I refuse to acknowledge the amused smirk that is still plastered on Dustyn's face. I let my eyes wander around the room, never once straying a look his way. I won't let myself be weakened by those eyes of his. But even the awkwardness I am showing could not stop Eros and his mouth.

"Did you two have sex?" He asked as casually as he placed a freshly made plate of pancakes on the table. He sits on the other side of the table, across from us. "Dustyn has a smirk on his face. And you, you haven't looked at him. Not even once" He points out as if to prove his point.

Dustyn lets out a laugh before masking it with a cough. I couldn't help but roll my eyes. He's so amused it's sickening. He's having fun teasing me about what happened in the bathroom this morning. Even as I think of it, I can feel the embarrassment worsen. "Something better Eros."

Eros stared at us. His eyes wander on Dustyn and I's faces, looking for a clue that might give us away. His sharp eyes widened as if he found what he was looking for. "Did you give him a head?!" He asked, sounding almost like a kid excited for a new toy. "Did you?!"

I glared at him. I could kill him right now and I doubt anyone would care. It's like his mouth has no filter. He says whatever comes to his weird head. "No. Why would you even think that?" I asked, horrified at his dirty mind.

He shrugged his shoulders. "You're blushing like crazy, Tamara. It's a dead give-away."

As if on cue, my hands went to my cheeks as if to cover the undeniable redness that has stayed there since seeing that. "I didn't do anything sexual with him." I said my voice hard. I didn't like the words that were coming out of his mouth. It was starting to irritate me and my mood isn't making anything better.

"Well, if you won't tell me, I'll keep thinking that you two did the dirty." He said with an arrogant smile before shoving a piece of pancake in his mouth. I rolled my eyes at him and decided to eat my breakfast too. Completely ignoring both men.

No.

We did not have sex.

Let me explain.

When I woke up this morning, Dustyn's side was empty. I let my hand touch his side of the bed, it was cold. So, I thought he must've gone to see Eros or have already gone down to the kitchen. I was still pretty out of it. Without much thought, I entered the bathroom. My eyes half closed, barely aware of my surroundings, until I popped one eye open. I almost fell from my sitting position on the toilet as Dustyn's naked butt came into view.

Sitting on the toilet, I stared shamelessly at the naked back of Dustyn who seemed too engrossed in showering to notice my presence in the room.

His back is to me. I will myself to look away, to move my eyes and look anywhere but at his back. Yet I couldn't summon the courage to look away from his gorgeous body. His muscles are not ripped but they're definitely defined. His back flexes as he washes his hair under the spray of the shower.

Seeing a man's naked back this close, is new to me. Yes, Alec would walk in our suite with only his sleeping pants on, but he's my brother. I never felt like this with him. With Dustyn, my heart raced. My mind went blank. It was like all I was interested in was his naked back. I convinced myself that I was doing something he didn't ever need to know. After all, I'm just staring at his back. Maybe staring at his back and naked butt isn't so bad, right?

Wrong.

Not even a minute later, Dustyn turned around.

His thing in my line of vision as the glass that separates the toilet from the shower is clear. See through, no privacy or anything. Wide eyed, my jaw dropped. I couldn't say anything. I just stared and stared and stared some more.

"Wanna keep staring?" His teasing voice snapped me out of my staring and I covered my eyes. I could hear his laugh at my reaction. "You were staring for quite some time, shortcake. That's naughty."

I felt my cheeks burn from the embarrassment of being caught. "Shut up!" I shouted at him. "Turn around!" I commanded him, my hands still covering my tightly closed eyes.

It was embarrassing to know that I actually liked what I saw. But even more so now, that he has caught me doing so. Almost like getting caught with my hand inside the cookie jar. Seeking a treat that wasn't offered to me.

"I think I can have a peek too. It's only fair." Dustyn said, his voice still teasing me.

Why did I have to get caught?

I could have gotten away with the staring had I exited right after I saw his naked butt. Now I had the image of his thing in my head. I doubt I would ever forget that. I doubt that he would let me forget about this day.

"Dustyn!" I said, mortified at his words. He won't ever ever let me forget this.

"Okay. Okay."

Peeking on one eye, I saw his back was to me once again. Only difference, he now has a towel wrapped around his waist. Not wasting any precious second, I finished my business and went out of the bathroom with flushed cheeks. I closed the door with a loud bang, not caring about the loud noise it made; I was too embarrassed to care about it at this point.

After that, I ignored Dustyn.

After our peaceful but highly uncomfortable breakfast, Eros was ready to give us a tour of his beautiful plantation. Before heading out, I changed into something fresher. A pair of shorts and a loose shirt paired with red sneakers. I sling the camera, which was the one Dy gave me before he went to college, around my neck and headed back out.

Dustyn smiled at me. This time sincere and appreciative as his eyes looked me up and down. "Beautiful as always, shortcake." He said, making me smile shyly at him. He held his hand out for me and without another thought, I accepted it. His hand squeezes mine gently, like he was saying sorry for how he acted earlier. I couldn't help but smile.

"Are you guys ready to see some flowers?" Eros asked with a smile on his face. Not just any smile, this one is genuine. I don't think I have ever seen him smile like that. He usually smirks and grins at people. This place must hold a special peace in his heart if he smiles like that just by talking about it. "Ready, bride-to-be?"

I smiled excitedly at him and showed him my camera. "Definitely."

My jaw dropped at the sight of thousands of endless rows of different kinds of roses. It was a sight to see. They seem to dance along with the wind. Different colours blend to be a beautiful, jaw dropping scenery.

