Page 33 of Christmas with Brother's Best Friends

“Definitely jealous,” Ryan agrees.

I wave my hand at them, motioning for them to shut up. I know that Stacy is a handful, but this opportunity can be big for us. We don’t need to bite the hand that feeds us too hard.

Emma fixes her hair and shrugs. “It’s fine. I look forward to going and meeting people, even if I don’t quite fit in. It’ll be a good experience for me.”

The determination on her face suits her so damn well. She doesn’t seem fazed at all by Stacy’s rude remarks. In fact, she seems eager to go.

“It’ll be fun. We’ll make it fun,” I say as I nod to Ryan and Max, who typically hate events like these.

“It’ll be fine,” Ryan agrees.

Max nods quietly before getting back to work.

Emma offers me a small smile. “I just need to find a nice dress to wear. If I’m hanging on your arm, I want to look good.”

I click my tongue at her as I grin down at her. “You always look good. I’m about to make a bunch of poor guys jealous showing up with you.”

Emma rolls her eyes playfully, the tense air lightening. She matches my energy so well, able to turn a not-so-great situation into a boost of motivation. She even got the others to stop bitching as much about having to go.

And something in me twists.

It’s too easy to picture it—walking into that gala with her on my arm, her smile lighting up the damn room, and every guy there wishing they were in my place. But what happens when they realize I’m notactuallyin that place? When I can’t even touch her the way I want to? Can’t kiss her? Can’t claim her?

“Don’t fall for her,” I mutter under my breath.

But even as I say it, I know I already have.

She’s only been here a few weeks, and she’s already made a difference. Not just on our platform. But on us.

Ryan actually smiles and laughs so hard that he can’t breathe from time to time. Max doesn’t eat and sleep work as much as he used to. And I haven’t felt feelings as strong as this… ever.

Stacy made me wary about getting into another relationship and opening myself up in that way, but Emma makes it seem so promising. So right.

I just wish that Ethan and Andrew weren’t her brothers. I wish that I wasn’t kind of her boss right now.

Things are so damn complicated, and if I follow my heart like everyone says a person should, I’m afraid it’ll lead to nothing but heartbreak.

And not just for me.

As I watch the other guys with her, I think that there are more feelings involved than just mine and hers, and that raises the stakes astronomically higher.

Chapter sixteen

Chapter Sixteen: Emma

New York City’s most successful, elite businessmen and women fill the Melora Ballroom, stroking their own egos over expensive champagne and hard to pronounce tiny appetizers.

This is definitely not my scene, even with all the fancy Christmas decorations, but after Stacy tried to downplay me in front of the guys, I was determined to show up with a smile on my face and my nicest dress on. It certainly doesn’t hurt that I’m surrounded by three handsome men who are successful in their own right.

“I think I need a drink,” I admit as the guys lead me through the busy ballroom, the sound of smooth jazz floating through the air over the buzz of conversations.

“Me too. What the hell, Josh? Do you actually like stuff like this?” Ryan mutters as he adjusts the black tie around his neck, looking like he’s about to crawl out of his skin.

“I prefer more casual events than this,” Josh replies as he takes the lead, guiding us to one of the servers walking around with a tray full of glasses of champagne. He takes a few off, handing them around the group. “Just have something to drink and tell people how great our company is. That’s the whole point.”

“An evening for narcissists,” Max says as he lifts his glass. “Here’s to us making it out alive.”

I can’t help but laugh as I clink my glass against theirs. “You guys are being a little dramatic.”