Priceless (Forbidden Men 8)

“Oh, sure,” Ten answered. “We consulted him before the girls took her panty shopping. No, he doesn’t know about it. Are you insane? We actually value our lives.”

“Um...okay, then.” Quinn scanned the room. “Where are the kids?”

Before anyone could answer, a cacophony of sound entered the hall. Then two boys followed by a giggling towheaded girl raced into the room as Teagan tried to catch up with Luke and JB.

“Aww,” Caroline called, watching her eighteen-month-old daughter. “She’s chasing the boys already.”

“What?!” Looking suddenly panicked, Ten snatched Teagan off the floor and into his arms as she passed. “Not until she’s thirty-fucking-five.”

“Dada,” Teagan cheered, patting his face with her chubby little fingers.

Ten kissed her on the nose. “Yes, baby, I love you too. And I’m the only man you’ll ever love.”

“Okay, now that’s sexier than any pair of scrubs,” Caroline decided, abandoning me so she could wrap her arms around her husband and daughter together and give them both kisses.

Across the room, I swear Zoey murmured, “Not hardly,” as she cuddled against Quinn’s arm before he bent down to greet his two sons, who seemed happy he was home.

I sat there, watching the two families and feeling really kind of pathetic and embarrassed for even remotely thinking I should try anything with Brandt.

He’d been right. It would’ve totally ruined our friendship, but not just that. Our families were so entwined together as friends; it might’ve even caused a rift in our entire group.

Not wanting to do that, I started for the door, ready to go and needing to hide out in my room until my shame dissipated.

But Caroline called after me. “Sarah? Wait! What’re you...where are you going?”

I paused, feeling crappy for just taking off. But no one here needed me. And I really felt the urge to slink off in shame. “I’m going to head home,” I said, barely looking her way.

“Um...okay. Here. Don’t forget this.” She made certain to hand me my bag, adding a conspiratorial wink as she did. Then she whispered, “Good luck.”

I didn’t answer. I just left, waving to the others before blowing out the door and hurrying as fast as I could to my car.

I was tempted to throw the entire sack in the trash as soon as I rolled into my room. But after I tossed it on the bed, I paused and eyed it curiously. I hadn’t bothered to try anything on at the boutique. After the sales clerk measured me, and it matched my usual sizes, we all figured that would be close enough.

They had made sure to find me a front-clasp bra, something I could manage on my own. And the red silk and black lace set really had been—okay, so I was tempted to try them on once. I had to at least know how I looked in that pair...or maybe in all the pairs.

Feeling giddily naughty, I closed the blinds and then stripped out of my clothes. I tried on the pale blue one first, then the pink set. Finally, I tried on the red, fringed-in-black ensemble. After inspecting myself in my full-length mirror, I decided the wheelchair kind of threw off some of the sexiness, so I climbed out and sat on the bed, posing and then laughing because I looked ridiculous.

Well...kind of ridiculous, anyway. Caroline had prettied up my face and my hair looked good. And okay, the bra made my breasts really push up and seem almost full and rounded. And with the cut of the panties, the way they emphasized the curve of my hip and dip in my waist, I might actually consider myself half-decent-looking.

Actually...I was amazed how nice I did look. Hesitantly, I reached out to slide my finger down my ribcage and over the dips and curves until I reached my hip. Someone somewhere could possibly even think I looked beautiful.

For the first time in my life, I felt pretty, like really pretty. And it wasn’t just my physical appearance, it was a feeling, like...I’m not even sure…something deep inside me, a self-awareness that started out as a sensation in my toes, then traveled up my legs and settled warmly in my belly before moving up to brighten my heart.

Maybe I wasn’t completely hopeless. Maybe somewhere, someday, someone might even love me.

A rapping on my window made me scream in surprise. Crap! I hadn’t been expecting that. Heart leaping into my throat, I scurried to grab my clothes, but the knocking kept coming and seemed to gain intensity w

ith every bang.

With no time for clothes, I grabbed my terrycloth robe lying at the foot of my bed, wrapped it securely around me and lifted the window blinds.

I wasn’t sure why I was surprised to see Brandt; he was the only person to ever visit me via window. But I was surprised, anyway, and not necessarily in a good way.

What the heck was he doing here?

I had a bad feeling this visit was going to end not-so-well.

BRANDT