"This is mostly the roses. We can grow them all year round. We have controlled temperature rooms for the other flowers, but mostly, tulips have the biggest shed." Eros explains as we walk on the pathway placed in between rows. "Roses are good for weddings. They're popular and inexpensive."

"You sound like an actual business man, it's creeping me out." I told him honestly.

He lets out a chuckle. "I love flowers."

"Shortcake, Eros is in love with them. I remember back in our college days, he always just knew what the ladies liked." Dustyn said as Eros guided us to walk deeper into the sea of roses.

"You don't mind if I take pictures, do you?" I asked Eros as the itch to capture the moment gets to me. I usually use my phone, but today, I brought this old DSLR just for this occasion. Whenever I go out of town or visit a place for the first time, I document them on this device. It gives me a sense of happiness to know that I could always go back to these moments. Feel what I felt the moment the picture was taken. My brain could only hold so much with all the things that are happening every single day.

He looks back at me from his shoulder. "Sure. Have fun." He said and smiled before facing the front again. Well, I could get used to a smiling Eros if he does that all day. I guess the place brings out the best in him.

The place is almost surreal. The sound of the wind and the chirping of the birds, the buzzing of a few bees in the place makes it more attuned to nature. I could barely hear an engine in the place. Only sounds that teases your ears, making you want to explore the vast property more.

The place is thriving in colors of all kinds. A feast for my eyes as I let my eyes wander around the visible parts. It's a beautiful combination of pinks, reds, greens, and purple - name it and I could probably find them in here.

The wind blows, taking the smell of flowers closer to my nose. I couldn't describe the pleasant smell that made me inhale once again. It's floral but with a tinge of different scents, every flower has its own scent that I know. But combined as one in this place, they make the most heavenly scents I have ever smelled.

Without another word, I took pictures.

Eros points out flowers that would be good for a wedding. I think he pointed out over a hundred of them but the only thing I remembered are roses, lilacs and tulips. The others sound so foreign to me, they completely slipped my mind.

As we enter a huge enclosed place, Eros explains that they mostly plant white tulips here. Occasionally pink ones but most of their variety are in Amsterdam, in a property that he recently acquired. He offered to take us and I quickly agreed. I don't care if it's before or after the wedding. I want to see the beautiful sight of a field filled with different colored tulips.

The place is truly a paradise for people like Eros who love flowers.

"So, find anything you like?" Eros suddenly asked as he led us through another area filled with flowers, none of which I know the name of. "You've been taking an awfully lot of pictures with that old thing."

I grinned up at him, and raised my camera to him. "Dustyn gave it to me before he left for university."

He nods his head in understanding before turning his head to Dustyn. "I see you've had that since then."

I looked at both of them. I can see irritation starting to cover Dustyn's face as he looks at his friend. Whatever Eros is pointing at, Dustyn was not happy with the words leaving his mouth at the moment. "Do you ever stop pointing things out?"

He grins at Dustyn. "Nope! I will keep spouting these little secrets you have over your...." He holds his words and takes a glance at me before shutting up completely.

"So.." I said, just to break the staring match they were currently having. "How long will it take to get the flowers? Is there a limit on how many we can order?"

"It'll take a day or two before we can ship out the flowers. What time is the wedding going to be?" He asked his stance full on business mode. Completely forgetting the silent match he was having with his close friend. Can I just say how weird it looks to see Eros this serious and genuine?

"Haven't decided on that yet." Dustyn said, his arm going around my waist once again. "I don't care about the time as long as I have my beautiful bride there."

I think my heart just fell to the ground at his words. It was sincere and definitely heartfelt. I couldn't help but take a glance at him only to find him already looking down at me with a soft smile on his lips. Quickly, I looked away. Embarrassed at how much his words affect me now.

"I hate you guys!" Eros whined, completely making me aware of his existence once again. He looks at us with disdain. "Stop making her go red, for fuck's sake Dy."

Dustyn laughs loudly, his head leaning against mine. "I told you, I'll help you find her but you wouldn't accept that."

"Shut up! I told you I already l asked that stupid Alec Ramirez for help. That stupid stalker."

"You got problems with Al?" I asked.

"Yes! He's a fucking stalker. Stalking Aurora till Greece. Huh! As if." He said, crossing his arms on top of his chest while still looking like a kid who got his candy stolen. As childish as he looks, I couldn't help but notice the hatred he has for Alec. It's deep and overflowing.

"I was going to offer my own connections." Dustyn laughs at his friend even louder than he first did. "Also, Alec and Aurora are none of your business."

Looking at both of them, I feel completely lost and confused. I know that Eros knows my brother from way back, because of their reactions to each other last time. However, I never got to asking how he knew Eros since I assumed it was through Dustyn. But hearing him say Rory's name makes me wonder if my assumptions about their knowledge of each other seemed true.

Dustyn found me staring at him again and he softly pinched me on my waist. "I'll explain later, shortcake." He said to me which made my heart go crazy again.

Shortcake..

It was a nickname he coined for me when I was a little girl. I was - still am - short and I loved cakes a lot. I guess that where he got it from but I never thought it would make my heart race a thousand times faster. I never thought it would make me shy of looking at those familiar eyes I looked up to for a long time, as a kid.

My childhood memory is filled with Dustyn and Alec. Our own little group. It was my comfort, the only thing that I wanted and needed to remember once the days got darker for me. It was those times that made me pull through on one of the worst moments I could have ever experienced in this life.

I always knew I would grow old and still have those two by my side. But I never, not even once, have imagined that it would be with Dustyn as my husband. Yes, he was always there. But to me, he just felt like another doting brother who protects and cares for me the way Alec does.

Husband.. That has a nice ring to it. Dustyn will be my husband in a few months.