Endless Love by Bianca Borell

Chapter Seven

BRIA

“Everything is changing so damn fast,” says Alex after Damien and Sophia leave the room. He scratches his chin, his eyes stare outside the window, and I place my hand over his.

“Perhaps after years of spinning in circles, it’s for the best. Don’t you think?” I ask, trying to lighten the mood, turning to face him.

“When did you become such an optimist?”

He crooks his head, and his eyes are warm when they find mine while I sit on the couch.

“Alexander Hope, there’s something about you I don’t know. It’s bothering me.” I lean my head against the couch frame, and he flinches. “Are you all right?” He plops next to me and nods while I caress his arm.

“I am, don’t worry.”

“What did you do for the contracts?” I ask, narrowing my eyes at him.

“What was necessary.”

I fidget, but he tips my chin in his direction.

“Sweetheart, drop it.”

“Will you tell me? Someday?”

“There are things better left unsaid.”

“Not between us.”

“I can’t have you look at me differently.” His eyes seek mine and fear flashes in them. I clasp his shoulders.

“You’ll always be you to me, Alex. I won’t push you.”

“This is new.”

He chuckles, and in one instant, the tension lifts as he switches back to playful Alex once again. I welcome the change, but then he mumbles and throws himself further back on the couch.

“You’re engaged.”

“I am.”

“I still think it’s too soon.”

I bite my lower lip and murmur, “You made it obvious.”

“How can you be this relaxed, Bria? You have changed so much. That’s what troubles me. Don’t get me wrong, I like you full of life, looking and acting like a human being, but . . .”

“No ‘but,’ please no ‘but.’ With him, I’m home. Our love, Alex, the rightness settles in my bones. Believe me, I’m not wrong, not with this.”

“And romantic too. Can I go throw up now?”

“Damien and I will marry and start a family, but you and I are also family. That won’t change, do you hear me? Nothing and no one can take away what we have.”

I squeeze his hand, and some ease softens his features. I breathe, relief washing over me.

“Have fun telling Dad.”

“I’m afraid to disappoint him.” My head drops, and I pick at my jeans.

“Dad just wants to see you happy. Whatever issues I have with Damien, at least I know he’s capable of doing this one right. In his fucked-up way, he loves you more than is healthy.”

“Alex.”

“I guess you’ll be moving in with him.”

“Yes, but it’s not that you and I won’t see each other often. It’s just that we won’t live together anymore.”

“Oh, Bria.” His voice lowers, and melancholy seeps through this moment.

We stare at each other when Sophia waltzes in.

“Guys, I hate to interrupt, but I’m starving.”

“We’re done anyway. Let’s get my girl something to eat.”

My heart leaps witnessing the way he is with Sophia.

“I’ll be back in a moment,” I say, but then I remember that I have no other clothes here and shout Damien’s name. A door flies open as he runs toward me, worry marring his face.

“Baby, what’s wrong?”

“I have nothing clean to change into.”

“Come with me,” Damien says as he drags me toward his bedroom. I find rows of feminine clothes in the dressing room, including dresses for all occasions, in all colors, shirts, and jeans. My mouth hangs open.

“It’s called preparation for when I convinced you to move in with me finally. I might have done a little shopping for you,” he says in a rush.

I raise my eyebrow at him, and the corner of his mouth arches up.

“Okay, I let someone else do the shopping.”

“Always so sure of yourself.”

“Purely wishful thinking, baby. Did I tell you today how much I love you?”

“I love you too.” I rise on my toes and kiss him while playing with the ends of his hair. “Now get out. I have to change, and it’s impossible with you in here.”

“You are crazy if you think I’ll give up a chance to gaze upon your delectable, naked body.” He sizes me up, and heat rolls down my spine as his finger caresses my back. “I get the impression you’re slightly disorientated. Let me help get you undressed.”

“You should help me get dressed instead.” I giggle, and he grips my waist. His touch is magnetic.

“Not as much fun, but I’ll try.”

He does quick work with undressing me. I stand naked before him, not believing his dexterity. I blink at him, but he laughs at me and smacks my bottom.

“I like to be proficient at everything I do.”

I’ll show him a proficiency he won’t soon forget. I turn in his arms, bite my lip, suppressing a mischievous grin.

“No. No, baby, just looking, no touching.” He eyes me as if questioning if I am serious, and I suppress my amusement.

Just inches separate us, and even without touching me, his warm breath caresses my skin. His lips graze my earlobe as he says, “Until tonight, baby. I’ll make sure you beg me to touch you, and it will be my pleasure.”

He backtracks while I count the hours.

***

“I’m ready. Come on.” His eyes travel up and down my body before his mouth dips to my ear, his low chuckle tickling my neck.

“I don’t know about them, but you will definitely come tonight.”

Is he for real?I squeeze my legs, and a small gasp flees my mouth.

“Are you all right? You look shaken up.”

Sophia asks, and Damien grins. I shoot him a warning look. I’ll get him back or at least try.

“Everything is just perfect, just a little warm in here.” I fan myself.

Both Sophia and Alex eye me while Damien suppresses a grin.

“Let’s go, then.”

Once we’re all seated inside Alex’s Range Rover, we decide to eat at a nearby steakhouse. We walk inside the restaurant, and a rustic scene greets us—rich warm tones, wooden accents, and glass combined to add a touch of modern to the space, with brown leather booths and tables spread around the open area. We order, and Damien plays with my finger under the table.

