What Might Have Been: Daniels Brother #4 (Daniels Brothers) by Sherri Hayes Page B

he were anyone else besides Chris’ brother, she wouldn’t even think twice about them spending time together. But he was Chris’ brother and no amount of wishing would change that. “I don’t know.”
    He took her hand and led her from the dance floor. They weaved through several groups of people until they were once again at the back of the boat. The sun was beginning to set, sending a soft glow over the deck. It was beautiful and heartbreakingly romantic.
    She tried not to think about that as he guided them to the railing. Abby looked out over the water as if it held some great wisdom.
    Trent moved to stand behind her. He wrapped his arms around her waist, pulling her against him once more. She was surrounded . . . trapped. She should want to get away, put some distance between them, but instead all she wanted to do was burrow deeper in his embrace. Abby hadn’t felt this content since before she’d left for college.
    Thinking of that time in her life brought Chris once again to the forefront of her mind. She tensed and, of course, Trent noticed. “Talk to me.”
    “I can’t.” She wanted to, though, and that was perhaps the scariest part of all.
    “Is it about my brother?”
    She nodded.
    Trent hesitated for a long moment, which wasn’t like him at all. He seemed to be debating whether or not to voice his thoughts. “Are you still in love with him?”
    Abby turned around to face him. She probably shouldn’t have been surprised at his assumption. “No. I haven’t felt that way about him for a long time.”
    He placed his hands on her face, caressing her cheeks with his thumbs. Her eyes drifted closed as she sank into the feeling his fingers evoked when he touched her. “Then what’s the problem?”
    She shook her head. “I can’t—”
    Trent pressed his mouth against hers and a quiet moan bubbled up from her throat. He gathered her close as he licked and sucked at her lips with a sweet seduction. It felt surreal. As if this was happening to someone else and not to her. Every argument, every rational reason why being with Trent was a bad idea fled from her mind.
    “You make it easy to forget where we are,” he murmured.
    She opened her eyes to find him looking down at her in such a way that did nothing to cool the fire in her belly. “You’re the one that keeps kissing me.”
    He hummed. “I do, don’t I?”
    Abby grinned. Things should be complicated with him, but instead they felt so easy. Natural. The way they always had.
    ***
    Trent couldn’t remember the last time he was this happy. After watching the sunset with Abby, they’d gotten themselves a little more food and enjoyed the remainder of the cruise. They’d talked more about her life in New York. She had him laughing as she told him how she’d missed her stop on the subway and somehow ended up in Chinatown.
    It was the best date he’d had in . . . well, ever.
    His euphoria began to fade when he parked in front of her apartment complex. He wasn’t ready to say goodbye to her yet.
    Following her up the sidewalk, Trent waited while she dug her keys out of her purse.
    She shifted her weight and looked up at him with hesitant eyes. “Do you want to come in?”
    “If I come in, you know what will happen. I don’t think you’re ready for that.” Maybe that made him sound arrogant, but given their kisses earlier, he didn’t think it would take much for them to end up in her bed.
    She didn’t dispute his assertion. At least that told him he hadn’t been misreading her. She was feeling it, too.
    They stood there for several moments. The longer they stood there, the more he wanted to forget his good sense. “You need to go inside, Abby, or I’m going to forget that I’m a gentleman.”
    The fear he saw flash across her face reaffirmed that she wasn’t ready. “Good night, Trent.”
    “Good night, Abby.”
    He waited until she closed the door behind her and flipped the lock before heading back to his truck. Resting his