Tall, Dark and Tempting (Tall, Dark and Sexy 3)

The hours seemed to drag on for Dylan. He visited with the family friends who came by, and ate the catered lunch his mother had provided for everyone. His gaze was constantly on Serena, and even a few times he’d caught her looking at him with what he’d swear was longing, but just when he thought about approaching her, she turned away again, and that stopped him cold every damn time.

“What’s going on between you and Serena?” Leo asked when Dylan had retreated to the back porch for fresh air, and also so he didn’t have to subject himself to seeing Serena or hearing her laugh at something someone else said.

Leaning against the railing enclosing the deck, Dylan kept his gaze averted to the landscaped backyard so he didn’t have to meet his brother’s too perceptive gaze. It was annoying enough that he’d felt that stare on him for most of the afternoon.

“Nothing is going on,” he said, keeping his tone neutral. “Everything is fine.”

Leo snickered sarcastically. “Oh, is that why the tension between the two of you is nearly tangible and you won’t get within touching or speaking distance of one another? Not to mention the way you keep looking at her like you’re a love-sick puppy?”

Jesus, he couldn’t even deny the unflattering comparison. “Don’t be a dick,” he muttered irritably.

“Then don’t be a fucking idiot,” his brother shot back, which finally made Dylan turn his head to look at Leo. “Clearly, something major happened, because I’ve never seen you two avoid each other like the plague. Serena has always worn her heart on her sleeve when it comes to you, but today, she looks like a woman who’s had that same heart trampled all over. It’s awkward as fuck and I want to know what you did to drive her away.”

Dylan huffed out a breath and dragged his fingers through his hair. “I didn’t drive her away,” he said, his tone gruff. “She walked away. It was her decision, not mine.” But in truth, he’d never given her a reason to stay. He could have most likely stopped her with the right words, but emotional verbiage was not his forte.

“Does this have anything to do with the night the two of you spent together in Vegas?”

Dylan’s brows shot up in surprise. “How do you know about that?”

“Eric is my business partner. I work with him every single day,” Leo said, outing the other man. “Not only did he tell me that the two of you slept together, he also mentioned that you dragged him to trivia night and that you had the equivalent of a pissing match with her date.”

Dylan inwardly winced, knowing that hadn’t been one of his finer moments.

“So, what are you going to do about this situation with Serena?” Leo pressed. “Because you can’t let it go on like this.”

No shit, he thought in annoyance. “Did I ask for your opinion on the matter?” he snapped.

“No, you didn’t ask, but I’m going to give it to you anyway,” his brother replied, completely unfazed by Dylan’s grumpy attitude. “When are you finally going to pull your head out of your ass and realize that Serena belongs to you and the two of you were meant for one another?”

“She doesn’t belong to me,” he argued, glancing away again.

His brother smacked him alongside the back of his head with a loud thump, and not gently. The slap was hard enough that Dylan glared at Leo, a little pissed off. “What the fuck was that for?”

“To get your goddamn attention,” Leo stated impatiently. “And because I want you to listen to me and let this sink into your thick, nerdy brain before you really lose the best thing in your life. Have you ever wondered, really wondered, why Serena hasn’t already settled down with someone?”

Dylan smirked. The answer to that question was an easy one. “Because all the guys she’s dated have been dicks or assholes?”

“Okay, yeah, there have been a few of those,” Leo agreed with a laugh. “But I think there has always been a bigger reason that no man has ever been good enough, even the really suitable ones she’s come across. Has it ever occurred to you that maybe those guys don’t measure up to Serena’s expectations because they aren’t you?”

“The thing is, I don’t measure up,” Dylan replied, rolling his rigid shoulders. “She’s a woman who wants the whole entire fairy tale and happily-ever-after, and when have I ever been able to give that to any woman? Never, because it’s always been easier for me to let the relationship end.” Except for Serena, who, until now, had always been a constant in his life. “What if I try a real relationship with Serena and end up fucking it all up or hurting her in the long run?” It was thoughts like that that paralyzed him with fear.

“You’ve already done that, asshole.” Leo studied him seriously. “Look, there are no guarantees for the long run, Dylan, and there are going to be times that you screw up. And I get that giving someone all of your heart is not an easy thing to do, but have you looked around at our family lately?” Leo asked, glancing back inside the glass slider to the kitchen and the people they loved most mingling there. “You’ve got Aiden, who swore he’d never settle down, and now he’s married with a kid and already talking about having more. And if I can get dumped at the altar on my wedding day and still find the true love of my life with Peyton, then there’s hope for you, too. And then there’s Mom, who’s been through hell with Dad and her cancer scare, but has found a guy who treats her like a queen and is going to marry her and give her everything she deserves. She’s found love again, and it’s bigger and stronger than it ever was with Dad. Trust me when I tell you that you already love Serena, that she’s your forever girl. She always has been.”

“And what happens if I can’t give her what she needs?” he asked, not fully convinced because he wanted what was best for Serena. Forget about himself.

“For a guy who’s so intelligent, you’re incredibly stupid about some things,” Leo said with humor. “Dylan, you are what she needs. And you need her. You always have.”

Dylan couldn’t refute that, but it was difficult to squash the doubts that lingered.

“I want you to imagine something,” Leo said after a few quiet minutes had passed. “Imagine watching Serena walking down the aisle at her wedding . . . to another man. How does that make you feel?”

Like he wanted to puke. “Fine,” he forced out. “I’d feel fine.”

“And when that other guy puts a ring on her finger and she commits the rest of her life to him, until death do they part, how does that make you feel?”

Absolutely dead inside. “I’ll be happy for her. It’s what she deserves.” He forced the words out, because wasn’t that what he’d been telling himself all this time?

“Bullshit,” his brother muttered. “And what about what you deserve?” Leo pushed on. “Don’t you deserve a woman who makes you happy the way Serena does?”