The CEO's Seduction (A Hamilton Family 1)

“I’ll tell you later,” he said, squeezing her tightly against his side. “I promise.”

Chris’s lips twitched. “Yeah. It’s on a need-to-know basis, Squirt. And you don’t need to know.”

She stiffened. “I’ll tell you what you need to know. Or better yet—I’ll show you.”

“Watch out. I might not fight back, but she will.”

Christopher rolled his eyes. “I’m terrified.”

Anna took a step toward him, her fists tight. “One second you’re threatening to kill him, and the next you’re sharing jokes? Let me show you a—”

Brett yanked her back, laughing at the fury burning in her eyes. Chris didn’t realize how close he was to getting a size six foot in between his legs…but Brett did. “Let him go. He’s still recovering from shock.”

“He’ll need more of a recovery if you’ll let go of me,” she mumbled under her breath. “Let me at him.”

Chris eyed her nervously, then pointed at Brett. “You’ll make her happy.”

It obviously wasn’t a question, but he nodded anyway.

“I know you will. I’m going to make sure of it for every second of every single day for the rest of my ridiculously long li—”

“Oh, shut up.” Nina came in the garden and rested her hand on Chris’s arm, giving him a look that he clearly understood. He stopped talking and looked down at the ground, his shoulders stiff. Nina looked at Anna and Brett, a small smile on her face. “Don’t listen to him. He just has a hard time remembering Anna isn’t a little girl anymore.”

Chris flushed, but didn’t say anything.

It was a motherfucking miracle.

Anna smiled at Nina. “Thank you. You’re the voice of reason, as always.”

“Agreed. Could you two return to the rest of the guards”—Brett pointed at the window, and Anna followed his line of vision where all of her brothers were watching them—“and let us have a moment before we join you?”

Chris hesitated, but finally nodded. “We’ll be wait—”

Nina elbowed him, cutting him off midsentence. “Take your time.”

“Oh. My. God.” Anna closed her eyes and took a long breath. “They’re all ridiculous. Absolutely insane.”

“They love you.” Brett tipped her chin up, and she opened her eyes. She stared up at him, her eyes soft and so gray they knocked the breath right outta his lungs. “It’s something you shouldn’t underestimate. Love is so easy to accept when you know you have it, but even harder to lose.”

She swallowed and clutched his jacket, pulling him closer. “I didn’t mean anything I said in the library. You know that, right?”

He nodded, gently sweeping her hair out of her face with both hands. “I do. And I didn’t really want to say good-bye, either. I don’t want a night, Anna. I want forever.”

“Forever?” she squeaked.

“Yes. But that’s a talk I want to have in private. Come on.”

She didn’t move. “Did you really tell my brothers that they needed to be nice to the next guy I bring home?”

“I did, and it was the hardest thing I’ve ever had to do. Just the thought of you with someone else makes me want punch something.” He looked down at her, jealousy making his vision a little bit green. “Just so you know, that’s no longer on the table. Until you decide otherwise, I’m the only guy you’ll be bringing home from now on.”

“Deal,” she breathed.

He grabbed her hand and led her inside the house. As they approached, all of her brothers stumbled away from the window and tried to look busy. Nina rolled her eyes at them and tugged Chris toward the waiting car. As they all waved them off, Brett put his arm around Anna…

And no one said a damn thing.

Imagine that.

The second the limo was gone, he turned to her brothers with a grin. “Now that that’s done, we’re going upstairs. I suggest none of you follow us, because you won’t like what you hear.”

Anna covered her mouth and laughed.

“Now, that’s just disgusting,” Wyatt said. “Why would you tell us that?”

“I think we should revisit the body in the woods theory,” Cole said, scowling at Brett before he stormed outside. “It has merit, you know,” he called over his shoulder.

“I’m with him.” Eric followed Cole out the door. “I’ll be back later.”

Brett grinned and tugged Anna behind him, up the stairs, and into her room. Locking the door behind them, he started talking immediately. The words burst forth so fast, but he couldn’t hold them back. Not anymore. Not ever again. Not with his Anna. “I want forever with you. The first time we were together, in my room, I realized it. I didn’t fully accept it until the beach, but even from the start…I knew this wasn’t just a wedding hookup. It couldn’t be halfway. I needed all of it. All of you. I needed…you.”