"More Than Friends: Brad" - читать интересную книгу автора (Rochelle Marie)

Chapter Three

“Are you busy? I think we need to talk to each other about what happened last night at dinner.”

Brad debated if he should even acknowledge his brother or keep reading over the rental properties that Zack had given him a couple of weeks ago. He loved Lee, but he was tired of working with him. It was past time that he made his own mark with his own business.

He wasn’t the kid brother that Lee, Richard or Zack needed to take care of anymore. It was about time he proved it to himself and his brothers.

“What do we have to talk about?” Brad questioned as he looked up from the papers on his desk. “You hate the woman I’m in love with. How can we ever get past that? It’s like a pink elephant in the room.”

Coming into his office, Lee sat down in a chair. “I wouldn’t say that I hate Alicia, but she doesn’t treat you with any kind of respect. Why would you want to be around a woman like that?”

“How can you give me advice?” Brad demanded. “Didn’t you have one hell of a time getting Cherise to admit how she felt about you? I don’t ever remember telling you to give up on her.”

Lee glared at him before his laughter filled the room. “I guess I need to see and understand that you aren’t my baby brother anymore, but it’s going to be hard on me. I’ve taken care of you for so long that it’s going to be a hard habit to break.”

For a moment, Brad was too stunned to say a word to his brother. Why was Lee giving up so easily? It wasn’t like him at all. Lee usually dug his teeth in and didn’t give up without a hard fight.

“Okay, what’s up? Are you sick or something? I know you and you wouldn’t have thrown in the towel this quickly and especially when it comes to Alicia.”

Leaning back in the leather seat, Lee laced his fingers across his stomach and watched him with the steady stare he’d hated ever since he was a little kid.

“Cherise told me that if I didn’t stop pressuring you about Ms. Hart that I will drive a bigger wall between us. I don’t want that to happen. I might not act like it most of the time, but I do love you as much as I do Zack and Richard. I think I push them just as hard as I do you.”

“Don’t you understand that all of us are adults now? God, both Richard and Zack are fathers and you’re about to be one in a matter of months yourself. It’s past time you took a step back and enjoyed your life. Hell, you finally got Cherise to marry your ugly ass,” Brad teased.

“Yeah that’s true. When Traci told me I’d lost her and she was moving to Paris I almost lost my mind. I couldn’t let Simon have what I had been fighting for so long. I love Cherise so much and the babies are a wonderful bonus of our love for each other.

“So, I’m going to listen to her about Alicia. Honestly, I truly don’t know that much about Ms. Television Reporter. How about you set aside a time for all of us to do something together?

“It can’t be anything too stressful with Cherise being as far along as she is; however, I’m willingly to extend the olive branch for your girlfriend little brother.”

“Do you mean that despite the fact that Alicia isn’t my girlfriend yet?” Brad asked sliding forward in his seat. “Alicia wanted me to ask the family something, but she was afraid that you would shoot the idea down instantly.”

“What does she want?” Lee inquired in a low, composed voice which he knew usually meant trouble was on its way.

Brad knew it was now or never, so he jumped in feet first. “Alicia wants to interview us for a special her boss requested at the news station.”

“Hell…No!” Lee shouted as he jumped up. I’ve already told that Tiffany woman I don’t want the public meddling into our lives. Why does she care so much? If we were poor and married to black women, it wouldn’t be news worthy at all. Tell Ms. Hart and her hard-headed boss that the answer is still no.”

“You don’t speak for the rest of the family.”

Lee’s eyes darkened dangerously. “Yes, I do and I better not hear that you bothered Richard or Zack with this nonsense either. When are you going to grow up and stop fantasizing about this woman,” his brother tossed out before he got up from the chair and stormed out of his office.

Well, it seemed like the olive branch had broken before Alicia had a chance to even accept it from Lee, he thought.

Brad hated that Lee didn’t see the importance of this story, but he wasn’t going to let Lee’s piss ass attitude stop him. He was going to talk to his other brothers after work and get their opinions. If Lee didn’t want to participate then so be it.

Cherise moved around several times on the bed before she finally found a comfortable spot for a while. At least the babies had stopped kicking for the night and decided it was time for them to sleep. She wasn’t sure if she was ready for two miniatures versions of Lee in a couple of months. Her husband was bad enough sometimes but to have two sons that would be exactly like their daddy, it definitely was going to keep her busy.

She was reaching for the romance book next to her on the bed when Lee came storming into the bedroom looking madder than a bull in a pen slamming the door behind him.

“I can’t believe the nerve of my brother. I don’t know how I made it all day at work without yelling at him again,” Lee complained as he placed across the carpet in front of the bed.

