Page 29 of The Friend Situation

It would be so easy to kiss her right now as Jack draws Rose like one of his French girls.

I glance over and notice Easton and Lexi are asleep. Heat floods through me as her body presses against mine. I lean in, and my mouth traces the shell of her ear.

“We shouldn’t be this close,” I whisper as my heart thrums in my chest.

My fingers brush down her arm, causing goose bumps to trail across her skin.

“Why not?” she asks, pulling away to study me, but I can’t speak.

She’s so goddamn gorgeous that she’s stolen every word from my vocabulary—everything, even the ones in different languages.

I inch closer, and I know she’d let me kiss her. Carleepractically begs for it. I swallow hard. Her eyes close, and her breath hitches as her lips part. Fuck, I want to do this so badly that it hurts.

“You’ll have regrets,” I mutter as she inhales a ragged breath.

I watch her, and I hate being the one to constantly reject her.

“Just a test,” she whispers, creating space between us. “You passed.”

“Don’t play games with me.”

She repositions herself, resting her head on my thigh. Her eyes meet mine, and I want to run my fingers through her hair.

“Take your own advice,” she quips.

“Ilovea smart-ass.”

“You underestimate me.”

“I don’t,” I admit.

The intoxicating sweetness of her vanilla perfume surrounds me. I gently twist a piece of her hair around my finger. Watching this movie with Carlee so close is painful, and we still have over an hour left.

Leonardo says something, but I don’t hear a word as I lose myself in my thoughts.

Ialmostkissed her.

I wanted to so fucking badly as her warm breath brushed against my skin.

Would she have kissed me back or ended our friendship because it got too real?

Now, I’m unsure.

When the credits roll, I double-check that Lexi and Easton are still sleeping. Their breathing is steady. They’ve become the typical old couple who are in bed by ten. I knew they wouldn’t make it throughTitanic.

I take the opportunity to meet her eyes as the TV casts a blue glow in the room.

“It’s the look again,” she murmurs as she sits upright.

Our mouths are dangerously close once more.

“Don’t test me,” I warn.

She inches forward, and our breaths mix. I think she might do it, but she smiles instead.

“Right back at you, bestie.”

Carlee stands, smirking, completely addicted to the chase, as if she gets high off it. I study just how fucking beautiful she is in that dress that hugs her gorgeous body.

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