The Devil You Know: A Brother's Best Friend Romance by Veronica Eden

Author:Veronica Eden [Eden, Veronica]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Published: 2022-08-12T04:00:00+00:00

TWENTY-FIVE

TATUM

When Cooper comes back inside, he thanks my parents for dinner, then snags my hand. My stomach dips. I’m only holding hands with him, and it’s just Cooper, but still.

“Come out for a walk?” Cooper asks me with the crooked grin that makes my heart clench.

Dad smirks, wrapping an arm around Mom’s waist. “Don’t keep her out too late.”

Mom grins, pinching his side.

“Dad, come on,” I beg, cheeks flushed.

Cooper ducks his head and clears his throat. The tips of his ears are pink at my parents’ teasing. I’m still surprised they accepted Cooper casually asking me out on a date at dinner so readily. And I won’t even touch Mom’s comment about always thinking there would be something between us.

Nodding, I allow him to lead me out the door into the warm summer evening, the sky awash in pinks and purples. We pass Jackson in the driveway. He watches us closely, no longer as angry as I last saw him. I exhale in relief that I didn’t come between my brother and his best friend.

Cooper squeezes my hand and we continue down to the street, strolling aimlessly. We make it to the corner before I finally speak up.

“So…” I gulp when he pins me with his sultry brown eyes. “We’re off to a great start of being friends.”

His grip on my hand tightens and his eyes flash. “I told you, I can’t be your friend, baby.” He tugs me closer, bringing his lips to my ear. “Do I need to repeat what happened after I said that? Because there isn’t a second of the day I don’t want to be inside you.”

My breath catches and I sway into him, shivering at the memory of last night. His deep chuckle wraps around me. “Ok, but seriously. I thought we were going to figure this out together and strategize out how to end it. Now we’re dating? And I’m the last to know?”

Sighing, he plants a kiss on my temple. “I knew it was stressing you that Jacks was bent out of shape over this, so I came over for dinner to talk to him.” He pulls me to a stop and takes me by the shoulders. “I’m proposing we change the plan. We’re going to pretend we’re together.”

My brows shoot up. “Why?”

“Why, she says?” An amused huff leaves him and he adjusts his signature backwards cap, shaking his head. “Babe, I need you to realize what a catch you are. Any guy would be lucky to pretend to be your man, let alone actually date you.” My cheeks heat and I open my mouth. He grasps my jaw, dipping his head into my space. “But they don’t get you. Not while you’re mine. Only me.”

“Coop,” I breathe.

For a moment, I believe his rumbled words and the possessiveness threaded into them. It’s insane to think a guy like him would want to claim me.

His eyes bounce between mine, then drop to my mouth. “Last night you said it was win-win if we stopped, but I call bullshit.

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