“I don’t give a shit if she’s scarred. She’s still the most beautiful woman I’ve ever seen. Fuck! Do you really think I’m that superficial, especially after what happened to me?” I asked him, my body almost shaking with anger.

  “Not at all,” he said as he shook his head slowly. “I think I made the point I wanted to make. You’re right. Vanna is beautiful inside and out. She always has been. You’d be damn lucky to have her.”

  I slammed my fist down on the desk. “I can’t have her. That’s the whole point.”

  “You probably could if you’d get out of our own way, little brother,” Wyatt said pointedly. “And you’re sure as hell not going to know until you ask.”

  I looked at him, feeling desperately cornered as I confessed, “I’m not sure if I can. She’s not like any other woman I’ve ever known, Wyatt.”

  “No,” he agreed. “She isn’t. She’s better. As Dad used to say, anything worth having is worth the risk.”

  “Yeah, well, he never mentioned how badly it will rip your guts out if you have to go through the rejection. Sometimes it might be easier just to not take that risk.”

  Wyatt glared at me as he said, “Now that’s total bullshit. You’ve never been a quitter in your entire life, Chase. Don’t start now. If you want Vanna to stay, find a way. I’ve never seen you this damn happy with a woman.”

  “She’s the one,” I said in a defeated tone. “Maybe she always has been. Dad also said that we’d know when the right one came along. He was right.”

  “Taking your obsession with never missing her show into consideration, I’d say you’re probably correct,” Wyatt observed. “Luckily, if I have to have a sister-in-law, Vanna would be tolerable. I’ve always liked her. And Lord knows that Mom and Dad adored her.”

  “Maybe if I was the man I used to be, I’d do everything I could to make her stay. I’d bust my ass to make her mine.”

  “You’re still that same man, Chase,” Wyatt said solemnly.

  I held up a hand. “We’re not getting married, Wyatt. She’s looking for her own place, remember? Does that sound like a woman who wants to stay exactly where she is right now?”

  He was silent for a moment before he shot me a deliberate glance. “Sounds like a woman who hasn’t been asked to stay. It’s not like you’re a guy who has nothing going for himself, Chase. You’re intelligent, one of the richest men in existence, and you’re a much slicker talker than I’ll ever be. You have a prettier face, too. If she isn’t already, make her fall in love with you.”

  I grinned. My brother was far from unattractive. It wasn’t like women hadn’t vied for his attention since he’d gotten out of the military. He’d just chosen to ignore it most of the time. He probably did frighten some people away with his abrupt mannerisms and his dry sarcasm. If Wyatt liked someone, he was either quiet or cuttingly derisive with his humor. If not, he simply didn’t talk to them. His hair was darker than pitch, and he was built like a heavyweight prize fighter. I was a big guy, but Wyatt was enormous and all muscle. When a guy like that almost never cracked a smile, he could be pretty damn intimidating.

  Thing was, those of us who knew him were very well aware of how much he loved and cared about his family and the people closest to him.

  It was the ones who didn’t know him who found him a little bit scary.

  “Vanna’s not impressed by my money, my pretty face, or my charm, unfortunately. She blows off my compliments like I throw them out to every female I know,” I shared.

  “Then maybe you should make them a little more…personal,” Wyatt suggested. “Vanna’s no fool. She’s known you most of her life. You’re not exactly known for dating women with advanced intelligence.”

  “What the hell does that mean?” I asked grudgingly.

  He shrugged. “I’m just saying that most of your past love affairs haven’t been with investigative journalists. Granted, you’ve had some beautiful women on your arm—or should I say draped over your body—but I doubt you were attracted to their brains.”

  “That was a long time ago,” I answered defensively. “And those relationships didn’t last very long.”

  “Not exactly surprising,” Wyatt replied. “But has it ever occurred to you that Vanna might not feel like she can compete with the kind of women you may appear to like? Look, I know beautiful women are everywhere in our orbit. I’m not saying I haven’t very briefly dated a few of those women obsessed with haute couture, too. But, quite frankly, Vanna might feel like she’s not your type. She did get cheated on by an A-list movie star.”

