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Velvet kept waiting for Jonah’s brother to get the hint and go to bed. She wanted to be alone with her rescuer, her hero, the man who’d held her and stood by her and been there for her when her world had crumbled to bits that afternoon.
But Nolan Delaney seemed to be entirely too convivial, or too thick-headed, or too deliberately stubborn to get the hint and leave the two would-be lovers to their own devices. He stayed with them through dinner, and afterward he’d offered to clean up so she and Jonah had stolen some time alone on the back patio, but all the while they were reminded of his brother’s presence but the sounds of him cleaning, whistling or humming to himself just inside the door.
Then he’d joined them on the back patio and there they still were, at midnight, each party seeming to be attempting to outlast the other.
What was the man’s problem? She could sense, despite his warmth and hospitality, that he wasn’t crazy about her, but what had she done to offend him? He hardly knew her at all! And she’d been a sweetheart to him since the moment they’d met. Why was he insisting on being so damned protective of Jonah?
The brothers were laughing about some little joke and she smiled, though she hadn’t the faintest idea what story they’d just been telling, and the thought struck her that maybe Nolan wasn’t being protective, maybe he was actually a rival for her interest.
She peered at him curiously. Well why not? She was surprised she hadn’t thought of that possibility earlier. He was charming, good-looking, warm, funny, had a great body… And he was actually a couple years closer to her age than Jonah. Maybe he was interested in her? He’d been incredibly helpful, going out on limb after limb to help her today.
She’d thought he’d done it all for his brother, they seemed to be best friends, but she knew from movies and TV that best friends and brothers very often find themselves in competition for the same woman.
How had she not seen it?
He noticed her curious stare and gave her a small, self-conscious smile. She didn’t know quite what to do so she smiled in return and fluttered her eyelashes.
His smile slipped just a fraction, and the muscles around his eyes tightened almost imperceptibly.
“Jonah?” She asked sweetly, interrupting something he was saying.
He halted in mid sentence and looked at her, all earnestness. “Are you ok?”
“Yes.” She smiled at him, though she felt Nolan’s eyes on her. “May I have a tea?”
“I’ll get it—“ Nolan stood.
“No, let me, I’d be glad to get it.” Jonah squeezed the hand he’d been holding, flashed her a very adoring smile and headed for the kitchen. “Keep our guest company?”
Nolan chuckled. “I’ll do my best.”
She held Nolan’s eyes with hers until Jonah had stepped into the house and closed the door behind him. The poor man probably had to use the restroom while he was in there, he’d been almost super-human in his unswerving devotion to her every need throughout the day, very rarely leaving her side for anything. He’d relaxed a lot since they’d gone back to his place, but he still seemed to want to be glued to her side.
Suddenly without him there she felt very adrift. Without her hand in his, a place it had fit so naturally and so readily, she felt somewhat lost.
She looked deep into Nolan’s blue-gray eyes for mooring, but found nothing but turbulent seas. Where Jonah was easy to read, his heart openly viewable right in his brilliant purple eyes, Nolan, in that moment, reminded her a little bit of her husband. His eyes held secrets and the secrets were locked away from her curious eyes.
She fluttered her eyelashes again and sighed softly.
“You must be tired.” He told her, his tone perfectly friendly. “It’s been quite a long day.”
She frowned. “Thank you again. For everything.” She swallowed and he gave her a sad sort of smile and a shrug. “You’ve been amazing.”
“Don’t mention it.” He said warmly. “I’d do it all over again.”
She nodded thoughtfully. “You care for him a great deal.”
“He’s my best friend.” Nolan answered readily.
They looked at eachother for a very long time. She listened to the soft sounds of Jonah setting out mugs and maybe rustling up the sugar bowl, and fetching spoons, and digging through what sounded like a mostly empty tin.
“Are you seeing anyone, Nolan?” She asked, her voice like satin.
His eyebrows flickered and then his face was bland. “Not at present.” He answered repressively.
She stared at him openly and he allowed it, even stared back. They looked each other over, neither bothering to conceal the mutual appraisal. She remembered, with some heat on her cheeks, that she was heavily pregnant. He didn’t seem put-off by it, but neither did he seem to find her as radiant and goddess-like as his brother obviously did.
“Do you want my brother?” He asked her bluntly.
“Yes.” She replied, before she could formulate a more artful response.
He nodded. “He believes he loves you.” Nolan remarked quietly, staring her down, unblinking.
Her heart flipped and she felt like she was smiling with her whole body. Loved her?! Her pulse skipped and her breath caught in her throat. Had he told his brother that? Would he tell her? When? And How? Because she was already crazy about him, and love? Love?! Velvet couldn't contain her grin.
Then she noticed his stern expression. “And you?”
He blinked and put his hands in his pockets. “He’s my best friend.” Nolan replied. “He’s my brother.” He narrowed his eyes at her and then looked very sad. “He’s not a re-bound guy.” He added quietly.
