Page 18 of Wish You Would

He half-smiles. “Are you sure?”

“I offered, didn’t I?” I hug my knees to my chest.

“You’re drunk, Bee.”

I like it when he calls me Bee.

“So are you.”

“I am definitely not drunk.” He scrubs his fingers through the stubble of his jaw. “You promise to stay on your side of the bed?”

“It’s not me we’re going to have to worry about.”

Holden looks at me for a moment longer, then seems to make up his mind. He stands, takes our empty bottles to the kitchen and then returns, pausing at the bottom of the stairs.

“Ready?” he asks.

“As I’ll ever be,” I tell him, smiling. I follow him up the stairs to his bedroom. He flicks on the light, stands at the foot of his bed and turns to face me.

“Which side of the bed do you want, Bee?”

I must be out of my mind because the way he’s looking at me with that little smile on his lips, his deep green eyes crinkling with mischief, it’s going to take everything in me to stay on my side of the bed.

FIVE

THE POOR GUY THINKS HE’S GETTING LUCKY.

Holden

Goddamn this woman.

I shouldn’t be sharing a bed with her.

Briar’s hair is down and she’s wearing those goddamn tiny shorts again, the ones she likes to kill me with, and a shirt that falls off one shoulder.

No makeup and she’s still more beautiful than any woman I’ve ever seen. Did I also mention she isn’t wearing a fucking bra? Fuck my life.

What am I doing? What arewedoing? I am so turned on right now, I can barely draw a breath. This is a very bad idea.

Briar and I spent the last four hours sitting in my living room eating takeout and talking, and I swear it was the best night I’ve had in as long as I can remember. And she looked good too, curled up on my couch, her toned legs tucked underneath her.

Conversations were never like that with Aubrey. She liked to talk about the shows she was watching or her latest purchase. They were more surface-level, which is fine, I guess. But Briar really let me in, and I allowed her to see alittle of me too. We have chemistry. My heart pounds in my chest when our eyes lock, and when she smiles, I’m fucking gone. I spent half of the night imagining Briar naked. I bet she has the most perfect body under her T-shirt and short shorts. I bet she’d fit perfectly in my arms. When I’m around Briar, it takes a conscious effort not to touch her. I feel this pull to her. Maybe, instead of ignoring the spark I feel between us, I should make a move. Show her my cards. But it’s hard to know if Briar feels the same way. She’s always so calm, so cool; it’s difficult to read her.

No. I swore off women for a reason. Yet another failed relationship is the last thing I need right now. But I can’t deny that I like having her here, in my bed, next to me.

“Your bed is like heaven,” she murmurs, snuggling into the mattress. I admire the curve of her shoulder, her blonde hair fanned out over my bed sheets as she lets out a sigh that goes straight to my cock.

I bite the inside of my cheek, willing my dick to behave. I can’t blame it. The most beautiful girl I have ever seen is in my bed wearing next to nothing. The poor guy thinks he’s getting lucky.

I stare at the ceiling and inhale deeply, noticing the way the sugary scent of Briar already fills my bedroom. Bergamot and citrus. Turning my head to her side of the bed, my heart races when I see the way the shape of her body is illuminated by the dull glow of a streetlamp outside. Her back is to me, one shoulder fully exposed. It takes every ounce of my willpower not to touch her. I always want to touch her.

She turns suddenly so that she’s facing me, her eyes finding mine. It’s dark, but I’ve already memorized the shade. My new favorite color.

“What’s your biggest fear, Holden?” she asks quietly. “No wrong answers.”

“Anyone ever accuse you of being nosy?” I answer, trying to skirt the question.

“Maybe once or twice. I prefercurious,though. You should see my Google history.”

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