  “He was a prick and a complete idiot,” I said indignantly. “He had her, Wyatt. And he threw Vanna away to sleep with another woman.”

  I would have killed for a chance to be that asshole, to have Vanna committed to me and our relationship.

  The bastard had no idea what he’d given up.

  “Lucky for you that he was a major dick. If he wasn’t, she probably wouldn’t be with you right now,” Wyatt commented. “And she definitely deserves better. I’m just saying that maybe you should let her know exactly how you feel.”

  I swallowed hard before I said, “You realize I haven’t had a real date in years, and I think you know exactly why I haven’t.”

  “I know,” Wyatt said agreeably.

  “I’m definitely out of practice,” I told him.

  Wyatt rolled his eyes. “What in the hell do you call what you’ve been doing with Vanna? It looks like dating without the sex part to me. You’ve taken her everywhere. You’ve wined her and dined her. Hell, you even took her to Big Bear. I’m almost jealous that I wasn’t invited. Haven’t been there myself for a long time.”

  “There was no beer drinking or fishing,” I said with a snicker.

  “Okay. Then never mind,” Wyatt said stoically. “Maybe I’m not jealous.”

  I took a quick glance at my watch. “I better get going. Vanna’s making lasagna tonight.”

  “Send me the leftovers,” Wyatt ordered impassively.

  “Not happening,” I said adamantly. “If I have to be miserable, I’m getting the leftover lasagna.”

  Wyatt and I knew how to cook, but most of our cooking skills didn’t reach the world of Italian food.

  While I could make a good burger on the grill and a fairly wide selection of French dishes, that was where my cooking talent stopped.

  Overall, Vanna was a much better cook than me, and I had no problem admitting it and appreciating the fact that her talents were broader than mine.

  I stood, and then stacked the folders we’d been reviewing before I headed for the door.

  “Chase?” Wyatt called.

  I turned. “Yeah?”

  “You haven’t been miserable with Vanna until you found out that she was moving out. You’ve been happy. Keep it that way,” he said shortly before he reached for a folder and went back to work.

  I frowned as I exited his office.

  Easy for him to say. He wasn’t the one who was going to have to put his balls on a chopping block to get the woman he wanted.

  Savannah

  “So, is that your final decision?” Torie asked as she savored a bite of her chocolate chip cookie.

  The two of us had been sitting at the kitchen table going over the rentals I’d seen so far.

  “The condo in the Gaslamp Quarter would work for now,” I said resolutely. “It’s not like I’m buying a place at the moment.”

  Torie wrinkled her nose. “Traffic will suck.”

  “It’s highly walkable,” I countered. “I wouldn’t have to take my car out if I was going local.”

  “It’s much nicer here,” she suggested with a smile. “And you’re really close to your best friend.”

  God, she had no idea how much I wished I could stay, but I couldn’t take up space in Chase’s home forever, and now that I felt better physically, it was getting hard for me not to want…more.

  I couldn’t be this close to Chase, closer than we’d ever been, and not want to get the man naked.

  It was just too…painful.

  The two of us were so connected it was almost scary.

  But I didn’t really need to lean on Chase anymore, and now that I was healed, I ached for something far different from him, something that would never happen between the two of us.

  Yeah, we were so close that there were times that I’d been tempted to tell him how I felt, but that would only ruin the friendship we’d built. Things could get very awkward, and I’d come to value our close relationship. A lot.

  What other choices did I have but to go?

  “It’s not like I’m moving across the state, Torie,” I teased. “And I can’t stay camped out at your brother’s ridiculous mansion forever.”

  “I don’t think he’d mind,” Torie badgered. “In fact, I think he’ll be pretty devastated if you do decide to leave him for the Gaslamp Quarter.”

  I watched as she picked up her wine glass, swirled it, and then took a breath in before she finally took a sip.

  Funny, I’d known Torie forever and I’d never really noticed that she drank a good glass of wine the same way Chase did.