Velvet blushed from her scalp to her toes. “I know that.” She said earnestly. The back of her neck tingled, and her fingertips itched and she wished he would stop looking at her. She was embarrassed that she’d tried flirting with him just then. If he wasn’t sure about her before, now he really had reason to doubt her and think the worst of her.
“I know you must be confused—“ He began.
“I’m not confused.” She insisted, using the strongest, most commanding voice she possessed. She sounded like her mother, and that made her grimace.
“Then you know exactly what you’re doing?” He asked, a steely edge to his otherwise casual tone.
She stared at him, her eyes begging him to understand. “No.” She confessed, feeling suddenly much younger than Nolan. “Do you believe in love at first sight?”
Nolan’s lips lifted fractionally. “I believe in it for some.” He answered diplomatically.
She smiled in relief. He was carefully revealing that he recognized what a romantic his brother could be. And that his brother definitely believed in love at first sight. She felt giddy. “Well, I fell in love with your brother the minute I looked into his eyes.” She said quietly but firmly.
Nolan’s brow wrinkled but he looked bemused. “Yeah.” He said. “Jones can have that effect on people.”
Velvet blinked, her smile evaporating. “What?”
The door opened, startling both of them fractionally and Jonah poked his head out of the kitchen door with a chipper unawareness “How do you take it?” He asked her.
“Light and sweet.” She replied, unable to look at him. Her heart was pounding uncomfortably in her chest. She’d fallen in love with Vaughan Grey upon their first meeting as well. Maybe this was all moving too fast? Maybe Jonah, for all he appeared sweet and good and honest, maybe he wasn’t so different? Maybe all men were awful?
“Nole? You want something?” She loved the sound of his voice though. Deep but not rough. Manly but not macho.
“Coffee.”
Velvet tisked softly. Why wouldn’t this guy go to bed already?
“K. Be back in a few.” Jonah said cheerfully. But he didn’t go anywhere right away. “Everything, everything ok? Out here?”
Velvet laughed lightly. “Everything is wonderful.” She asserted in a sweet, liquid tone, and finally managed to lift her eyes to his. She smiled, and watched his concern evaporate. When he smiled back her false smile transformed into a genuine one. He was so handsome and true and good. Any doubts his brother’s comment had engendered were summarily dismissed. This was a good man. And he loved her?! She wanted to kiss him. To go to him and melt into his embrace and shut the rest of the world out.
The ferocity of her feelings startled her.
“Just telling her embarrassing stories about you.” Said Nolan blithely, snapping the two romantics out of their smiling reverie.
Jonah laughed. “Don’t you dare.” He warned playfully. “Be right back.”
Velvet sighed happily as the door closed. “Have you two ever been interested in the same woman?” She asked the loaded question simply, without guile or agenda.
“Never.” Nolan responded after only a moment’s hesitation.
“That he was aware of.” She said shrewdly. She flicked her eyes to his and his expression was unreadable.
“Well we both had a thing for Princess Leia…” He said with a handsome smile that didn’t quite reach his eyes. “In the end we decided she was more his type than mine.”
“And what’s your type?” She asked, her voice very low.
“Girls who aren’t in love with someone else.” He said baldly.
She flushed again. “You’re a good brother.” She mumbled, looking at her hands. Her enormous engagement ring glittered and flashed, despite the cloaking darkness of the summer night.
“I try.” He said kindly.
“Why are you still up?” She was tired of politely trying to hint.
He chuckled. “Jiminy Cricket.” He answered and she could hear his wide smile.
“For him? Or Me?” She kept her eyes on the ring. The ring that meant nothing. The ring she'd picked out and purchased and slid onto her own finger after Vaughan had indicated that they should marry.
“I don’t want you to think I’m not glad to have you here.” He said. “I’d much rather you were here than—“ He stopped himself and she looked up, curious. Nolan Delaney didn’t seem the type to ever misspeak or bungle his words.
“Than at home with my sonofabitch husband?” She asked, unable and unwilling to mask the bitter, raw pain she felt.
He nodded. “I’m sure Jones has covered this already, but the guy doesn’t deserve you.”
She nodded back. “He’s mentioned once or twice.”
Nolan laughed fondly. “You know you’re welcome here as long as you want.”
Her brow furrowed. Jonah had said that, but somehow it meant more coming from his brother. The man who would be most likely to be displaced and put-out by her continued presence. They stared at eachother in silence for several full moments. She’d only just met the Delaney brothers that afternoon. She didn’t know them at all. And yet somehow she got the sense that she’d always known them. Was she crazy? With a light sigh she rested both hands on her enormous belly and gave Nolan a soft smile.
He glanced at where her hands rested before meeting her eyes again. “As long as you want, and as long as you need.” He stressed, with a warmth and compassion in his voice that made tears spring to her eyes.
