryan hated him the first time he saw him at
Brianna’s parents’ house, and that feeling only intensified as his
own feelings for her began to evolve. “Did you tell him to go to
hell?”
    Brianna
laughed. “Why would I do that? He’s my friend.”
    “Friend with
benefits?” Okay, where had that question come from? He had no right
to ask, and she certainly wasn’t obligated to answer. If she was
sleeping with someone else, he definitely didn’t want to know. “You
know what? Forget I asked. I’m sorry.”
    “It’s okay.
Since when have you been shy about asking whether I’m getting any
action?” She laughed. “Hell, you’re the one who tells me that if a
guy hasn’t tried to get me into bed by the fourth date, it’s
because he’s gay. You can relax. Jared’s tried and succeeded. Are
you happy now?”
    Happy? He was supposed to be happy that she was sleeping with someone
else? Was she insane? He stopped in his tracks and shoved his hands
into his pockets. “Why the hell are you wastin’ your time with that
guy? We both know he’s not good enough for you.”
    Brianna raised
her chin and looked him in the eye. “Who are you to tell me that? I
like him. He likes me. We’re both single. If we want to have sex,
we will.”
    Ryan fisted
his hands inside his pockets. He wanted to hit something, and he
knew if Jared Ross were here now, it would be him. “We both know
you’re not the kind of girl to engage in casual sex, Bri. It has to
mean something for you to hit the sheets with some dude.”
    “It does mean
something to me. Jared’s a great guy. He’s important to me.”
    Ryan felt the
cold wrap around him, chilling him from the inside out. “How
important?” If she told him she was falling in love with him, Ryan
feared he may lose his breakfast all over the sidewalk.
    “I don’t know
yet.” She shrugged. “I guess time will tell, right?”
    “That’s it.
That’s all you’re gonna give me?” He threw his hands up in the air,
knowing he was acting irrational, but not caring. “‘Time will
tell?’ What the hell does that even mean? Time will tell if you’re
in love with the guy… if you’re gonna marry him… have his babies?
What the hell is time gonna tell exactly?”
    She started
walking down the street toward her apartment complex. “You must
have had more to drink than I thought. You’re acting like a crazy
person.”
    He was crazy, about her . “Damn it, don’t walk away from me!” he shouted,
jogging to catch up. “I’m not finished talkin’ about this.”
    “Too bad. I
am. From now on, consider Jared off-limits.”
    She couldn’t
do that. How was he supposed to know whether that loser was making
inroads if she planned to keep him in the dark? “Bri,” he said,
tugging on her coat sleeve. “Don’t do that. Don’t shut me out. You
know how much I care about you. I just don’t wanna see you get
hurt.”
    She smiled as
she stood on the toes of her high-heeled boots to press a kiss to
his cheek. “You’re so sweet.” She patted her gloved hands against
his chest. “But I don’t know who’s worse, you or my brothers. Y’all
have to accept the fact that I’m not a little girl. You don’t have
to protect me from the bullies on the playground anymore.”
    If Aiden knew
what he was thinking right now, Ryan would be the one who required
protection. “I’m always gonna want to protect you,” he said, barely
able to resist