  “There’s something seriously wrong with drinking a glass of wine with chocolate chip cookies,” I said jokingly as I took a sip from my own glass.

  “No way,” Torie argued. “They’re both amazing. My brother has good taste in wine.”

  “He has an entire wine cellar,” I reminded her.

  She wriggled her eyebrows. “Just think about how much help he’ll need consuming all of that wine.”

  I snorted. “You’re not exactly being subtle, Torie.”

  “Never say I didn’t offer you one of my brothers wholeheartedly,” she said with a mock pout. “Honestly, Vanna, Chase is crazy about you.”

  “He’s fond of me,” I corrected. “But that kind regard only goes so far. I need to give him his house back.”

  “Savannah Anderson, we’ve known each other for most of our lives. Please don’t try to tell me you aren’t attracted to Chase. I know you. I’ve seen it. Last week at my barbeque, you looked like you’d much rather devour Chase than your food.”

  I took in a sharp breath. “God, was I really that obvious?”

  I wanted to deny what she’d said because she was Chase’s sister, but I also wanted to confide in my best friend.

  She shrugged. “Maybe not to everyone, but I’ve seen you with every boyfriend you’ve ever had. I’ve never seen you look at any other guy the way you look at Chase. Open your eyes, Vanna. He looks at you exactly the same way. I call bullshit on the whole fondness thing. You two want to rip each other’s clothes off. I should know. I look at Cooper the same way. It’s not only that, though. I know you two adore each other. It’s obvious.”

  Oh, I adored him. I was far from convinced that he wanted me the same way.

  Yes, he could be flirty. But Chase was a natural charmer.

  “Okay. Yes. I’m attracted to him. Are you happy now?”

  “Not yet,” she said slyly. “But at least we’re getting somewhere. Why in the hell do you want to leave then?”

  I gave up all attempts at pretending when I answered, “Have you ever tried to live with a guy you’re crazy about but know you can never have? I love every moment Chase and I spend together, but it’s never going to turn into anything more. He dates women who are ten out of ten on the hotness scale, Torie. I was average at best before the kidnapping. Now I’m average with scars on my face. Not to mention a few other parts of my body.”

  “Please, Vanna,” she replied, exasperated. “Yes, he has dated a few models—”

  “Not just models,” I interrupted. “Supermodels. Every one of them ridiculously perfect.”

  Torie swallowed a sip of her wine. “Vanna, that was a long time ago, and when you’re involved with a company like Durand, you’re surrounded by those women. That’s the kind of women he met when he first got out of the military. And yes, he dated a few in college and in the military, too. Honestly, I haven’t seen Chase with anyone for…well, it’s been a long time. I swear to God, I don’t think either he or Wyatt has gotten laid in years. They’re both workaholics.”

  “Not so much now,” I said with a smile. “He usually makes it home for dinner on time.”

  “Because of you,” she said firmly, stressing the phrase. “You made that happen. He finally found somewhere he’d rather be than at Durand. He finally found someone he cared about more than his company. I’m not trying to be a nag. I just want to see both of you happy. And you have been. Screw the women who are supposedly a ten out of ten physically. I guarantee he never looked at them the way he looks at you. There’s a hell of a lot more to attraction than platinum blonde hair and a tall, thin body that fits into a doll-sized dress.”

  “I know that,” I said solemnly. It was definitely time for me to come clean with my best friend. “And this attraction to Chase isn’t exactly…new.”

  She eyed me warily as she crossed her arms over her chest. “What exactly does that mean? How long, Vanna?”

  I cringed. “Do you remember that party your dad threw for you when you earned your PhD?”

  Her eyes widened. “No way.”

  I nodded. “We’ve been sparring like debate participants ever since. I never wanted things to get awkward. I thought it would just…go away. I know he’s your brother, but he’s also an attractive guy for many reasons, and I’m not talking about his gorgeous body and handsome face. I noticed at that party, and it never really went away. I could forget about it when he wasn’t around, but the moment I saw him again, it was there. We spent a lot more time in the same place when you were recovering from your kidnapping. By the time I saw him at your wedding, it was pretty much unforgettable.”

