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He ignored the incredulous look she sent him. He knew how to be nice.
Sometimes.
The door to the house opened as Xavier got out of his car. His shoulders tightened, but he’d known that he would be the first obstacle to go through. Reaching back, he drew out the bunch of flowers he’d brought with him.
White tulips.
Juliet’s favorite.
Walking up the stairs to the front door, he felt ridiculously nervous. He eyed the big man waiting for him warily.
“I come in peace,” he joked. Xavier got along with everyone. He was good at his job, a law-abiding citizen, he never even jay-walked.
But damned if he didn’t fantasize, just a little, about running this bruiser over with his car. Okay, it was wrong. On so many levels. And it wasn’t his fault that Xavier hadn’t realized he had feelings for his girl until it was too late.
But yeah, his life would be happier without this guy in it. But would Juliet’s?
Suck it up, buttercup.
He stopped as the guy didn’t move from the doorway. He waited for him to tell him to piss off. Although why he’d let him through the gate to do that he had no idea.
“Hey,” the bruiser said.
“Hey,” Xavier replied. “I didn’t make the best impression last time I was here, but, uh, I’m Xavier.” He held out his hand and waited to see if the other man would reject him.
Instead, he took his hand and shook it firmly. “Brenton Sampson, but everyone calls me Brick.”
Xavier could see why.
Brick nodded at the flowers. “Those for me?”
“Actually, this is for you.” He held out the whiskey in his other hand.
Brick glanced down at it, his eyes widening. “Don’t drink much whiskey, but this looks like good stuff.”
“It is.” Cost a bomb. But it was nothing he wouldn’t pay a hundred times over to make things right between him and Juliet.
Brick took the whiskey.
“Listen, I was an ass the other day,” Xavier said with a grimace. “I didn’t know there was a threat. I was an ass. I was worried about Juliet. She’s important to me. And you two haven’t known each other long.”
He’d expected Brick to fire up. But he just nodded. “I get it. You’re protecting your friend.”
He nearly winced over that word. But that’s what they were.
“And from what I’ve seen, she inspires a lot of loyalty and protectiveness.”
“She does,” Xavier agreed. “She’s special.”
“I know.”
To his credit, the big guy didn’t make him grovel any further. Instead he stepped aside to let him in, shutting the door behind him.
They faced each other for a long moment.
“If you hurt her, I’ll kill you,” Xavier warned.
Fuck. He hadn’t meant to blurt that out like that. He waited for him to retaliate. To his shock, Brick just nodded.
