Total pages in book: 14
Estimated words: 13963 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 70(@200wpm)___ 56(@250wpm)___ 47(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 13963 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 70(@200wpm)___ 56(@250wpm)___ 47(@300wpm)
Maybe we didn’t have sex, but it had come damn close. His thick length had rubbed against me in the most intimate way, making me a hot and needy mess. I’ve never experienced anything like it before.
How am I supposed to pretend it never happened?
Is that even possible?
And it all started because the guy caught me masturbating.
While sleeping next to him.
Heat scalds my cheeks at the memory.
Instead of plowing my way through homework, which had been my intention when I’d set up camp on the couch in the coffee shop, I can’t stop dwelling on last night.
A mortified groan works its way up my throat.
What I’ve come to realize is that as much as I’ve been trying to keep everything platonic with Riggs, it hasn’t been that way for a while. The feelings that reared their ugly head yesterday aren’t new.
Although, acknowledging their presence is.
Unable to help myself, I pull out my phone and take another peek at the slew of messages.
He wants to know where I am.
I’ve yet to respond.
What we both need is a breather before finally sitting down and hashing this out. With any luck, we’ll be able to course correct and everything will go back to the way it was.
That’s what I want, right?
If my heart clenches at the idea, I quickly brush it aside and ignore it.
My finger hovers over the miniature keyboard before ultimately deciding against opening up the lines of communication. Once I do that, there’s no going back. It’s carefully that I set the slim device on the coffee table next to my drink.
I’ll text him later.
He’ll see that I’m doing what’s best for both of us.
I pick up my textbook and attempt to focus on what I’m reading. It’s only when I reach the bottom of the section that I realize I haven’t absorbed a single concept. A huff of annoyance escapes from me as I resign myself to reading the page for what feels like the millionth time. Barely do I make it through the first sentence when someone drops down beside me.
My eyes widen as they land on Riggs.
His hair is all damp and shiny and I realize that he probably just came from practice.
One glance at his expression tells me that he’s angry.
I’ve seen him look at other people like that but never me.
Moisture springs to my palms as a sick knot twists in the pit of my belly.
In all honesty, I can’t remember the last time we had a simple disagreement.
Before I can open my mouth or wrap my brain around what I want to say, he snaps, “We need to talk.”
I straighten my shoulders and jerk my head into a stiff nod, knowing that I can’t put off this conversation any longer.
“We should go out,” he says.
“We should take a break,” I blurt at the same time.
A second of silence ticks by as we both frown, digesting what the other person said.
“What? You want to take a break?” His eyes widen as his hand flies to his chest. “From me?”
The way his voice escalates with each word leaves me wincing.
Never in my wildest dreams could I have imagined a convo like this with Riggs. We’ve been friends for so long that I can barely remember a time in my life when he wasn’t filling it. And I certainly can’t imagine what it would be like to move forward without him by my side. Sure, I’d still have Juliette, but it wouldn’t be the same. Riggs is a massive presence in my life.
Without him…
Even the idea makes my heart throb a painful beat beneath my breast. It’s tempting to lift my hand and rub the spot.
I clear my throat and shift on the cushion. “Don’t you think it would be best for our friendship if we took a step back? Just for a little bit?”
He draws in a deep breath before forcing it out again, almost as if trying to center himself. The tension filling his muscles loosens as he pries the textbook from my hands and sets it carefully on the coffee table before threading our fingers together.
My gaze drops to them.
“Why should we do that?” he asks calmly.
My eyes lift to his. “Because of what happened last night.”
He strains closer before dropping his voice. His gaze never falters from my own. If anything, it only intensifies. It feels as if I’ve been caught within the crosshairs of it.
“Last night was the single hottest night of my life, and the fact that it was with you makes it even better. I love you, Stella. I’ve always loved you.”
“As a friend,” I murmur. “You love me as a friend.”
It’s slowly that he shakes his head. “I love you as more than that. I have for a while.” He jerks his shoulders before admitting, “I just wasn’t sure if you could ever feel the same about me.”