BEST FRIEND’S BROTHER

Sasha had chosen a dress she knew to be a perfectly suitable albeit very unexciting dress. It was a black shift, high-necked and under a matching jacket. Unrevealing. She had also put her hair in a ponytail, as she didn’t want to look like she was trying to attract him in any way. This was dinner between friends -or what everyone the hell they were, and nothing more.

Sasha opened her door to face Kaleb. He was wearing a white shirt tucked into black trousers, with black shoes to match, and as always he looked spectacular.

‘He is not available,’ Sasha reminded herself again.

“Hi” she said shyly and hated the way her voice sounded. She suddenly felt thirsty.

“Hello beautiful” Kaleb replied with that deeply sexy voice.

For the second time that day Sasha looked up into those eyes. Those eyes that she hadn’t been able to get out of her head for weeks now, and her mouth turned dry, her hands clammy. Her reaction to Kaleb was alarming. Normally, she had no time for frivolous flirtations, and she couldn’t understand why this man was having such an extreme effect on her even until now…. Fucking years later. Other men flirted with her and asked her out, and she dismissed them with barely a ripple of acknowledgement or reaction. But this was different. And it scared her somehow.

Kaleb took her hand in his much larger one, but instead of shaking it like she thought he was going to, he bent his head, his eyes never leaving hers. Sasha saw what he was going to do as if in slow motion, but still the feel of his mouth on the back of her cool hand sent shockwaves through her entire body. Immediately she tried to pull her hand away, but he wouldn’t let her go. He straightened slowly. She felt his index finger uncurl to caress the point under the wrist where her pulse beat fast, and then he let her hand go. The gesture was fleeting but utterly earth-shattering.

He didn’t break their eye contact and Sasha bristled. His eyes swept down, taking in her outfit, then his eyes met hers again.

“You look amazing, Sasha,” he said.

“And so do you”

“Don’t you want to take off your coat? It’s warm, isn’t it?” he added.

Warm!

She could feel a trickle of sweat roll down between her breasts as if his words had just turned the atmosphere into a sauna. “No, I’m fine.” she replied.

But all at once the jacket which had felt positively lightweight now felt like a bear skin. Her eyes wanted to look their fill of his broad, lean body, wanted to rest and dwell and see if he filled out his shirt as well as she suspected he did. Who was she kidding? As well as she knew he did. She didn’t have to look to feel the latent power of his taut body envelop her in waves.

Before she knew what she was doing, she felt her hand come up in a telling gesture to smooth her hair behind her ear. It was a nervous habit. His eyes narrowed and followed her movement, and Sasha flushed. Damn. She did not want to look like she was in any way aware of him.

A smile quirked his mouth. “Your hair is perfectly…tidy.” Kaleb said.

Was he laughing at her? She felt like he was, so she glared up at him. Her hand dropped. “Can we go, Kaleb. Remember I said that I’d like to be back home early?”

“Oh right” he said and stepped out of the way so she could lock her door.

They walked silently to his car. He opened the door for her and his hand lightly brushed her way as she got in. If it was on purpose, she had no idea because his expression revealed nothing.

When he got into the driver’s seat and drove off, he glanced at her. “Are you okay?” he asked gently, his eyes unusually soft.

“Yeah, I’m okay now.” Sasha nodded with a faint smile.

“Now?” He raised a single eyebrow at that, some glow on his face.

“Yeah. Now that-” Sasha stammered.

What did he want to hear? She debated inside.

Kaleb smiled gently. “Okay, fine I won’t press the issue.”

He stretched his right hand out for her, keeping his left on the steering wheel. She obliged without thinking twice, his warm palm clutching hers as he drove.

“Where are we going?” Sasha asked.

“Don’t you want to wait and see?” Kaleb quizzed

“Is this a joyride?” Sasha grinned.

Kaleb scowled, amused.

“Er . . . I meant okay, I’m fine if it’s a joyride,” she murmured, flushing with embarrassment. “But don’t be surprised if I sleep off”

“Do you always sleep off during a long drive?” Kaleb eyed her with a mocking smile.Property belongs to Nôvel(D)r/ama.Org.

“Oh really, now?” Sasha prompted, sarcasm lacing her voice as she inspected the dashboard of his car like a little girl. “In case you have forgotten, I have to be back early, so do whatever you want with that information.” She turned the stereo on.

“Fair point,” Kaleb said. “But don’t sleep off. This is the first time you’ll be going on a ride with me, and first impressions tell a lot of a person, in most cases.”

His attention was half on the road and the rest on her.

“Okay, I won’t argue,” Sasha uttered as she reclined back. “I do love sleeping during long rides.” She decided to drop the matter, and Kaleb looked happy to win the round.

It took fifteen minutes with the two riding on the road while talking of anything that came to mind. In the end it was enjoyable, and as expected by Kaleb, Sasha indeed fell asleep.

“Hey, sleepyhead,” Kaleb uttered ten minutes after she slept off. “We are here!”

“Hmm . . . already?” Sasha snuggled, squinting her eyes at the blinding streetlights. She couldn’t believe that she’d actually slept off and that he’d let her sleep. “I’m very sorry that I slept off. I didn’t mean to honestly”

“It’s alright Sasha. You were tired. You told me you had a lot to do today, but you still came out to be with me. It’s totally fine.”

“I thought you said it was a joyride?”

“Shall we go back on the road then?” Kaleb teased, his face closer to hers.