“Your parents raised good men.” She whispered.
He looked faintly embarrassed and cast his eyes to the heavens above them. “I guess that’s why I’m out here playing Jiminy Cricket. And that’s why I need you to be understanding when Jones tells you he’ll be sleeping on the couch tonight.”
Her lips parted and her eyes widened. “On the—“
Nolan nodded solemnly, gazing up at the constellations and maybe a passing plane. “You’re a married woman.” He said sympathetically, but communicating an implied ultimatum. “And you only just met.”
She felt ashamed. And dirty. And cheap. She knew he hadn’t intended to make her feel like that, but suddenly she felt unworthy and sordid. “I understand.” She said weakly, feeling very much like she’d rather disappear than face Jonah again.
“Love at first sight or not,” Nolan warned, “He’s not a re-bound guy.” He looked at her and held her eyes. “The guy is the real-deal. Once in a lifetime.”
A tear spilled and her throat felt tight. She knew it. Even without being told, she knew all that.
“I know my brother, and he’s ready to defend you and support you and protect you and make you his whole world.” Her eyes got wide but his face stayed passive. “Unless you’re prepared for all that, I think the sooner you let him know the better. For both your sakes.”
“You think I’ll hurt him?” She couldn’t believe she’d had the courage to ask it, because she wasn’t sure she was brave enough to hear his answer.
“I don’t think you’re a bad person. I don’t believe you’ll cause him any pain intentionally.”
“But?”
Nolan sighed and scratched the back of his neck. “But you’re married. And expecting another man’s child. And it’s complicated. And people make mistakes; and people get confused; and people can cause a lot of damage with the best of intentions.”
Velvet smiled, even as a second tear rolled down her cheek after the first. “You make me wish I had a brother.”
Nolan chuckled. “You want your very own pain in the ass?”
She laughed just a little. “I wonder where I’d be today if I had someone looking out for me the way you look out for him.”
The man blinked. “I’m looking out for you too.” He said, his face washed in concern.
She raised her eyebrows and wiped the wetness from her cheek. “Really?”
Nolan looked grim. “Really.” He asserted. “You want my brotherly advice?”
She snorted. “Ok.” She indulged.
“File papers tomorrow before that filthy bastard has a chance to charm you with an apology or an excuse or anything else.” Velvet’s jaw dropped. “I know you love him, obviously, how could you not? Love doesn’t just stop the minute someone betrays you, but Velvet—“ She startled at the strength and sharpness of his tone. “He doesn’t. deserve you.” His face softened a bit. “And you don’t deserve to be treated like that.”
She looked away, out over their tiny back yard.
“Do it not only for your sake, but for that baby.” His voice was achingly gentle now and she bit her lip hard to hold back the sob that was swelling in her throat. It had been a really, really long, surreal, eventful day. She was tired.
She wrapped her arms around her belly protectively.
“Do you want your child raised by a man like that?” Nolan asked carefully.
She glowered at the soccer net they had set up in the corner near the tall stockade fence. She shook her head. No. She didn’t want her son raised by Vaughan Grey. Not anymore. The sob tore from her throat and she pressed the fingers of her right hand to her mouth to staunch the flow of more miserable sounds.
“I’m sorry.” Nolan rushed, standing.
She shook her head rapidly, but didn’t dare try to speak. She refused to burst out into tears and sobs again. Not again today.
“I shouldn’t have, I went too far, I’m. Shit. I’m sorry.” He sounded rattled and desperate and she felt a surge of affection for the man. The poor guy who’d risen to his feet but then seemed at a loss for what he should do next. “I told you I was a pain in the ass.”
A surprised laugh bubbled up and she grinned. He laughed too. They smiled at one another, his was cautious and nervous, hers was watery but reassuring.
“You should be a therapist.” She told him, her voice shaky and constricted, but no longer in danger of breaking down into a blubbering mess.
“I’m a bartender. It’s close.”
The kitchen door opened once again and the two shared one last private smile, an understanding struck between them. “Hope you like ice cream.” Jonah announced with a smile.
Nolan, already standing, hurried to the door to help his brother shuttle coffee cups and ice cream sundaes onto the patio. Velvet couldn’t help giggling. She hadn’t had an ice cream sundae in years.
“How is it possible that you two don’t even have milk in the house but you have hot fudge and whipped cream and—maraschino cherries?”
Jonah grinned. “It’s all about priorities.” He asserted, placing her tea on the little table by her deck chair.
“Don’t let him kid you.” Said Nolan wryly. “It’s really because he’s a kinky freak.”
Jonah, who had been smiling fondly at Velvet, dropped his jaw and spun. “Nolan!”
Velvet giggled gaily and Nolan snickered. “In that case I hope you didn’t waste it all on the ice cream!” She teased. And though it was dark, she thought she could see Jonah blushing.
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