More heat crept up my spine, I cleared my throat and pointed at the door.
Josh's eyes didn’t want to leave mine and I didn’t want to look away either. I could get lost in his eyes for days and it always felt like the world had shrunk whenever I was around him.
It’s like it’s just two of us existing.
“I should go in,” I said when I finally collected my thoughts and averted my eyes from his. My voice sounded faint because of the desire slowly growing inside me. Spending more time in his company was a terrible idea, so I had to get inside and see Iris. At least, she could keep me busy.
“Sure.”
I moved to walk past Josh, but he touched my hand, and let our fingers slide over each other before I completely passed him. The brief contact made me gasp. I glanced over my shoulder and found him looking at me.
Iris is in there, so get a grip.It took lots of effort to ignore the tingle racing through me to go in and greet my best friend. Once I entered the kitchen, I found Iris pacing around, her hand on her waist as she talked excitedly on the call.
The second she noticed my presence, she nearly squealed, but plastered a hand over her lips and gulped before saying to the person on the other end. “Let me call you back, babe.”
Once she dropped the call, she spread her arms out wide, and I hurried to go hug her. “Hey girl,” we chorused as we hugged. My friendship with Iris started out as just that, a friendship. Back then, I had no idea we end up being best friends.
It was one summer, and it had seemed like it would end after that, but fate had other plans. Now, Iris was my best friend, and I was sleeping with her dad. How times have changed…
I kissed her cheek and hugged her one more time. “How was your trip?” I asked, instantly wanting to know details of the time we had spent apart even though it was just two weeks since I got back, and she traveled for work again.
Iris stepped away from me, then thrust her left hand forward to show off the glittering diamond on her ring finger. “I’m getting married,” she announced with another squeal and burst into laughter.
“Oh my… This is great news,” I exclaimed, bursting with joy for her. “Congratulations!.” She had told me all about her boyfriend before she left and I knew they had been seeing each for months now.
Iris glowed and her excitement was evident in the way she giggled and flushed. We hugged again and I followed Iris to the sofa to hear all about the proposal and the plans she had for her wedding.
* * *
Two days later,Iris's fiancé came to visit, and she invited me to dinner at the beach with her family. I watched her bubble the entire night as she spoke to Josh and Francis. Her fiancé was a charmer. Black hair, and a hazel shade of brown eyes that gave him a seductive look.
He also had a clean English accent like the one Iris used to fake, and I could tell they were perfect match. He treated her right and looked at her like she hung the moon, easily gaining Josh's approval.
We ate barbeque chicken served with mac and cheese and Josh's famous cheddar biscuits. After dinner, we drank a bottle of Moet wine while listening to the jazz music playing in the background.
While Josh engaged Francis in light conversations, he kept stealing glances at me, and his heated gaze made me feel sexier in the little black dress I was wearing tonight.
“So what do you think about Francis?” Iris whispered to me some seconds later after Josh winked at me secretly. I tried to hide the flush on my cheeks by lifting my wine glass and sipping from it. Thankfully, Iris was too engrossed in the excitement of both of us meeting her fiancé tonight, that she didn’t notice.
“I think he’s great,” I whispered back to her. “He seems like a sweet guy and I love the way he looks at you.”
When Iris blushed, I smiled and shook my head. “I can tell you love him,”
“I do. He’s just perfect. You know he’s like the first guy whom I’ve ever felt comfortable talking to about my parents’ divorce and we share a lot of similar values and experiences.”
“That’s great,” I told her.
Iris had already told me all about Francis. He was a gynecologist she met during one of her flights to Denver, and they had started dating after keeping in touch for a few months.
“I’m happy for you, Iris,” I told her sincerely, then put my hand over hers and smiled. “You’re getting your happily ever after.”
Iris and I were still exchanging secret whispers when Josh called for our attention by picking up his wine glass and clinking his cutlery on it. “We should toast,” he said before getting on his feet. “To Iris and Francis… We toast to their newfound love and the many more years to come.”
“To Iris and Francis,” I said, picked up my glass and got on my feet so I could lift it too. Iris and Francis stood for the toast also, we all clinked glasses, then sipped from our wine before sitting again.
I engaged in conversation with Francis about Denver and his work. Later in the evening, Francis took Iris’s hand and led her to the dance floor to share their first dance as the future mr. and mrs. Walsh.
As Josh stared at me from across the table, I could feel my body burn. While I was fantasizing about being in his bed, Josh came over to me and held out his hand. “We should join the them,” he said, already stepping to the beat.