Total pages in book: 142
Estimated words: 134501 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 673(@200wpm)___ 538(@250wpm)___ 448(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 134501 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 673(@200wpm)___ 538(@250wpm)___ 448(@300wpm)
His lips thinned. ‘Everywhere I turn today she seems to be right there.’
‘It could be that she has something she wants to say to you.’
‘There’s nothing I want to hear,’ he said, his voice grim. ‘Not right now. Maybe some time in the future.’
Emberlyn gently bumped his shoulder with her own. ‘I’m sorry that she hurt you.’
‘It’s like Yvette said – someone can be a close friend, but they won’t necessarily suit you as a partner. In the past, I never had cause to see the sides of CeCe I’ve seen lately, because we’d only been friends. I recently spoke to a couple of her exes – they said they weren’t at all surprised by how she’s acted recently toward me and Ripper. They claimed that she’s pretty demanding in a relationship. It’s her way or no way at all. She expects to come before everything and everyone, including your kids from previous relationships.’
‘She has to be the center of her partner’s world and feel in control of the relationship,’ Emberlyn reasoned.
‘She wouldn’t have had that control with me. We wouldn’t have gone the distance – there’d have been too much push and pull, we’d have found no balance. Me and CeCe worked as friends. She makes a good friend. But that was all we were ever meant to be,’ he added with a shrug, seeming to have made his peace with that.
It still had to suck that things had played out the way they had.
Right then, a werewolf couple arrived. They smiled, idly browsed the selection of items for sale and settled on potions that aided with joint relief.
As they left, Emberlyn leaned forward in her seat to idly rearrange the potion display. Catching sight of Clem off in the distance, she nudged Logan and casually tossed out, ‘I hear you and Clem see a lot of each other.’
He gave her a sideways glance. ‘You’re not gonna do that thing, are you?’
‘Thing?’
‘People who are loved up often start matchmaking.’
A potion bottle somehow slipped out of her grasp. ‘L-loved up?’
He laughed. ‘Emberlyn, I’ve seen the way you look at my brother. I’ve seen the way he looks at you. I’ve seen how you two are with each other. Maybe you haven’t admitted it to yourselves yet, but you’ve been hit by the big L.’
Feeling a little too exposed, Emberlyn moodily righted the bottle she’d knocked over. ‘Maybe you’re the one who’s loved up and so you’re seeing love everywhere.’
He grinned. ‘Nope. I like Clem. She’s what I need right now – someone fun who isn’t looking for anything complicated. What we have ain’t serious, or moving in that direction. You and Ripper? Different story.’
‘That’s . . . well . . . You’re enjoying my discomfort, aren’t you?’
His shoulders shaking with a silent laugh, he unrepentantly inclined his head. ‘As you once told me, you ain’t daunted by much. Seeing you all rattled just feels like further proof that I’m right.’
He was right, dammit. Or, at least, he was right about where Emberlyn emotionally stood. She didn’t know if she could say the same regarding Ripper.
He leaned into her, his expression soft but serious. ‘He never once looked at a woman the way he does you. I’ve honestly never before seen him so open, relaxed and tactile with anyone. That’s how I know this is the real deal for him. So make an honest man of him already.’
Her gut twisted so sharply it hurt. ‘You can’t be certain he wants to take things that far.’
‘Oh, I can. I know my brother better than he knows—’
‘Well, don’t you two look cozy,’ a voice cut in, its tone ugly.
Emberlyn looked up, inwardly sighing as she noticed CeCe approaching.
Coming to stand in front of the table, the woman glared down at Emberlyn, her expression sour. ‘Have your eye on both brothers, do you? Watch out. They might share you for a night, but trying to keep them both is a fast way to end up alone.’
‘CeCe,’ Logan rumbled in warning.
The bitterness in the werewolf’s face drained away. ‘That was uncalled for, I’m sorry.’
‘Are you?’ Doubtful.
‘Yes.’ CeCe’s gaze zipped to Logan. ‘Can we talk? Alone?’
‘If you have something to say, you can say it in front of Emberlyn,’ he replied. ‘She’s practically family at this point.’
Ouch.
The dart hit its mark, making a hint of pain crease CeCe’s face. ‘I suppose you’re right. Ripper is certainly serious about her. Now that I see it wouldn’t hurt him if you and I were together, I don’t see why we can’t make a go of things.’
Oh. Wow. Emberlyn stared up at her, her lips parted in sheer astonishment. Because CeCe spoke as if Logan should be thrilled; should trip all over himself to agree.
‘I know I’ve been something of a bitch lately – I’ll make up for that. The person I’ve been . . . that’s not who I am, Logan.’