Total pages in book: 87
Estimated words: 83756 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 419(@200wpm)___ 335(@250wpm)___ 279(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 83756 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 419(@200wpm)___ 335(@250wpm)___ 279(@300wpm)
Fuck my life, why don’t I replace those damn pictures? I don’t have one picture of my nephews, but you best believe I have tons of Emery and me over the years. “Yes,” I say curtly, and she grins as she starts to unpack her things.
Without looking at me, she asks, “So, do you need to call and let her know I’m staying with you a bit until I get on my feet? I’m sure she’ll be so understanding that your best friend needs a place.”
Unable to control myself, I bite out, “If you say best friend one more fucking time…”
She looks over her shoulder, her eyes dancing with mischief. Her voice drops an octave, all full of naughty promises and everything I’ve been craving for three goddamn years. “You’ll what?”
I clench my fists, but my damn traitorous cock thickens at her unspoken promises. He’s a total fucking whore for Emery. He lives for her. He’s been so lonely without her.
Down, boy. She is only fucking with us.
“None of that,” I grit out, setting her with an impassive look. “I’m getting married.”
She feigns innocent, but those gray eyes tell me what she’s up to. “What? You’re the one threatening me and apparently forgetting I’m your best friend.”
My jaw goes taut, and I swear I’m about to lose my fucking mind. “This isn’t going to work. You have enough money to get something if you wanted. A hotel, an Airbnb, anything.”
She shrugs. “Sure, but you don’t have a roommate, and I’ve missed you. My bestie.”
I swallow hard. “Em.”
She takes a step toward me, extending her hands to grab mine. She laces her fingers through mine, but I don’t link mine with hers. I can’t. If I do, I won’t let go. “Haven’t you missed me?”
Missed her? I haven’t felt whole until this moment. With her scent invading all my senses. My heart sings for this girl. I want desperately to tangle my fingers in her hair and slam my mouth to hers. I want to hold her in my arms, and once I get my fill, I want to devour her. Instead, I just stare down at her, my heart doing the merengue in my chest while the butterflies in my gut do the cha-cha. Her eyes burn into mine, her bottom lip jutting out as she squeezes my hands, making it real hard for me to remember I’m technically engaged to someone else.
It’s not fair that Em and I have a constant spark between us that can’t be extinguished.
She knows it. I know it.
But I’m engaged.
I remove my hands from hers. “Emery, I’m engaged.”
Her eyes narrow once more, and she brings her arms up to cross over her chest. “So, because you’re engaged, that means we can’t be best friends? That’s ridiculous. I came before your sweet little Ava.” She’s goading me. She’s trying to make me lose my temper, and fuck if it isn’t working. “As you’ve said, you’re engaged, and I have no problem respecting this engagement.”
“You know I can tell when you’re lying.”
She just grins. “Obviously, you can’t. Because I’m not.”
She is, but I’m not going to argue with her. “Emery, this is a bad idea.”
Her grin grows, looking exactly like the little villain she is. “Not at all. What’s the worst that can happen?”
Unable to answer her, I just glare down at her. But her grin doesn’t falter. “Plus, you know I need your bandwidth and Wi-Fi for work. A hotel won’t support my computer.” With that, she turns back to her bag to unpack as if I haven’t asked her to leave three times. “I had a really nice guy help me with my stuff, but I left it with the concierge since I didn’t want him knowing where you live. Crazy people.”
I ignore the jealousy that rears in my heart knowing some nice guy helped her, and I set her with a look. “Like you.”
She just grins. “Can you go get it for me, roomie?”
I let my head fall back. “Em, are you serious right now?”
She looks over at me. “As a heart attack,” she says with a wink. “If you want me to talk to Ava, I can.” That’s the last thing I want, but because this girl loves getting under my skin, she adds, “I can explain how you’re just helping out your bestie, and since y’all’s love is so pure, nothing would be able to come between it.” Her eyes dance with mine. I’m unsure if I want to strangle her or kiss her senseless.
This is Emery.
Not taking no for an answer and goading me in all the right ways. In ways only she knows how to do because we were so close. She was my best friend, the love of my life, but that can’t be the case anymore.
There is a reason I’m marrying someone else.