“When will you two announce the happy news?” asks Sophia, her cheerfulness infectious.

“As soon as Quinn can be here.”

“You should talk to him. The sooner, the better.” For the first time, I don’t detect bitterness in Damien’s voice, only acceptance. I love this normalcy, us together with them.

“I don’t want to be the one to burst your bubble, but our mothers won’t appreciate the deadline, not at all.”

“Their problem, not ours. We could elope,” Damien deadpans.

“Damien, you can’t do that to them.”

“I’m sure they’ll be just fine. I’ll talk to Sarah too.”

Her expression softens as she asks, “Where do you plan to do it, anyway?”

“We haven’t talked about it.”

Sophia’s hands slap on the table, and she bends forward her mouth agape. “Honestly, you’re out of your minds. One month and no location, good luck with that.”

“I have a place in mind,” says Damien, and I tilt my head to him.

“Which one?”

“Our place.”

My heart flutters in my chest in acceptance. “It’s brilliant. I can’t believe I didn’t think of it myself.” We exchange a glance—one shared in intimacy, where no words are needed.

“With that settled, Alex and I will move to the States.”

“What?” Damien and I say at the same time.

“How did we get from planning a wedding to Alex and you moving across the ocean?” I ask.

“Someone has to take the new project over. I’ll lead it, at least for starters. We decided it in your absence, and Filip, as the one left in charge, signed off on it,” she says, taking a sip of water before continuing, “I oversaw it while you were out. By the way, your teams did great, and you should give them all raises. Actually, I already did that.” She grins at us, happy with her decision. “It was difficult finding excuses for why two of the most important members were absent, but I couldn’t tell the board members the truth that you were broken-hearted, now could I?”

“Sophia, what did you say to them?” Damien’s jaw twitches.

“That you caught something during your holidays. You’ll be unavailable while you recover.”

“What?” Damien shuts his eyes while I process all the implications of one piece of news after the other.

“You should thank me. Now you can plan your wedding in peace. Filip and I have everything under control.” Discontent oozes from him when he opens his mouth to counter, but I’m quicker, my situation with my brother more pressing for me at the moment.

“I wish Filip would come back home.” His absence and silent treatment choke me. Sophia’s soft features transform into sympathy.

“He loves you. Just give him some time to work through this.”

She’s right, and I nod at her, thinking how mature she has become, but still, something irks me. It’s those fleeting seconds when she struggles to be cheerful as if she forces herself. Plus, when she thinks no one is watching, melancholy washes over her, and she caresses those tiny scars. One of these days, I’ll ask her about them.

Damien’s soft touch pulls me out of my thoughts. I force a smile, trying to appear unfazed, but it doesn’t quite work, and he frowns in concern. I rest my head on his shoulder and inhale his unique manly scent. I am instantly anchored back to my happy place. My eyes travel to Alex and Sophia, and my lips curl up as they exchange caresses, their eyes filled with hope and dreams. It’s something to watch other people teetering on the edge of love.

I cuddle myself to Damien even more and tilt my face to him. I love being lost in him. I am under his spell. I am his, and I love being his. His mouth finds mine, and his deep voice caresses me like a lover, awakening every part of my heart.

“You have no idea how much I love you. You infiltrated yourself in my damn psyche, and I’m incapable of being myself without you.”

With both Sophia and Alex immersed in the menu, I lean in and say, “These two are cute together.”

“I gave you the perfect love declaration, and you talk about others?”

“Come on, look at them,” I urge, and he growls.

“That’s still my little sister.”

“How little she still is, I don’t know.” I stifle a laugh, and his eyes widen.

“This isn’t funny, Bria.”

“Bite me.”

“A better idea is tossing you over my shoulder and taking you home.”

“You wouldn’t.” He pierces me with a look, arching an eyebrow at me.

“Baby, for you, the level of my craziness scares even me.”

I shake my head at him, and he adds, lowering his mouth to my ear, “And you still agreed to be mine, completely.”

“I did, didn’t I?”

“Playing again?” he asks, his fingers traveling up my thigh.

“Always,” I say, sipping from my iced tea and then place a gentle kiss on his lips.

Sophia waves a hand in our faces and says, “Enough with the PDA.”

“Sophia.”

Damien’s voice rings with irritation as I burst into laughter while she slaps a hand over her mouth.

“Yes, sorry, actually, this is pretty tame for you two.”

“Come on, stop exaggerating. You make it sound as if we tore each other’s clothes off in public.” Indignation laces my words.

“Right, like one can be sure with you two.”

“Can we change the subject now?” interjects Alex, scrunching his nose, and gulping half his beer, muttering inappropriate words under his breath.

I burst into laughter, and Damien and Sophia follow as Alex glances at the three of us, confusion transforming his face.

The food arrives, and laughter turns to chewing as we dig into the plates filled with rich, succulent medium-rare beef, fries, and crispy green salad.

“We should see each other more often.”

“I don’t think Alexander finds it as entertaining as you to spend time with us.” Damien sure enjoys getting back at him. It will be a recurring thing.

“No, man. I said that there should be boundaries.”

“Better send us an e-mail with your hard limits then,” I deadpan.

I have no idea where that came from. But as Damien and Sophia almost choke on their laughs, Alex’s eyes roll out of their sockets as he eyes me.

“Who are you?”

“I get it. It’s a sensitive issue.”

“You are such a freak. How did I not notice it sooner?”

He shakes his head, hiding his amusement. But this is Alex, playful one moment, a contradiction the next.