Beautifully Stolen - Charity Parkerson Page 0,3

Brett stood waiting. Unlike usual, he wasn’t boldly dressed. Instead of the wild makeup and even wilder colors he came to expect from Brett, Brett wore jeans and a t-shirt. His hair was still a stylish mess, but the rest of him was subdued.

Roman had never possessed an ounce of chill. Happiness roared through him at the sight of Brett. Without thought, he lifted Brett off his feet in a bear hug. “It’s so good to see you. I didn’t really think you’d come.”

“You cut off all your hair,” Brett calmly repeated like Roman didn’t have him squashed against his chest and dangling a foot off the ground.

Roman set Brett back on his feet. “Yeah. I’ve been wanting to do it for a while. This wedding gave me the perfect excuse. Now I can look like someone who belongs at your side.”

Brett’s forehead furrowed. His expression screamed annoyance. “You’ve always looked that way. You shouldn’t care what other people think. People are dumb.”

He found Brett delightful. Brett was too serious and fucking adorable. “You’re incredibly sexy when you’re scowling at me. Obviously, I think you’re gorgeous all the time, but you’re especially irresistible when you’re irritated with me.”

Brett’s expression cleared. He shook his head. “I always forget how completely ridiculous you are.”

Roman couldn’t stop smiling. “It’s mind-boggling. I know.”

Brett released a heavy sigh. “Are you ready to get out of here? This place is fucking packed.”

“Ready to rush me to bed already, are you? Let’s go, then.”

For a moment, Brett’s eyes fell closed—like Roman made him tired. Roman’s smile grew. Brett needed someone under his skin. Roman truly believed, if Brett was honest with himself, he would admit that was the real reason he had asked Roman to join him this weekend. After all, there was no way Brett didn’t have a thousand men in California lined up to date him. Yet, he had called Roman. He had called the right person. Roman leaned in and kissed Brett. It was a quick brush of lips on lips. Just enough to get Brett’s attention.

Brett’s eyebrows shot to his hairline. “What the fuck was that?”

“My first kiss. You still owe me two more. I promise I’ll make those better. But we’re in public, you know?”

The scowl was back. “You said if I asked you properly, then you would do this weekend for free.”

Roman nodded. “And I am. You’re not paying me. But you also said I could still stay with you and all that. My three kisses fall under the ‘all that’ umbrella.”

Brett rolled his eyes and turned away.

Roman followed on his heels, smiling like an idiot. He couldn’t wait to have Brett alone. Brett led him to a waiting Aston Martin DBS Superleggera. It was red. It was beautiful, and Roman imagined it was also fast and expensive. He tried to temper his reaction. After all, Roman’s best friend had married an extremely rich man. It wasn’t like he had never been exposed to ridiculous wealth. In truth, he didn’t like thinking about how far out of his league Brett seemed to be. That detail was hard to ignore while climbing into the passenger side of a car worth more than he made in a year.

“If you’re interested, we’ll run by the house so you can drop off your stuff and do whatever, then I’ll take you to dinner.”

“Sounds good.” Roman couldn’t believe how nonchalant he sounded. In truth, he couldn’t wait to be underneath Brett’s roof. Being in his house meant being close to his bed, and that was where Roman fully intended to be by the end of this trip. Brett obviously had no idea how to handle Roman. Roman knew why. Brett had never met anyone as relentless as him once Roman had his mind set. Since the first time he met Brett, Roman’s mind had been completely locked on owning him. This weekend was his chance. Roman wouldn’t fail. Brett was already taken. He just didn’t know it yet.

Now that Roman was here, Brett’s nerves were frayed. He never got nervous. Brett had no clue what it was about Roman that got to him so much. As he led Roman into his assigned bedroom, Brett couldn’t shake the definite flutter in his stomach. They were feet from a king-sized bed. Brett couldn’t deny he wanted to jump right into it.

Brett motioned around the room as he turned to face Roman. “Here you go. The bathroom is through there.” He pointed toward the open bathroom door. “If you