Page 20 of To Steal a Heart
Arden dropped it back into her purse. “Nah! I don’t wanna talk on the phone right now.” She sat down on the couch and positioned herself a foot away from him—not too far away and not too close. “Okay, Casanova, let’s hear all about that long trail of broken hearts.”
He sat up straight and rested his hands in his lap. His expression shifted from playful to serious as he pulled in a long breath. “I met Chloe when she first came to work as a designer at my brother’s interior design firm.” A reminiscent smile curved his lips. “I fell for her the minute we bumped into each other.”
A dart of jealousy went through Arden. She didn’t like the idea of another woman capturing Crew’s heart.
“We started dating, and I thought all was good.” He paused, shadows deepening his eyes. “But then Chloe fell for my brother.” A pained smile pulled at his lips. “Now the two of them are married and have a child on the way.”
“Wow. I’m so sorry.” She crinkled her face, outrage kindling in her breast. “What kind of lame-brain guy steals his brother’s girlfriend?” Her mind swarmed with questions. “Is your brother older or younger?”
“Older.”
She couldn’t imagine ever stealing Charlie’s boyfriend. That would be lower than low. “Do you have other siblings?”
“Nope. It’s just me and Hank.”
She shook her head. “That’s rough.”
He shrugged. “In retrospect, I came on too aggressively.” He offered a wry grin. “When I see something I want, I go for it. Maybe if I’d held back … been more diplomatic …” He spread his hands. “At any rate, lesson learned. That’s why I held back when we first met.”
She nibbled on her lower lip, trying to decide if she wanted to divulge her feelings on the subject.
“What?” he asked with a quizzical expression.
Once she plunged in, there would be no going back. “I wouldn’t have been turned off if you’d come on strong.”
He looked surprised. “Really?”
“Really.” She let out a dry chuckle. “This may come as a shocker, but I’ve been accused of being too blunt a time or two.”
“You?” His eyes widened in mock surprise. “I never would’ve gathered that. Slugger,” he murmured.
The moment slowed as she got lost in the blissful blue of his eyes. Then, she caught herself, blinking out of the daze. She leaned forward and gave him a soft shove in the arm, noting the firmness of his muscles. He was lean and toned—the picture of athleticism. “I’ve never been one to beat around the bush. I see what I want, and I go for it. Sometimes, it backfires.”
He nodded in understanding, and she got the feeling that they were two of a kind.
“How are things between you and your brother now?”
He pressed his lips together in resolve. “Good. I’ve come to realize that Hank is much better for Chloe than I ever was.”
“Wow, that’s noble of you. What kind of person is your brother? Why in the world would Chloe ever choose anyone else over you?” The second she uttered the words, heat fanned her face. She needed to back off. It wasn’t smart to shower him with too much praise, or else he’d get a big head. Oh, who was she kidding? Crew knew he was all that. She could tell.
He rewarded her with a brilliant smile. “Thanks.”
“I’m serious. What was it about Hank that made Chloe choose him instead of you?” When she saw the tortured look on his face, she immediately apologized. “I’m sorry. I shouldn’t be asking such personal questions. It’s the writer in me, I’m afraid. I want to analyze everything to the nth degree.”
“I don’t mind personal questions.” He leaned towards her and lowered his voice. “As long as the door swings both ways.”
She gave him a coquettish smile. “I suppose that depends on what your questions are. I can tell you right now that any talk of my weight is strictly off limits.”
He laughed. “You’re good,” he drawled.
The compliment warmed her through and through. “I am, aren’t I?” she said sweetly, batting her eyelashes.
He gave her an appraising look. “Something tells me that I may have met my match.”
His words seemed to have some hidden meaning that she couldn’t quite grasp. The moment slowed as they locked gazes. “I suppose time will tell,” she quipped.
“Yes,” he agreed.