“You’re nervous around me now,” he said low, his voice deep and slightly scratchy.
“Yes.” Izabella didn’t bother denying it because she knew it was clear as day, no matter how hard she tried to hide it.
“Why?” He leaned in only an inch closer, but it felt like he was on top of her now. The dark shirt he wore was short-sleeved and snug around his muscular arms and chest.
And the tattoos that covered his arms and biceps, the sleeves of ink that had her pussy wet and her nipples tingling, were right in her face, tempting her to just let him take her right here.
“Because of what we did, Corbin,” she said softly, not sure where Crestin had gone off to but not wanting her friend to hear this, not yet at least. “Your sister is here, we’re having dinner, and this is awkward as hell.” Clearing her throat, she saw Crestin returning.
Izabella pushed Corbin’s hand off her thigh, even if she really wanted it to stay there. Or wanted it to move up to the part of her body that ached for him. There was a time and place for that, if that was ever going to happen again, but it wasn’t here and now.
“This isn’t over with us, Izabella,” he said in a deep but low voice.
“Guys, bad news,” Crestin said as she came back to the table and sat down. “There is some major crisis with the finances at work, and I have to head back early.”
“What?” Corbin was the one to ask. He looked relaxed, despite the hardness of his body.
With one arm on the table and the other slung over the back of the booth, his fingers perilously close to her shoulder, he looked the epitome of unconcerned. But Izabella knew him better than that. She could feel the hardness of his body, the way he always seemed in control.
“When do you have to go back?”
Crestin looked disappointed as she stared at Izabella. “I’ll head back tonight, so I can be there first thing in the morning.”
“You just got here,” Izabella said, sad she hadn’t seen her friend for very long, and especially since they hadn’t really been able to talk.
You didn’t get to tell her about Corbin. What would you have said to her about it anyway?
“I know. I wish I could stay longer, but we can plan to hang out again. Maybe you two can come visit me?”
“Why can’t the firm have someone else handle the insurance bullshit?”
Crestin gave her twin an exasperated look. “Corbin, you know I’m the one who handles that, and with this coming up, I can’t just tell them I’ll be back when I feel like it.”
Corbin didn’t answer, but he did start tapping his fingers on the back of the booth.
“It’s okay,” Izabella said and gave Corbin an annoyed look. He lifted the corner of his mouth in a sardonic smirk, but she could still see that fire burning below the depths of his eyes. “I’d love to come visit you. We’ll set something up.”
Crestin grinned widely. “Good. I can’t wait.”
The three of them left the restaurant, and once she was in the car with Crestin, Izabella glanced out the passenger window to look at Corbin. He was in his truck, and his focus was on her. Even from their distance, she could see the intensity in his gaze and feel the heat in his stare.
“Hey, what’s going on with you?”
Crestin’s words had Izabella tearing her focus away from Corbin.
“What do you mean?” She tried to sound nonchalant, but her heart was pounding fast as she looked at her friend. The silence stretched between them, and she could sense Crestin wanted to press this more.
“I don’t know,” Crestin said and exhaled. “You just seem... preoccupied with your thoughts or something.” Crestin narrowed her eyes slightly as if she’d just thought of something. “Are you sure everything is okay?”
Izabella nodded. “I’m fine, really. I just have work and stuff on my mind.” It was that other stuff on her mind that consumed her, and the fact she hadn’t told Crestin yet was eating away at her. But Izabella wanted to talk to Corbin first and see where they stood.
Even if he only wanted to have a platonic relationship with her, she knew she couldn’t hide this from her friend. It would come out eventually, but first Izabella needed to get her head on straight and see where this was all going to lead her.
And you’re going to find that out tonight.
15
Izabella gave Crestin one more hug before stepping back and letting her get in the car. They’d gotten back home no more than ten minutes ago, and Crestin was already heading back.
“You sure you’ll be okay?”
Crestin held on to the top, one leg in, with her head turned toward Izabella. “I’ll be fine.”