Relationship With My Best Friends Brother

Chapter 22.

"Tristen..." I sigh, looking down at the table so I don't have to see the intense look in his eyes.

I want to say something along the lines of I'm sure you would be since you left me the first time, but I can't blame him. We weren't supposed to have feelings for each other so I can't be mad at him if he never knew how I felt.

"I know you're in love with him," he mumbles. "And I know he's in love with you, but I can't be okay with it."

My eyes dart straight up to his, as if I heard something that I didn't want to. The worst thing about it all? Is that I've wanted to hear those words since the day that he left. Now, it seems like he's only doing it because things with Janelle didn't work out and that hurts. I'm not sloppy freaking seconds here. I found someone that I can finally look at without thinking of you and you go and say things like that?

"Why?" I let out a breath, my heart racing a mile per minute. If he says what I think he will, I have no choice but to get out of here. I may have had a small crush on Tristen - maybe loved - a couple months ago, but I'm with Jackson now. No one can replace him even if he is a dick to me.

"I think you know why." He leans back in his chair, an intense look etched on to his face.

"Why say it now, then?" I raise my eyebrows. "Is it because I'm dating Jackson-"

He groans. "Of course not. I've always had feelings for you, Brit."

"That's why you cut our agreement for Janelle?" I can't help the slight hostility in my voice as I speak these words.

"I was scared!" He says in exasperation, his eyes wild. "If you haven't noticed, I never actually did the dating thing until Janelle, but I never loved her. She was just a good lay."

The last part of his statement has me swallowing hard. What if I'm just a good lay and that's all he wants? I remember how I specifically saved myself from Nathan because I was waiting for the day that Tristen would come back to me. I also remember the day that I said screw it and ended up sleeping with my best friends brother. He really did make me fall for him, but now I realize how truly foolish I was for thinking he could ever want me for anything besides my body. It says a lot to know that he only wanted Janelle for that reason.

I can't help, but think he may have actually had feelings for me, too. Maybe it wasn't anything close to the way I had felt about him, but what other reason would he leave me just to have another fuck buddy? Maybe because you weren't good enough. There's another reason.

"Brittni," he sighs. "I'm not asking for anything. I just wanted you to know that you meant more to me than you think. I thought I was doing you a favor by leaving, but instead you got with Nathan and now a friend of mine."

"Right, I'm sure you didn't know he was a friend of mine."

"Tristen Dunn? As in one of my best friends?"

"I didn't know you guys were that close at the time," I narrow my eyes, my embarrassment spiking when I think of Jackson's statements to Tristen being my first. I feel like everyone thinks it's a joke. My cheeks instantly get red.

"Brittni-"

"It's whatever," I grumble, pulling out my chair so I can get up. Tristen isn't far behind. "Thank you for the pizza and stuff, but I better get home. My mom must be wondering-"

"Don't give me that bullshit," he warns, grabbing on to my elbow. My eyes stay on his chest, not daring to look into those dark Iris's that bring back memories. Too many memories for my liking. "I know more about you that you think, Brit. Don't pull away from me."