Take Me Again (The Knight Brothers 1)

“I believe that, as soon as you spend time with me again, you’ll see how perfect we are for one another. We enjoy the same restaurants and movies, yes?” He didn’t wait for her to agree. “We both enjoy being home in the evenings with a nice glass of wine. We get along very well. I’m sure you thought about that while you’ve been away.”

“Well–”

“She’s been a little too busy to be thinking about anyone but me,” Sebastian said, striding across the family room and joining them by the still-open door.

She swallowed hard. “Why don’t we take this inside. Jonathan, come in and shut the door.” She glanced at Sebastian.

He wore his jeans, button undone, feet bare, arms folded over that expansive, muscular chest. His eyes were narrowed, stare hard. Her gaze drifted to Jonathan, in his long-sleeve, V-neck sweater, looking buttoned up and stiff by comparison.

Oh God. How had she gotten herself into this situation? She’d been nothing but honest with Jonathan from the minute he’d proposed.

“Who is this?” Jonathan asked, obviously affronted and insulted by the mere fact that a man had walked out of her bedroom, half-naked.

“Sebastian Knight, this is Jonathan Davies.”

Sebastian didn’t extend his hand. Ever the English gentleman, Jonathan did, but Sebastian still didn’t shake his hand. He remained icy.

“I’m not going to ask what’s going on. It’s quite obvious,” Jonathan said, anger highlighting his cheeks. “But I’ve come all this way, and we do need to talk.” His gaze fell to Ashley.

She nodded in agreement. They did. For whatever reason, Jonathan hadn’t taken her words seriously, and he needed to understand, regardless of her situation with Sebastian, she never would have married him.

Blowing out a slow breath, she turned to Sebastian. “He’s right. We apparently have unfinished business.” She hesitantly touched his still-folded arm. “I need to talk to him. Alone.”

A muscle ticked in his jaw on his handsome face, one that only worked when he was furious. One she found endearing and always wanted to touch and smooth out, to calm him down.

Her heart felt torn in two. She didn’t want to talk to Jonathan, she had to. Before she could figure her life out at all, she needed this door to be completely closed.

“Fine. I’m going to get dressed,” he muttered, not at all graciously. Which didn’t surprise her.

Jonathan didn’t say a word while Sebastian walked into the bedroom, returning a few seconds later in his rumpled shirt and shoes.

He started to walk past her to the door, then stopped and turned.

“Sebastian?”

He grasped her forearms and pulled her toward him, sealing his lips over hers. He kissed her hard, his mouth unyielding and possessive. From behind her, she heard Jonathan gasp, but that didn’t stop her body from yielding to him, and when she did, his lips softened, his tongue licking over her bottom lip before he let her go. She gave him whatever reassurance she could with her kiss, but they both knew so much between them was up in the air and uncertain.

Meeting her gaze, he mouthed the words, “I love you,” before brushing past Jonathan and walking out the door, slamming it behind him.

* * *

Dammit, dammit, dammit. Sebastian couldn’t believe he’d fucking left her with that English prick. Yes, he understood she had unfinished business with the asshole, considering he didn’t know how to take no for an answer. And by that kiss, he knew damn well she loved him. But what he didn’t know was where Ashley would ultimately end up. Because despite her feelings, her job, her apartment, her friends, hell, her life was in London. And so was Mr. Nice Guy.

At one time, Sebastian would have gone to Ethan, his older brother and father figure, with his problems, but Ethan was dealing with too much of his own baggage to burden him now. So Sebastian headed to Parker’s apartment and banged on the door.

His brother opened and let him in. “You look like shit,” Parker said.

Sebastian didn’t crack a smile. “I feel like it, too.”

“Want to talk? Or just want company?” Parker asked.

Sebastian groaned. “Both.”

“Soda?”

“Yeah.”

Parker headed to the kitchen and Sebastian to the family room. Parker returned with two cans of Coke, handing him one.

Sebastian popped the top and took a long, fizzy sip. “Ashley’s ex-boyfriend showed up on her doorstep this morning. And I fucking left her alone with him.”

Parker put his soda down on the table. “That was big of you.”

With another muttered curse, Sebastian lowered himself into a chair, took a drink, and put the can down. “I’m not sure I had a choice. She says she’s told him it’s over in no uncertain terms, but here he is because he couldn’t take no for an answer. She wanted time to talk to him, and I gave it to her.”

Parker nodded, eyeing him with concern. “I’ve never seen you torn up over a woman.”