Page 22 of His Surrender

“The one you can’t take your eyes off, jackass,” he said, his gaze suspicious. Then, he studied Remi closer. “Wait. Is that Mr. Barnett? I recognize him from the Christmas concert we went to for Foss.”

“Yeah, it’s him.” I took a drink of my beer and regretted not getting something stronger. Especially if Ivan wanted to have this conversation. “This is the bar I told you about before. The one he plays at sometimes. Hey, wipe that hateful look off your face. I didn’t bring us here because of him. Tonight is about us. I meant what I said. I’m not going to run off with some guy.”

“You can talk to him if you want to.”

“I don’t want to,” I said, catching Remi’s gaze from across the room. He sat at a barstool. Alone. “It isn’t like he wants to talk to me anyway.”

He’d made it crystal clear last time what he thought of me, even if there’d been a hunger in his eyes when he’d said it.

“Why?” Ivan drained some of his beer, looking more relaxed than I’d seen him in a while.

“He thinks I’m a playboy who just wants to add him to my list of conquests.”

“And do you?”

“Of course I do,” I answered. “I’ve wanted him for months. But I don’t think he’s into casual hookups. Since that’s allI’minto, it’s pretty much a deadlock.”

“Or maybe it’s time for you to settle down.” Ivan brought the bottle back up, taking a swig, his eyes on me. “You aren’t getting any younger. Don’t you want someone you can spend your life with?”

“I thought I had someone like that once. It turned to shit. I’m not doing it again.”

“That guy was a prick,” Ivan said. “He dragged you along for years, saying he was going to leave his wife for you, and instead he dropped your ass.”

“I’m not talkin’ about Andrew,” I snapped. “He’s in the past, and that’s where he’ll stay.”

“All I’m saying is… you can’t let that one bad experience ruin what could be something amazing, Jay. If you like Barnett, why not try?”

“Because it isn’t me,” I answered. “Can we drop it?”

“Sure.”

However, my damn brother got me thinking. What if Icouldhave something great with Remi? I barely knew the guy, but he countered my smart-assery with some of his own. He didn’t say what I wanted to hear like every other man trying to suck up to me. He was sexy as hell, talented, and—

No.I put an end to that line of thinking.

I would never open myself up again. I’d barely survived it the first time.

“Want another beer?” I asked, seeing Ivan’s empty bottle. “With some liquid courage, I bet you could totally take that pretty brunette home. She keeps looking over at you.”

Ivan grinned. “Yes to the beer. No to the girl.”

“Why?”

“If you don’t have to talk about your shit, I’m not talking about mine.”

“Fair enough” I said, standing up. Brent looked to be busy with a large group of older men, so I’d get our drinks myself. “Be right back.”

Remi was still sitting at the bar when I approached. When I came up beside him and leaned forward on the countertop to get the bartender’s attention, he slightly turned his head.

“Two beers,” I told her.

“You got it,” she said. “Let me just help this guy first, and then I’m all yours.”

Then, I was left alone with Remi. Neither of us spoke at first. I wanted to talk to him—god did I want to—but I kept my mouth shut. A true rarity for me.

“I take it you found someone to heal that pain in your heart,” Remi said, finally looking at me head-on.

“Pardon?”