  “He did mention that he asked you to spend time with him in Vegas. Why didn’t you take him up on that?” Torie asked curiously.

  “He wanted to catch up,” I explained. “I wanted to get him naked. I was way too afraid I’d say something I’d regret.”

  “Oh, my God. I want to bang both of your heads together,” Torie said in a frustrated tone. “Have you ever considered that the two of you might want the same thing, but you’re both too afraid to say it first?”

  I shook my head. “God, no. Chase has always been a fantasy for me, Torie. Let’s get real. Men like Chase do not have girlfriends like me.”

  “Vanna, you were dating an A-list movie star.”

  “Not the same thing,” I explained. “He was a good-looking man with muscles who got lucky doing action films that required very few acting skills. You can’t even compare him with a man like your brother. Chase is brilliant, highly educated, sophisticated, incredibly thoughtful, and he didn’t act in movies where he pretended to be a hero. He was a real special forces hero. Oh yeah, and he’s a billionaire with more money than God. Not that I give a crap about his money, but overall, my dear friend, Chase is a fantasy.”

  “He also used to leave his dirty underwear and towels on the floor in the bathroom when he was a teenager,” she said sarcastically. “Hopefully, he’s outgrown that habit. He’s just a man, Vanna. And really, I have Cooper. He’s gorgeous, filthy rich, more intelligent than most people in the entire world, and also very highly educated. Plus, he’s also a billionaire. To have your conclusion make sense, we’d have to say that Cooper should be married to a supermodel, too, rather than an average woman like me.”

  “Newsflash,” I said. “You’re a gorgeous genius, too. You’re also a billionaire who was raised in the world of the ultrarich.”

  “I’m passably attractive if you can get past my weird eyes,” she said adamantly. “And I couldn’t have cared less about the world of the ultrarich. I have money, yes. But you know I never lived in that world. Move on to the next excuse as to why you aren’t perfect for my brother, because I honestly do think he’s mad about you. I also think he believes you’re too good for him and that you’re not interested. Otherwise, he would have made the first move already. Trust me. I know both of my brothers. I also know you, although I have to admit that you hid your attraction to Chase pretty well.”

  “I’m sorry I never told you,” I said remorsefully. “It’s about the only thing I just didn’t feel like I could share. It’s just…weird. Tell me you wouldn’t have felt the same way if Cooper was my brother.”

  She grinned. “Awkward, yes, but I still would have found a way to get him naked anyway. Weird as it might sound, Cooper and I just…clicked.”

  I smiled back her. God, she looked so happy. After everything that Torie had been through, she deserved a man like Cooper.

  I shook my head distractedly. “No, I get it.”

  She lifted a brow. “So are you going to tell him?”

  I squirmed in my chair. What were the chances that Chase wanted to be more than friends?

  Was I willing to take the chance?

  “Do you actually want me to try to seduce your own brother?” I asked nervously.

  She shrugged. “I don’t think it would take much. He’d be pretty easy. All you’d have to do is tell him the truth and then stand there and breathe.”

  “I’m not completely convinced he’d be on board,” I confessed.

  “Stop, Vanna,” she said in a disgusted voice. “I think you’re running away because you’re scared. I get it. But wouldn’t you always wonder if you didn’t try? I know it’s harder because you two have known each other forever. But feelings change and evolve as you get older. When I look at the two of you now, it feels like the two of you should have always been together.”

  “I had a little more confidence before the kidnapping and these stupid scars,” I revealed.

  “They fade a little more every day, and any guy who can’t see beneath them is a fool.”

  I chuckled. “You have to say that because you’re my best friend.”

  “No, I know it’s true because I’m your best friend,” she replied smugly.

  “I’ll think about it,” I said cautiously.

  There was really nothing holding me back but fear anymore. I’d just shared with Torie earlier that I’d gotten back all of my health screens and they were negative.