Page 136 of Friends with Benefits

By his anger, and his ability to say no to her.

Evelyn stands and sets their dirty bowls into the sink. “Well. I’ll let you get back to it.”

He nods. It’s supposed to feel good—setting a boundary, turning those words back on her, being a person with a semblance of dignity. But Theo just feels like shit. He drags ahand through his curls and is on his feet the moment he hears the softclickof Evelyn’s bedroom door closing behind her. It swings open, that door, before Theo can even knock, and Evelyn crashes into him.

Their chests rise and fall in tandem.

Theo’s brain screams, Go, leave, push.

His heart whispers, This is home, stay, pull.

In the end, his impulsive lips just crash into hers. Evelyn sighs into his mouth, weaving her fingers into his hair and rocking her hips against his.I love you.He cups her cheeks, his thumbs brushing away her tears.I love you.Kisses her hello, goodbye, everything in between.I love you.Evelyn’s hands leave his hair as she backs him against the wall. He tastes her tears as her fingers trails past his chest, down his torso, toward his zipper—

“Ev.”

Theo pulls away.

Fuck.

What are theydoing?

Her eyes widen. “Sorry! I…” Her lower lip wobbles. She bites down. Steadies it. “I fucked up.”

“Ev—”

“I fucked up,” she repeats. “Again. Naomi—”

“You’re not Naomi,” Theo interrupts, cheeks hot with shame. “That was a messed-up thing to say.”

“You didn’t drop me.Thatwas a messed-up thing to say.”

“It’s the truth.”

“No.” Evelyn shakes her head. “I’ve never told you just how out of it I was that day. I was in so much pain and I performed anyway, because so many doctors convinced me that I was healthy, that the pain was all in my head. You didn’t drop me,Ifell. I fell because of what I now know was amassiveflare-up of my then-undiagnosed autoimmune disease.”

“Evelyn.”

“I don’t blame you.”

“Iblame me.”

Theo’s bones remember that day.

Her fall.

Being two beats behind.

“Listen.” Evelyn presses her palms into his cheeks, forcing his eyes to meet hers. “I meant what I said to Jacob. You have never let me fall. Well…” Her nose scrunches. “Dance Theo never has.PickleballTheo on the other hand…”

“Whoa!Youslammed intome.”

“Debatable,” she teases. “Regardless? I have never blamed you. Okay?”

Evelyn holds his gaze and her expression is so fierce, soserious.

Theo is still unsure how to forgive himself for being two beats behind.

But he can believe her.

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