Read Online Caught by Brandy Walker - Free Book Online Page B

joke. The brothers ended up pissing me off by saying I’m two-timing Quin with you.”
    “Whoa, when did all of this happen and how am I involved?”
    “Tonight. I came straight from their place to here. It’s why I was early. I was mad and left. You’re involved because I said I was getting together with a friend and colleague, who happened to be a guy.”
    “I see. So they think you made a date with two men for the same night.”
    “But see, that’s the thing. I don’t see either one as a date.”
    Evan pulled his arm off her shoulders and shifted away. The warmth he exuded earlier shifted to cold indifference.
    “Let me ask you something, Laurel.”
    “Okay.”
    “Why don’t you see this,” he motioned between them, “as being a date?”
    “Uh, because we’re friends and don’t think of each other in a romantic way. At least I don’t, and I assumed if you did, you would have said something by now.”
    “Okay, I’ll get back to that. We need to back up a minute. When did you agree to go out with Quin?”
    “Last Sunday.”
    “When did you agree to meet me?”
    “This morning.”
    “So even though you knew you would be going out with this guy and you didn’t know how long you would be there or what would happen, you made a date to meet me here?”
    “Well, when you put it like that.” Now all she felt was guilty. She didn’t think about the fact that she and Quin could have really hit it off and might want to spend the evening together. She just thought in her naïve brain that he was just being friendly. Completely discounting the kissing and touching, and the way he still made her heart trip.
    “Yeah. Now, back to thinking of you in a romantic way. Maybe I have all along.”
    The blood drained from her face. “What! But you’ve never given me any indication that you did.” Rev’s words from earlier picked that moment to haunt her. Guys can’t just be friends with a woman. They think about sleeping with them at least once.
    Evan had the audacity to laugh.
    “I said maybe, Laurel. I’ve always felt there was something holding you back from seeing me as more. From listening to you talk and watching your eyes light up, that something is this guy Quin.”
    Laurel scrambled out of the seat. “Oh my god!” She clamped her hand over her mouth. Shocked at his declaration as much as him pointing out her hang up on Quin.
    “You don’t need to look so horrified.” His lips tipped up slightly on one side in a half smile.
    “I’m sorry, I just never would have guessed.” To any of it . She thought she’d gotten over Quin years ago.
    Evan reached over and grabbed her hand, pulling her back onto the seat. “It’s really okay, Laurel. I only said maybe. I might have felt that way at one time when we first met but I don’t anymore.”
    She wasn’t so sure she believed him. Something passed behind his eyes when she said she never thought of him being more than a friend.
    “Peaches, I’ve always been attracted to you but I value our friendship more.”
    She tried to pull away again. She was still reeling and she didn’t want to hurt him any more by staying.
    “You’re not running off. It’s good we finally talked about it, and I am happy there is someone who makes your eyes sparkle.”
    “I’m not so sure this was a good thing. I…I really never thought of you as boyfriend material. I don’t want to hurt you but it’s the truth. I love having you as a friend and I’m afraid this will change everything.”
    Evan shrugged then picked up his fork. “It might change it a little but,” he paused, taking a bite and swallowing before continuing on, “I’m actually fine. My heart isn’t really broken, my ego a bit bruised, but my heart is okay.”
    Laurel didn’t know if she could say the same thing.
 
 
     
     
     
     

Chapter Six
     
    Laurel and Evan, actually mostly Laurel, polished off the second bottle of wine. After his revelation about his old feelings for her and her