Brandon: The Wilde Brothers (Excerpt Only) - BWWM Billionaire Romance

Brandon: The Wilde Brothers (Chapter 5)

CHAPTER FIVE

Brandon felt the wind get knocked out of him as Stanley proposed. When it came back, and he felt himself breathing again, the air was tainted with offense and disgust.

He watched in horror as Erica accepted the flimsy proposal and felt bile rise in him at the sight of their mutual joy.

He couldn't believe his eyes. He even blinked them a few times and wriggled his toes to make sure he hadn't drifted off into some strange daydream.

This can't be happening. Not his Erica. Not to this guy.

What kind of ring was that anyway? What a tiny little joke.

He wondered if Stanley was packing like the ring and if Erica was satisfied.

Why are you thinking that? She's like a sister to you, for Christ's sake!

But by now he knew that he was lying to himself. He wanted Erica in the biblical sense; he pulsated with a need for carnal knowledge of her. He wanted to touch all parts of her body and run his tongue down her smooth skin. He wanted to ram it down her throat. He wanted to put his mouth over her nipples, dip his fingers between her legs and tease her with all of his tips—his fingertips, the tip of his tongue, the head of his...

"Brandon?" he heard as if from far away. Then he realized that Jennifer had squeezed his thigh, breaking the bubble of the sexualized violence swelling in him.

He turned to smile at her briefly.

"So," he said, looking back at Erica. "Any idea of a date?"

Erica shook her lovely head, her eyes sparkling. He hated how happy she looked.

"No idea whatsoever. What do you think, babe?" she said, looking at Stanley.

Brandon bristled at the word and even more at the way they looked at each other.

Stanley shrugged. "All up to you."

Her smile widened.

Brandon forced himself to smile too. "Champagne is obviously in order," he said, getting a server's attention. "And how about another treat from the dessert menu? Come on, Erica, you know how much you like chocolate cake."

Erica shook her head. "Thank you, but I've grown past that."

Brandon felt personally insulted, however irrational. Besides, who the hell grows past chocolate cake? What a silly thing to say.

He glanced at Jennifer and noticed her looking ridiculously happy for the couple. What was up with that? She didn't know any of them like that to be so delirious with joy. Was she drunk?

"You take care of her," he said to Stanley, despite feeling dried up, surprised the words even managed to make it out of his suddenly parched mouth.

Stanley locked eyes with him and said, "I will."

Brandon wondered if he was seeing things or if there was a flash of a challenge or warning in his eyes and tone. Some sort of assault anyway.

To make things worse, Erica was barely even looking at him; she only glanced between that flimsy ring and Stanley.

* * *

"Oh, I'm so happy for them. I know I don't know them that well, but how can you not be happy for a couple like that so obviously in love? They make such a cute couple too, don't they? I mean they look good together, they complement each other, they have so many things in common—both being in the movie industry and all. Even the things they don't have in common work for them. God, did you see the way he looks at her? Every woman wants to be looked at like that. Don't you think your friend found herself a good man?"