At least, that’s what I’ve been telling myself he said.
I remember looking up into those big brown eyes, the same look he’s giving me now, and thinking the same thing.
How on god’s green earth could an older, dangerously hot guy like Brandon be remotely interested in someone like me?
Apart from being my dad’s best friend, he’s more than twice my age and lives on the other side of the country.
Plus, there’s the small matter of me not exactly being ‘catch’ material.
I’m five-one, and I don’t even wanna say how many pounds heavier than even the plainest, thick-looking girls I am.
But I have replayed that scene in my mind every day since, and try as I might, there’s just no denying my secret crush on the man.
That all started way before I even went to college. But at the time, I had no idea what I felt for Brandon.
I just knew it felt good, and I still feel the same way now. As nervous and shy as being around him makes me, there’s no denying the other effect he has on me either.
Like, wanting to lay back and beg him to do things to me that his best friend’s daughter probably really shouldn’t.
I haven’t seen Brandon since that day, but he still looks just as handsome and more in shape than ever.
And once I get the same look from him today, once my dad even voices his suspicions jokingly, I know that Brandon remembers that day too. That look in his eyes is the same as it was that moment he grabbed me.
The most favorite moment of my entire life so far, by the way.
“Well, I guess I do kinda have a surprise,” Brandon rasps, keeping his eyes on mine and letting out a low laugh for my dad’s benefit.
Dad doesn’t see, but Brandon shoots me a sly little wink, and I watch dad’s shoulders relax.
He’s happy to hear he’s not imagining things, and probably double-happy once he hears Brandon’s news.
“I’m coming to town,” he announces enthusiastically, and I feel the pit of my stomach drop.
Brandon…here? Oh my god.
Dad whoops loudly, raising both his hands in the air, “About time, buddy! Iknewyou were keeping something from me,” he adds, turning to look at me again.
“You knew about this?” he asks me, creasing his brow with a little confusion.
“You knew Big B was coming to town, didn’t you?” Dad asks me again, finally grinning like a kid at the news.
Smiling like a dad who’s put the idea of his best friend eyeing his only daughter right out of his mind.
And I catch a sly grin on Brandon’s face as he saves me.
“Oh, I said Imightbe visiting, May didn’t know exactly when I was coming for sure,” he explains to my dad.
But once Brandon fibs to my dad, telling him I knew he was coming to town, even though I had no idea he was, he winks at me with his deep brown eyes. I know I’m in more trouble than I thought. And it’s the best kind of trouble.
An instant and secret pact between Brandon and me was sealed in a second with a single glance. One little wink from him, and I get a flutter in my chest, and a freaking tidal wave in my panties as the thought of seeing him again registers in my brain.
I’m committed now. Brandon’s lying to his best friend to cover us both, but at least it’s taking the focus off the way he’s been looking at me.
“Brandon called last week,” I lie. Figuring if you can’t beat ‘em, join ‘em.
“…Must’ve slipped my mind to tell you,” I explain to my dad.
Brandon’s low growl of contentment as he leans back, making his leather chair creak, tells me that he approves of my little white lie.