Free My Best Friend's Brother (A Bashir Family Romance Book 1) by Unknown Page B

back.
    “If you only knew what I was really thinking about, Scarlett. You would have been scandalized, I promise.”
    “But it would have been so much nicer, Dev.”
    “It would have been a disaster. For reasons you may not fully grasp yet.” He kissed me quickly on the lips and then pulled away. “Speaking of disasters, I need to spend a few hours at the hotel office today. I hate to leave you right now...when things were just getting interesting between us.” He kissed my forehead and turned to go.
    “Oh…what’s wrong? Numbers still not adding up?”
    He put on his heavy black jacket and a burgundy colored scarf, a weak defense against the howling wind and freezing rain outside.
    “Something along those lines.” He smiled. “Let me take you out for dinner tonight. I’ll make reservations. Will seven be fine?”
    “Seven. I’ll be here.”
    As I watched him leave the house I knew that every embrace and every kiss from anyone else would be pale and shallow compared to his. I wasn’t just falling for him…I was already in a massive free-fall.
    And it felt amazing.

Part II
    W ith several hours before Dev would be back, I wasn’t sure what to with myself. I tried to take a short walk, but made it past two houses down the street when my ears started throbbing from the frigid wind.
    Back at the house, I started a hot bath. I never took baths, but the weather outside almost made it mandatory. I was chilled to bone and I need to warm up fast. I wished Dev were there to do it for me, but he would be back in two hours, for our date.
    A date…with Dev. The reality of it made me smile.
    I slipped into the thick film of fragrant bubbles, my cold skin reacting to the hot water beneath, almost painful. After a minute, I got used to the temperature, so I leaned back and watched the oak tree outside the window bow and shake in winter’s grasp.
    My mind wandered where it usually did…to Dev. Being naked in the warm water felt sensual to me, and I couldn’t help but to imagine what his body might look like…might feel like …under the soft bubbles with me. It was almost too much, and I felt myself getting aroused in a way that made me nervous. He had too much of an effect on me.
    I loved it. I hated it.
    When would he be back?
    After drying off, I glanced at the clock. Six. I had an hour to get ready. Just as I started searching for something warm—but still sexy—in my closet to wear on our date, the lights went out.
    Damn.
    Not again.
    I pulled on jeans and a cream colored blouse in the fading light from the window, and then started down the stairs to retrieve a flashlight from the kitchen so I wouldn’t be caught in total darkness again .
    Dev was just coming in the door.
    “The lights are out again.”
    “I know. They’re out everywhere. Another power line went down,” he answered.
    I pulled a piece of damp hair from my cheek. I had hoped to look better than this when he saw me. Damn again.
    “I guess we’re not going out then,” I surmised.
    “Nope. Everything’s closed. I’m sorry. I wanted to take you out somewhere nice tonight.”
    He took off his jacket and walked over to me. He leaned down and chastely kissed my cheek. It sent a shiver down to my toes. I shook it off.
    “Well, I could cook for you. The gas still works, right?”
    He looked immensely pleased at the offer.
    “I think I would be a fool to say no to that.”
    “What? You mean you liked my cooking all these years? Didn’t you once say my chicken biryani was… pedestrian ?”
    He laughed. “I ate two helpings after you left the table. Don’t tell my mother, but I prefer it to hers.”
    So full of surprises.
    “Then that’s what I’ll make,” I said with a smile that exposed the sheer happiness I felt to know I would have Dev all to myself that evening.
     

***
     
    We lit candles and turned on the gas fireplace in the family near the kitchen. Dev volunteered to chop onions and I was humored to see him awkwardly hack at