Back to Square One (Brandon Bay Babes) (34 page)

“Doesn’t mean I think what you did was right.
 
If you’re so in love with Kit, you shouldn’t be trying to pick up other girls at parties”

“If I saved myself for
her
, I’d be a twenty-seven year old virgin” he murmured under his breath.

Jasmine put her hand on his arm, “What did you say?”
 

He looked down at her hand; embarrassed to look her in the eye.
 
“What I mean is; that is to say” He shrugged and let it all out in a stream of words.
 
“
Aw
hell
, I’ve been in love with Kit Davidson my entire, pathetic life.
 
I’ve tried to forget her; even been engaged once; but it always comes back to
her
.” Barnaby raised his eyes and the pain in them was clearly evident.
 
He smiled a little sadly, trying to cover his tracks; but Jasmine knew how he felt –unrequited love sucked; she knew that from personal experience.

Continuing he added, “Hey, I’m not excusing my behaviour; but you can’t expect a guy to hope and wait his entire life to be noticed by the girl of his dreams.
 
It gets lonely being in limbo like that” Catching how serious he sounded, he joked, “I’m strong, but I’m only human.
 
In other words, I have
needs
”

Taking back her hand, Jasmine pondered what to say.
 
The guy in front of her was in serious trouble; she knew for a fact that he was about to get his heart damaged by Kit all over again.
 
He may rub her the wrong way in all the wrong places, but no-one deserved to suffer from a broken ticker; not even Barnaby Calder.
 
Was there any way to soften the blow?

“You still want to be friends Barnaby?” she asked grudgingly.

“Hey, you called me by my name” he said in surprise.

“Slip of the tongue” she answered glibly.
 
“They say you can never have too many of them”

“What,
tongues
?” he chuckled, trying to lighten the mood.

“No, friends” she shot back with an eye roll.

“I think that would be very nice Jasmine” he nodded.

“Okay, then that’s what we’ll be” Jasmine let out a long breath. “Now I have a shop to run and work to do, my
friend
.
 
So get the hell out!” she said suddenly.

“Charming as always” he laughed as he made his way to the door.
 
“I can already tell being friends with you will never be boring, that’s for sure”

“Take a hike
Slick
” She stuck her thumb towards the door.

“See you later,
Mouth
” he waved back, went out the door, passed her store window and ambled down the street.

COMING AUGUST 2013