Total pages in book: 58
Estimated words: 54203 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 271(@200wpm)___ 217(@250wpm)___ 181(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 54203 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 271(@200wpm)___ 217(@250wpm)___ 181(@300wpm)
I needed Parvati.
I could tell from the start that she was wild, even if she didn’t know it yet. Something in her eyes asked for more. More of life, more excitement, more intrigue. I could offer her those things if she’d just get over the fact that we were now siblings. It was just a wedding and a piece of paper that made us so, and I planned to show her just how unimportant those were.
“Hey, bro.” Damien slapped me on the back, and I nearly turned and punched him.
“The hell you doing?”
Dax stood there laughing. “Calm down, man. We’re just here to get a drink.”
“You sit here and get slapped without expecting it. Then you can tell me to calm down.” I drank the last of my Jack and Coke and got to my feet.
“Alright, alright. Sorry,” Damien said as he shook his head. “Look, we wanted to talk to you about something.” Dax leaned over the bar and ordered a drink behind me as Damien and I talked. “Dax and I have a bet going.”
“About what?”
“Our gorgeous new sister.” He grinned from ear to ear. He always had a devilish charm to him, and I was sure he’d use it on Parvati, especially if she was involved in some bet. “We’re gonna see who she chooses.”
“Between you two?” I raised a brow, but when he agreed, I had to laugh. “Neither of you stand a chance with a woman like her.”
“Is that so?” Damian rubbed his chin with that knowing gaze in his eyes. “Because she’s already let me touch her.”
There was no way that he was telling the truth. Parvati deserved better than him, and chances were, she knew it. “Bullshit.”
Damien laughed. “You can call my bluff all you want, but it’s true. And I’m betting that if you asked her, her body language would tell you everything you need to know.”
My daydream of Parvati was still fresh in my mind, but my two younger brothers were about to fuck it all up. I shoved Damien back into Dax, and his bright blue drink spilled onto that crisp white dress shirt of his.
“What the hell is your problem?” Dax set down his glass and shook out his hands.
I smirked. “Looks like it might be a little more difficult to get her attention now, won’t it?”
“Oh, I see what’s going on.” Dax drew a grin. “You’re threatened that we might actually beat you at this game.”
“No, I think you’re going to scare her away. Or worse, you’re going to piss her off and she’ll never talk to any of us again.”
Damien looked at Dax for a moment, then his gaze met mine. “I think you want in on this, don’t you?” I kept my lips sealed. “Alright, alright.” Damien came beside me and put his arm around my shoulders. “You let me know if you want to play along, and we will raise the stakes. Right now, we’re talking franchise players and second round picks.”
“Oh, classy. You’re going to wager a young woman’s heart against a hockey team.”
“Damn right.” Dax had a hold of his glass once more, and I’d be lying if I said I didn’t think about spilling it all over again. “Hey, you’re one up on Damien it seems.”
Damien leaned close. “How’s that?”
“You’re focused on her heart and not her body.”
Oh, I was focused on that body of hers alright, but a woman like Parvati deserved love. “Look, brother, I’m focused on treating her like a lady.”
Dax laughed, tipping back and slapping his chest. “Yeah, okay! I’m going to grab a clean shirt, and you,” he pressed a finger to my chest, “you think of something good, brother. This bet is on.”
12
PARVATI
I was definitely looking forward to a lovely dinner. After fighting my thoughts all day, dinner and champagne sounded heavenly.
Thankfully, the hotel had a five-star steakhouse restaurant in house, and I had already browsed their website to pick out exactly what I wanted. Parmesan crusted chicken breast, freshly cut steak fries, and the house salad.
I just had to finish getting dressed and head downstairs to join my family, and then the relaxation could finally begin. Of course, the evening would include my new brothers, so I took a deep breath and cleared my mind of every desire. Well, I tried too, but it wasn’t exactly that easy.
“Hey there, gorgeous,” Damien said with a wink. I let out a sigh, but I smiled to him anyway. Tonight was going to be a good night no matter what.
“Hello.”
“I just came up to get you. It looks like the table is almost ready.” We got into the elevator together and the doors closed.
“You truly look amazing.” His eyes traveled from my face and my hair, down to my legs. He had that devilish grin again, the one that made me think he was undressing me in his mind. For a second, I let my mind wander.