Take Me Again (The Knight Brothers 1)

“I need you to know, I never thought Dad was going to send you away. And when I heard your mother talking about it with a friend, I went to his study and asked him not to do it.” He clenched his hands together as he spoke. “But he’d put it in motion, paid the deposit. I couldn’t undo the damage I’d done.” He blew out a breath. “The truth is, I was young, selfish, and I let it happen. I’m sorry.”

She glanced down at her hand, slowed the nervous movement on the soft fabric. “Thank you for that,” she whispered, her voice choked with emotion. She hadn’t expected such sincerity from him, such frank self-awareness.

“I’d like a fresh start with you.” He spoke earnestly, his husky voice full of what sounded like hope.

Her first impulse, the one coming from the teenager he’d hurt, was to tell him no. She didn’t want to trust him now. But the adult inside her understood that people grew up and changed. Had Sebastian?

She really didn’t know.

But she couldn’t be a bitch to him forever. “Okay. We can start over.” They could forge a truce, as adults with people in common. After all, they were tied together by Ethan, if nothing else.

A slow, pleased grin spread across his handsome face, relief mixed with a hint of intriguing mischievousness she didn’t trust. A sensual look in his gaze that made her very afraid she wasn’t agreeing for Ethan’s sake but for her own.

Because there was still something very compelling about Sebastian Knight.

* * *

Ashley adjusted to the pace of New York City easier than she’d thought she would, finding herself enjoying being back in the United States. In the beginning, she kept busy enough baking for Ethan, bringing him his favorite cranberry muffins each morning along with fresh Starbucks at the office and helping him clean out Mandy’s things, something he asked her to handle. He didn’t want to deal with her clothing or personal effects, requesting only that she save the photographs and things Ashley thought might have had meaning to Mandy.

Ashley donated a lot of items to women’s shelters and Goodwill, using the time to make conscious choices about where Mandy’s things would do the most good. To her surprise, she wasn’t as bored as she’d have thought not working at her day job, from which she’d taken a leave of absence.

As a forensic accountant, she was basically a fraud investigator, digging into accounts and researching where people hid money. She was good with numbers, liked being busy, and spent her days looking to prove insurance fraud, among other things. Since she’d rarely taken vacation days, she appreciated the time off now.

The apartment Ethan had offered up for her to stay in was immaculate, comfortable, well-decorated, and on another floor from Sebastian. Even after his apology, she’d expected to see an array of women coming and going, especially on the weekends, but since his visit, it had been quiet, making her think maybe that part of him had changed.

She wished she could say she didn’t think about him but she did. Too often. He was too much a sexual presence for her to pretend he didn’t affect her, yet she managed to keep her distance, and that was what she knew she needed.

* * *

Sebastian didn’t appreciate being summoned by Ethan, but he strode into his office anyway, surprised to find Ashley already there.

Her soft hair fell over her shoulders, her beautiful profile relaxed. Because she didn’t know he was there.

“What’s with the summons?” he asked his brother.

She swung around, obviously surprised to see him.

“You, sit, too,” Ethan said.

The fact that he was used to Ethan’s demanding personality didn’t lessen the annoyance he felt. “I don’t appreciate the commands,” he muttered, but sat in a chair anyway.

“Ethan? What’s going on?” Ashley asked, sounding confused.

“I’m still waiting on Parker, but while I have you two, I have something to say.”

Ashley leaned forward in her seat. Sebastian leaned back, waiting.

“You’re both driving me fucking insane.” Ethan held up a hand before they could speak. “I know you both mean well, I know you’re worried about me, but I can’t take the hovering.”

He glanced at Sebastian. “I don’t need my hand held at every meeting. I don’t need my mail delivered by you, as an excuse to check up on me every damned day.” He turned to Ashley. “And I’m sick to death of cranberry muffins.”

“I could make blueberry,” she offered, tongue in cheek.

Sebastian grinned. She met his gaze, her soft lips lifting as they shared their first joint chuckle in what felt like forever, and it felt good.

But he hadn’t realized he’d been smothering his brother. He’d just been worried about him, as Ethan had said.

“I need space.” Ethan looked at Ashley. “Do you plan on going back to London soon?” he asked, his voice gentle.