“Bad day at work,” Cherise asked, watching as Lee practically ripped the dark purple tie from around his neck..

“I tried…I really did, but Brad just doesn’t want to listen to anything I want to tell him. I’m older and wiser. He should be glad that I want to give him my opinion.”

“Sweetheart, Brad might be the youngest but he’s still an adult and a grown man. He has a right now not to want you all up in his business and mainly his love life. I’ve talked to Alicia before and she didn’t come across that horrible to me. I think she’s a little guarded with her emotions and that’s it.”

Lee stopped his crazy pacing and looked at her. “Alicia is bad for Brad. Baby, I love you, but you don’t know what you’re talking about. Look how long it took you to come to your senses about me?”

“I’m going to let that comment pass because you’re upset about your day, but I’m warning you not to say it again.” Cherise waved a finger in her husband’s direction.

Coming over to her, Lee took a seat on the bed next to her. ‘Wait until I tell you what Alicia wants us to do and then you’ll agree with me.”

Cherise knew she wasn’t going to be able to relax with a good book anymore, so she gave her undivided attention to her husband. Lee wouldn’t be able to sleep tonight unless he got this problem off his chest and she didn’t need him tossing and turning in the bed next to her.

“I’m listening.”

“Brad knows how I feel about the media and their interest in my family. I’ve done everything in my power to keep them out. I hate doing interviews unless I really need to and it’s for a good cause.”

“Sure I have money, power and fame, but I’ve no need to put it out there for the public to judge me about. So, why in the hell do I want Alicia in my personal life? It’s not hers or anyone else’s business why I married you.”

Cherise couldn’t believe what she was hearing. Lee was actually upset that Alicia wanted to tell the world how they fell in love with each other. Was there another reason that he didn’t want the story done?

“Could you please move so I can get off the bed?’ Cherise touched Lee on the arm and waited while he got up. She noticed how he was watching her kind of strangely, but she didn’t care. Once she got off the bed, Cherise stood in front of her husband.

“Lee, I think a story about you and your brothers will be wonderful. I don’t understand why you’re so irate about this. Are you saying you don’t want the world to know that you fell in love with me?” she questioned.

Lee quickly pulled her into his arms and planted a kiss on her mouth. “Baby, I started planning our wedding the second day after I met you. Of course, I don’t mind telling the world I’m in love with my beautiful pregnant wife.”

Leaning back in hr husband’s arms, Cherise stared up into his handsome face. “I’m glad you knew it because I hated you the first day I saw you and even more the second day.”

“Did you really hate me?” Lee whispered against her neck. “You weren’t the tiniest bit turned on by me?” Moving his hand between their bodies, he rubbed it over her belly. “Are you telling me that you didn’t know that I’d be the father of your children?”

She couldn’t resist teasing her overly confident husband…sometimes he was just too arrogant for his own good.

“No, honestly I had my eye on Simon. That’s why I ran off to Paris with him. There’s no telling what might of happened if you hadn’t come after me.”

Placing a finger under her chin, Lee lifted her chin until her eyes connected with his. “You never would have done anything with Simon because you were in love with me. Plus if he had laid a hand on you I would have tossed his ass off that balcony,” he growled.

“Why would you have done that?”

“Because I love you and I wouldn’t have let anything or anyone stand in my way of my feelings for you.”

“Why can’t you see that’s how Brad feels about Alicia?” Cherise asked Lee. “You can’t live his life for him. Do you truly think he would have asked you to do this interview if he thought Alicia would do a hatchet job on his family?”

His eyes clung to hers, analyzing her reaction. It was going to be hard for Lee to admit that he was wrong, but he would be man enough to do it.

“Do you know how much I hate it when you’re right?” Lee moved her finger off her face and then took a step back. “I can’t make Richard and Zack not do the interview.”

“Does that mean you’re agreeing to do it?”

“Yeah, if my other brothers say yes, then I won’t say no.”

Cherise stood on her tiptoes and gave him a quick kiss. “I’m proud of you and so are your boys.”

“I’m glad you’re proud because that means you’ll give me something I want,” Lee said, smiling at her.

Lord, she could only guess what her sexy husband wanted.

“What can I give you?”

“Right at this second I’ll settle for a kiss from my gorgeous wife and then I’ll pick something better later,” Lee told her with a certain look in his eyes.

“I bet I already know what it will be,” Cherise said as her husband lowered his head for a kiss.

“What’s your guess?”

“Crab puffs,” Cherise moaned “I think you love those darn things more than me.”

Lee’s face lit up right before he pulled her closer to him. “They do come a very close second,” he admitted and then kissed her.