“Ahren …”
He crashes his mouth to mine, stealing my words and my breath. His tongue dances alongside mine, and his lips mold to my own. The kiss is gentle, and for a moment, I wonder if I’m doing the right thing. Ahren trails his hands over my shoulders, down my arms, and then he grips my hips.
He deepens the kiss, causing me to whimper, which only spurs him on. I tangle my hands around his neck, pulling him closer, craving the attention for a moment of unbidden lust. My body trembles when his hands grip my ass, and he lifts me against him, his body hard, ready for more, but he doesn’t do anything other than kiss me.
I don’t know how much time passes, but when Ahren breaks the kiss, there’s a wolfish grin plastered on his face. “Now, when you kiss Elian, remember that we’re nothing alike.”
“What do you mean, when I kiss him?”
“Oh, trust me when I say he will kiss you,” he tells me confidently. “I have no doubt about it.” There’s no amusement in his eyes, which only makes my heart thump in my chest.
“Then why did you kiss me?” I ask, confused at just what is happening here.
His eyes burn through me. “Because I wanted to know what your lips felt like. I wanted to know what you tasted like. And deep down, I wanted to steal something from him.” His words are cryptic, and I want to ask him what he means, but he continues, “Also, I wanted to be the first kiss you had in this godforsaken town.” Ahren is still holding onto me. He doesn’t let me go when he presses a chaste kiss on my forehead.
“You make this sound like it’s a terrible place to live,” I muse as I stare up at him in the dusky light. As much as I like Ahren, I don’t want to ping-pong between the two men.
“No. Not at all, but it’s stifling. I don’t like being in one place for too long. Elian doesn’t mind it here.” He shakes his head, lowering it so that our gazes are locked. “Tell me you didn’t feel anything when I kissed you.” There’s a plea in his tone. He wants me to say I felt nothing, but that would be a lie.
“I can’t tell you that,” I admit honestly.
He smiles slowly. “Yeah, I thought so,” he whispers, pulling me even closer. “I can see you like Elian. It’s fine, I can live with that, but if you ever change your mind...” His words falter off into the darkness, leaving me to complete the sentence in my mind. “I’m sorry for making it seem as if I’m trying to one-up him, but I had to know if there was something more between us.”
“I don’t know. At this point, nothing is set in stone.” And it’s the truth. I do like Ahren. What’s not to like? But I’m not sure what would happen if I did get a chance to be with Elian. I’m torn. I really am.
“Friends then?” His dark eyes dance with amusement, and I find myself nodding.
“How can I say no to you?” I slug him on the shoulder, earning me a groan.
Ahren leans in to whisper in my ear. “You can’t. And I doubt you’d be able to say no to Elian either.” Shaking my head, I try to find the answer in the myriad of scenarios that now dance in my mind, but I can’t. He’s right.
When Ahren looks at me again, I can tell there’s a part of him that’s disappointed. And I feel bad for doing it, but I couldn’t be here with him while wondering what his brother is doing. “I’m sorry.”
He shrugs it off as if it’s nothing. “I’m used to him taking the lead. To be the first choice.”
“What do you mean?” Confusion creases my forehead, bringing my brows together.
“Elian and I are foster brothers. I was adopted when I was five and grew up with him as my big brother. We don’t tell anyone around town. It’s not their business. But back when I was still living in Miami with him, we were vying for the same girl. We stupidly bet on who she would choose. I lost.”
My mouth forms an O, and I struggle to school my expression. I never expected him to say that. “But you liked her more?” I ask, realizing he had his heart broken.
Ahren nods. “But it worked in my favor for one reason only. We have very similar taste in women,” he adds with a wink.
“Oh my god, are you saying? Have you two ever …?”
“Yeah, a couple of times,” he tells me as if he were reading my mind.
I know I must look like a fish, but my mouth drops open again, causing Ahren to chuckle at my reaction.