Page 25 of Make Me Stay

She would be better off without me.

I punched it, slipping into the passing lane as I roared up past the exit for the racetrack and SPAC and on until signs for Lake George lured me off the highway to one of the lookouts. I wasn’t sure how long it had been since I’d left Lexi to go home. The moon was high and reflected off the raging water.

The wind was up, and the humid air tasted heavier.

The spray wet my face, cooling down some of the simmering anger.

Had I been running all along?

Would she want me to stay?

Chapter10

Lexi

Kai didn’t come homethat night.

I waited up, staring at the fan all damn night.

This was why I shouldn’t have gotten wrapped up in him. As if I could keep sex and feelings separate. What had I been thinking?

I rolled out of bed and swung my door open and rushed down the hall to the kitchen and found my brother and my best friend macking on each other like they’d never come up for air.

“Nicole!”

They busted apart. “Hi.” She licked her lips, and her sensitive skin was pink from my brother’s scruff. “Um, I can explain.”

Wyatt pulled her against him. “Nothing to explain. We’re together.”

Nicole turned to him. “We are?”

He frowned at her. “Yeah, we are. You didn’t think so?”

“Okay, wait. How did this happen?” I put my hands on my hips.

Nicole spun back around, and her face flamed when Wyatt put possessive hands on her hips. “We, sort of, accidentally matched on a dating app.”

“Accidentally?”

Wyatt cleared his throat. “It was anonymous at first. Neither of us knew who the other was.”

I held up a finger and went to the fridge for my wine and poured a healthy glass, took a deep drink, then I turned back to them. “Okay, go on.”

Nicole rushed forward and grabbed my free hand. “Are you mad?”

I shook my head. “No. I knew you always liked Wyatt.”

Her face flamed harder. She hunched her shoulders as she looked back at Wyatt, but instead of his usual grumpy face, his face was softer.

He crossed to her, rubbing her arms as he gently pulled her into him, both still facing me. “You’re not the only one, Nikki.”

I met Nicole’s eyes, which might as well have hearts in them. I set my glass down and wrapped my arms around both of them. “I’m happy for you guys. If you’re happy, I mean.” I pulled away.

Wyatt tucked her hair around one shoulder and kissed the one he bared. “Happy. Very.”

Nicole spun in his arms and wrapped them around his shoulders. For once, she’d finally found a guy who was good with her height.

My brother locked his arms around her back.“Glad you’re okay with it, Lexi.”

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