Page 73 of Best Friends for Never

She settles back on her hands, the sun bathing her in light. “This feels incredible. I missed this.”

Being out in LA for so long, I kind of forgot what it was like to miss sunshine like Washingtonians do. The dark, cloudy months canfeel like they go on forever sometimes, and even those who are used to it and love it start to crave the vitamin D they’re missing.

“It’s nice,” I say, but I’m not basking in the light like she is. I’m too distracted by her.

Her hair, which she took down when we arrived, is nearly dragging against the blanket. Her head is tossed back, and her face is turned toward the sky. Her eyes are closed, and her chest is pushed out like her heart is reaching for warmth as well.

She looks like a supermodel posing for a swimsuit ad, but it’s not posed or fake. This is real. Raw. All Parker.

I still can’t wrap my head around how she could think I forgot about her. Or how I could ever grow tired of her.

My entire life centered around her at one point. Hell, even when I didn’t want to admit it, these last ten years have centered around her, too, in one way or another. Every choice I made, every role I took, everything I did, I thought about Parker.

I could never forget about her, and I damn sure could never get tired of her. I know she’s got some issues with that because of her father leaving her, and I know that I have to do the same when I go back to my life in LA at some point, but I’m nothing like him. I intend to make sure she knows it.

“I can feel you staring at me,” she says as my eyes drag down to the freckle that sits just below her tits, the one I’ve wanted to kiss for so, so long.

“Well, that topisdoing wonders for your ... figure.”

She rolls her head my way, looking at me with a grin. “Perv.”

I shrug, not the least bit apologetic about it, and don’t bother pulling my eyes from her.

It’s a far cry from when we’d come out here as teens. Back then, I’d sneak glances at Parker every chance I got. But that’s just it. I wouldsneakthem. I’d never look at her as brazenly as I am now, like a man starved for her touch and attention.

Parker’s breaths grow shallower the longer I stare at her, her chest rising and falling rapidly.

I like that my stare affects her so much. That it is literally taking her breath away.

She shoots to her feet, taking off her shoes.

“It’s hot,” she announces. “I’m going for a swim.”

She gives me her back, drops her shorts to her ankles, and steps out of them before jumping off the rock and into the water.

She disappears for only a moment before she breaks the surface, her long, wild auburn hair tamed by the water.

Rivulets snake down her face as she stares up at me. “Well? Are you coming?” She bats her lashes, her lips pulled into a grin on one side as she treads water. “Or are you chicken?”

It’s the same thing she used to say to me when I didn’t want to swim.

No. It’s not that I didn’twantto swim. I was scared she’d see exactly what effect she had on me.

But now? I don’t care, especially not when I know the game Parker’s playing. She’s not the same shy and awkward girl from before.

She’s bolder. Braver. And she’s playing with fire.

I want to play too.

I shove to my feet, kicking off my shoes as I drag my shirt over my head.

There’s no mistaking the hunger in Parker’s stare as she gapes up at me. She drags her eyes down my chest, over the abs I spend a lot of time working on with my trainer, and straight down to the unmistakable bulge pressing against my board shorts.

Being in the public eye, I’m no stranger to being stared at.

But having Parker look at me like she is now ... Well, nothing can compare to how good it feels.

It makes me want to kiss her again.

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