He watched her walk away from him, as she’d left him so many times. Usually after he made some dumbass remark to her. Only this time, he couldn’t stay silent as she left him. “You think I like being desperate for my brother’s lover?”

Her shoulders stiffened.

“You think that’s a line I want to cross? You think I haven’t tried to stay the hell away from you for years?”

She peeked over her shoulder at him. Her expression was shocked then, in a blink, guarded. Totally guarded. Piper was never guarded. She wore her emotions on her sleeve.

You started this thing. Don’t stop now. Eric sucked in a breath. “What do you think I’ve been doing all this time? You and Ben—you’ve been inseparable since the first grade.”

“Pre-K.”

Dammit! He tried to find the right words. “I get that you were his first.”

Her eyes widened.

“And I waited. I backed the hell off. Time passed, and I didn’t do anything. Every time you came near me, I’d want you again, but I didn’t say a word. The two of you—I kept thinking one of these days, one of these freaking days, I’ll get the phone call telling me that you and Ben are getting married. I knew that when the call came, I’d have to drag my ass over to you. Have to smile and act like I was thrilled for you both. When the truth of the matter is…”

She turned toward him, facing him fully. Wearing his shirt and looking so sexy that she made him ache. “The truth?”

“The truth is that the day Ben puts a ring on your finger, I might very well knock his ass out.”

She looked down at her left hand. Wiggled her fingers. “There’s no ring here.” Her hair slid over her cheek as she peered back at him. “But you thought that is what happened tonight, didn’t you? You said that, back at my place.”

Eric gave a jerky nod.

“And you still came over…to knock out Ben?”

He didn’t know what the hell he’d planned to do at her place. Keep his mouth shut? Congratulate his brother? But when he’d gotten there… “You weren’t engaged. The two of you were still doing your dance.”

She shook her head.

“I get that he was your first lover, but first doesn’t give him forever.” His fingers flexed and clenched at his sides. “And I’ve decided that I’ve waited long enough. Ben will fucking hate me, but I am tired of holding back. If there is a chance that you want me, I want to take that chance.” I want to take you.

There. He’d done it. Burned every bridge that he had.

And Piper just…stared at him.