He swore that the room got so quiet that he could even hear the ticking of the big clock on the wall. He hated that clock. An interior decorator had installed it. He’d be trashing it come dawn.

The minutes stretched by.

She wasn’t going to say anything. And the ice cream was melting on the bar. He grabbed it, shoved it back into the freezer—

“This is the second time you mentioned that I was Ben’s first.”

He slammed the freezer shut. That had been his biggest damn problem. He’d heard Ben make that confession two months after Eric had kissed Piper. Two freaking months.

“I think you’re confused.”

He looked at her. Her hands were twisted in front of her.

“I’ve never slept with Ben. He’s my best friend. Sleeping with him would just screw things up. Not make anything better. I value what I have with him too much to lose it for sex.”

Holy fuck. Holy ever-loving… “Your voice didn’t crack.”

She frowned at him.

Shock rolled through his body. “You haven’t slept with my brother?”

“No, I have not slept with Ben.”

The drumming of his heartbeat quickened. “You’ve stayed at his house. He said that shit tonight. I know—”

“On his couch, when we’d been out drinking because I didn’t want to drive home. I crashed at his place during college, too. He crashed at mine. It just became a habit after a while. It’s what happens between friends.”

He was going to kill Ben. “I heard him say…he damn well said you’d been his first.”

Her lips pressed together, and her eyelids flickered. “I don’t know when you heard him say that or who he was talking to, but I am telling you right here and now that I have never slept with Ben. Believe me or not, it’s your choice.”

Eric’s breath burned in his lungs. He’d stayed away from her for years, been tormented by the idea of them together and there was—

No reason. No reason at all to hold back.

“For the record, I’m not sleeping with anyone right now. I’m not involved with anyone,” she added, blushing a little.

“Neither am I.” He took a step toward her.

She didn’t back up.

“I’m not your best friend, Piper.” His voice was gravel rough. Too hard and rumbling but he couldn’t help that. “You don’t have to worry about screwing up a friendship with me.”

Her lips twitched. “I guess there is that…bonus?”

“I want you.”

Her gaze drifted down his chest.

“You’re not telling me to fuck off.” He kept advancing on her. The dream he’d had forever—right in front of him. “You’re not hauling ass out of this kitchen.”

“No.”