“Is it serious?”
“No. God no. It’s Will. I don’t even think it’s safe, it’s just…”
“Hot?” Jenna volunteered.
Sophie winced. “Sick, it’s like you’re talking about my sister and brother.”
“Says the woman who’s banging my brother,” Jenna said. “And they’re totally hot for each other. I’ve seen it in action. It’s like…well, I bet you guys have great angry sex, don’t you?”
This last question was directed to an off-balance Brynn, who was rapidly regretting sharing what was supposed to be her ultimate secret. Although her reasons for insisting it be a secret were getting harder and harder to remember. Particularly when she was talking to his best friend, and a woman who apparently knew and liked him well enough to stay in his house.
Especially when it was getting harder to remember why she didn’t like the guy.
Still, Brynn hadn’t lost total perspective. The guy might have surprised her recently, but he still was the antagonist to nearly every single item on her life list.
He didn’t believe in commitment.
Didn’t believe in settling down.
He’d never had the same job for more than two months or stayed in the same city for more than a couple years.
He never even kept the same car for more than six months.
Brynn Dalton was all about stability.
Will Thatcher was not.
“It’s just a fling…thing,” Brynn said after catching the knowing look Sophie and Jenna exchanged. “I think it’s pretty much over anyway.”
Sophie tapped her fingernails on the counter thoughtfully. “You know, Gray tried to tell me from day one that you and Will’s dislike of each other was really sexual tension, and I ignored him. I mean he’s not exactly an of-the-people type of guy.”
“Hear, hear,” Jenna said.
“But he was right, wasn’t he?” Sophie asked Brynn. “All the bickering was just foreplay.”
“No,” Brynn said vehemently. “I can assure you that the bickering was, in fact, bickering, which was based on dislike. The sex stuff…that’s just extra. And recent.” Kind of.
Jenna topped off their wineglasses. “You could totally be the main character in one of those girly self-discovery movies, you know? I can see the trailer now…good girl gets dumped, chops off her hair, falls for the bad boy, and learns what an orgasm is.”
“I knew what an orgasm was well before Will, thank you very much.”
Jenna wiggled her eyebrows. “But I bet he’s better.”
Sophie made a gagging noise. “Enough. I refuse to let you ruin my delicious cheese dip with details. But Brynny, in all seriousness…where is this going?”
Brynn took a deep breath. “It’s going nowhere. That’s kind of the point.”
A strange, unreadable expression crossed Sophie’s face. Sadness? Disappointment? “So it’s really all about an itch that he’s helping you scratch? You don’t care for him? Not at all?”
The question sent a little jolt in the direction of Brynn’s heart, but she forced herself to keep the question and answer at the head level.
“Soph, I know he’s your friend, but we’re horrible for each other. And while he’s not quite as miserable as I always thought, he’s not a good long-term prospect.”
“Why not?” Jenna asked.
Back off, missy. You may be his current roomie, but I’ve known him my whole life.
Except did Brynn know him? Really? Everyone but her seemed to be on to something that she wasn’t seeing. Or that you’re not letting yourself see.