Say Yes To Love (Strong Brothers 1)

“Okay.”

“Good. Great. How about dinner? There’s a great family owned Mexican restaurant over in Pacific Beach. We haven’t had Mexican yet.”

Her smile was lovely although still not quite as radiant as I’d remembered. Feeling guilty I squeezed her hand. “You can say no, Kellie.”

She looked down for a moment. “I don’t want to say no.”

For some reason, her comment wasn’t as reassuring as that should have been. “You seem hesitant.”

“I just don’t want you to end up regretting this.”

This was what made her a great assistant. She was always anticipating and calculating my risks. “The only thing I’m regretting now is not being able to spend time with you. It’s not serious and so I think it will be fine.”

“Yes. Of course. I’ll just get these papers scanned and sent to Japan, then I’ll be ready.”

I watched her leave, feeling a little off about her response and at the same time, so fucking excited to have dinner with her and later to touch her again.

24

Kellie

Did I want to continue seeing Ryan and even having sex? Yes. Absolutely I did. My hang-up was in the idea that it would mean nothing. Just friends with benefits. No strings. When he had his fill, he’d be done with me. A part of me wanted to tell him no because I knew how I felt now, and continuing to be with him would make his leaving even worse. But my desire to be with him was greater than my need to protect my heart, apparently, because I said yes.

He was right in that the Mexican food was stellar. Then he took me for a walk on a beach. Our time together had all the hallmarks of a date, including the sex, but it wasn’t.

After that first night, I rethought this plan. I’d even gone into work that next day to tell him I couldn’t go through with it. I’d even considered telling him the only way I could continue is if it was a real relationship, but I knew that wouldn’t work. He didn’t see me like that. And of course, I wasn’t in his league. His family was nice and good to its workers, but there was a class distinction, and I needed to remember that.

Of course, once I got to work, I wasn’t able to talk to him about it because we’d agreed that we wouldn’t discuss personal issues at work. But that night, I sucked his dick and then he fucked me instead of telling him I couldn’t continue. I couldn’t decide if I was a coward for not saying anything or brave for my willingness to risk my heart.

So the relationship, such as it was, continued. The following week, he’d texted me once we left work to tell me he had a very special night planned. As usual, my heart skipped a beat as it filled with hope that his feelings were deeper for me. That his special surprise involved his confessing his feelings for me were more than friends with benefits.

I expected a fancy restaurant or maybe a meal on a yacht that I learned his family owned. When we pulled up to a mini-golf place near Del Mar.

I laughed. “Putt putt?”

He grinned. “Prepare to be beaten, Ms. Nichols.”

I snorted. “Bring it on, boss.”

He reached his hand over pressing it on my cheek. “I’m not your boss now.” He kissed me to prove it.

“I’m not Ms. Nichols.” I bit and tugged on his lower lip.

“No. You’re my sexy radiant sun.”

My heart thunked hard, as it always did when he’d say things like that. It was up to my brain to tell my heart to knock it off and stop getting excited. It didn’t mean anything.

He paid for the golf, and we stepped up to the first hole. “Why mini-golf,” I asked.

“Why not?” He motioned for me to go first. “Even boring automatons need to have fun.”

I glared at

him. Why did he keep calling himself that?

“Do you play regular golf?” I set my ball down and got ready to hit it toward tidal wave structure.

“Sometimes. I like mini-golf though better.” He paused for a moment. “Our mom used to bring us.”