Ruined By My Brother's Best Friend (by Silverwriter) novel Chapter 54

Ruined By My Brother’s Best Friend

In My Space

gretted the words the moment they slipped past my lips.

Alvise lowered his gaze to my hand wrapped around his wrist, then slowly looked back up at me, his expression unreadable.

I snatched my hand away and cleared my throat, unsure what to do in such an awkward situation.

“It’s just that… it’s raining pretty hard, so…” I cleared my throat again and took a step back. “You don’t have to come if you don’t want to.”

He glanced outside at the pouring rain before stepping into the elevator, almost hesitantly.

Too stunned to move, I watched him, trying to figure out what he was thinking.

He gave me a blank look, his eyes narrowing as he watched me before tilting his head almost mechanically. “Get in.”/

I complied, my legs unsteady as I stepped back into the elevator, which suddenly felt impossibly smaller, my hand almost brushing against his.

The thought made me flinch, so I pressed myself into the corner to avoid any physical contact.

Alvise glanced back. “What are you doing?”

“Nothing,” I said, forcing a smile.

He didn’t return it. His jaw hardened, but he turned away without another word. I swallowed, unsure of what to say and eager to ease the mounting tension, I cleared my throat again. “How cold is Russia?”

The silence stretched before he finally replied. “Cold.”

Okay… that was a very detailed answer, I guess. I swallowed, watching his back before biting my bottom lip. “Do you think the weather in London is better than Russia’s?”

He turned his head, his eyes meeting mine briefly. “Debatable.”

I groaned in frustration. “Wow, this conversation is flowing so well.” I rolled my eyes. “You’re very chatty.”

“Thank you,” he said, his eyes boring into mine.

The chill suddenly faded, the weight of his gaze settling over me like a coat.

I looked away first. “I was being sarcastic,” I mumbled.

“I’m aware,” he said dryly.

The elevator doors slid open, and he stepped out, leaving me standing there with a fuzzy mind.

I shook my head, embarrassed by my sudden robotic behavior, then,hurried after him. He stopped in front of my apartment door before turning to look at me.

“Oh.” I gasped, opening my purse and rummaging through it for my keys. When I finally found them, I struggled to unlock the door, my fingers trembling as I tried to fit the key into the keyhole.

I cursed under my breath and closed my eyes in embarrassment. There was honestly something wrong with me. Either that, or the universe had chosen today to punish me.

Strong, calloused fingers brushed over mine, making my eyes snap open as I watched him guide my hand, effortlessly

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IRS Wed, Sepy McL

Ruined By My Brother’s Best Friend

turning the key with his palm resting lightly against mine.

Boon as the door clicked open, he stepped back.

I regretted my little display of brain fog because the moment I pushed the door open and stepped inside, he spoke from behind me.

“Haven’t met a homeowner who forgot how to unlock their own door.”

I turned to look at him and bit my lip. “The keys are wet,” I lied.

“Sure,” he said, though his eyes made it clear he didn’t believe me.

I glanced down at the very dry keys in my hand before closing my eyes, basking in my moment of shame. I needed to get it together. It wasn’t a big deal. It wasn’t the first time he’d been inside my apartment.

Just the first time I’d invited him in. Yeah… No big deal.

I opened my eyes to find him still watching me. “You’re not getting that wet suit anywhere near my couth,” I blurted, my gaze traveling up and down his body.

One corner of his lips tipped upward, though there wasn’t a trace of amusement in his eyes. “If you’re asking me to strip down for you, I’ll have to decline.”

Heat rushed to my cheeks, and I quickly turned away to hide it. “You… that’s not what I meant!”

“If you say so,” he replied, his tone lazy.

I turned back to glare at him, only to find him slipping off his shoes and setting them neatly by the door. Completely at ease. he took his time shrugging off his suit jacket before removing his wristwatch and cufflinks.

I swallowed. The way his shirt clung to his toned frame was a little too distracting, and desperate to save myself from the torture, I turned my attention to my heels, undoing the straps before slipping them off.

Moving past him, I placed them beside his shoes before heading to the guest bedroom.

Archie had stayed over a few times before, so he still had some clothes at my apartment. Though Alvise was taller than Archie and a little broader, I managed to find a white hoodie and a pair of sweatpants that might fit him.

I laid them on the bed before quickly looking around the room to make sure everything was tidy. I was nervous Terribly

nervous.

Satisfied with how the room looked, I headed back to the living room and found him in the middle of a phone call. He muttered a few words, but I couldn’t understand them.

My eyes widened as I stepped closer. He was speaking Russian, but before I could hear him say anything else, he caught sight of me and ended the call.

I cleared my throat. “The guest room is on the left,” I said, pointing in that direction. “There are some of Archie’s clothes in the closet, and I’ve set aside the ones I think might fit.” My eyes drifted over him. “But if they don’t, you can look for something that does. There are fresh towels in there too.”

He said nothing. He simply nodded before lowering his gaze back to his phone.

I stood there, watching his wet lashes flutter as he blinked, strands of damp hair falling across his forehead. I couldn’t believe

he was here.

Alvise glanced up, his blue eyes piercing into mine before tilting his head slightly. “You stare a lot.”