Page 17 of Pillowtalk

“Jared could do that when he was alive,” she said, mindlessly stroking Charlie’s fur. “Inspire a soul-searching trip or encourage someone to do something out of their comfort zone. Can’t tell you how many times I did something I never would have if he wasn’t all, ‘I’mdyingin a few months, andI’mdoing it.’ ”

Aaron laughed, warming from the way she remembered his once best friend. It was the way he wished to remember him, but he always had to wade through so many painful memories to get to the good ones.

“He used a similar excuse when he lived here. Something along the lines of YOLO before it became popular.” Aaron let out a laugh at a faded memory that came back into focus. “He once jumped in the lake when it looked just like that.”

Aaron nodded toward the back, where the open drapes revealed a darkened sky and an angry body of water in the distance. Kennedy gave it one look and shook her head hard.

“Oh, he would’ve gotten an earful if I knew that before.” Her eyes flicked to the urn, which she’d set on the coffee table, and Aaron hid a grin at the way she silently scolded it.

“I didn’t give him an earful….I had to jump in after him when he got sucked under.”

Kennedy’s eyes widened to saucers. “What? When was this?”

Aaron ran a hand over his chin. “We were ten, I think? Maybe eleven.”

She shook her head, her mouth slightly hung open. “He never told me about that.”

Aaron felt his stomach crumple, as if a needle were piercing into his abdomen and sucking him dry. He wondered if Jared had erased him entirely from his past, not even telling the woman he loved about his childhood best friend for…well, for countless reasons, but was fear one of them? Was Jared afraid that Aaron would repeat the same mistake he had regretted since its occurrence?

Then as Kennedy used a single finger to swipe away a loose piece of hair that hung across her forehead, Aaron felt the undeniable pang of guilt hit him like a sledgehammer. How cruel was the universe, providing him with yet another temptation—a stronger one at that?

“What happened?” Kennedy prodded, shifting until her legs were tucked under her, the blanket, and Charlie’s head.

“I was lucky,” Aaron continued, hoping the relaxed air would soon surround him again. “I jumped in, reached out, and there he was. It happened so fast that I can hardly rememberwhathappened, just that I was terrified out of my mind andpissedat Jared.” A humorless laugh fell off his lips. “As soon as I saw he was okay, that he was breathing…I socked him right in the nose.”

Kennedy’s entrancing lips split open in a laugh that Aaron could feel all the way down to his toes. “I’ve come very close to doing that same thing. If only I had the balls.”

Aaron shook his head. “Pretty sure it had nothing to do with that and everything to do with how scared I was.”

“Well, I’d say that was pretty brave.” She ran a hand over Charlie’s fur again. “Both the rescue and the fist to the face.”

A sense of pride swelled up inside him, but Aaron quickly snuffed it out. He wasn’t deserving of the compliment, and he was sure he wouldn’t have received any if she knew how his friendship ended with the man she loved.

A low rumbling sounded through the room, softer than the previous thunder rolls. Aaron checked out the window but couldn’t see a difference in the weather. His eyes swung back to Kennedy running two delicate hands over her stomach.

“Was that you?” he asked through a laugh.

“It’s been a long night without food,” she said, her cheeks a luscious shade of pink.

He leaned forward, reaching for the extra sandwich he’d planned on eating later in case lunch ran into dinner—which it obviously had. “I have a sandwich. Not sure if you want it, though.” His lip tilted. “Jared used to make fun of the pairing I preferred with peanut butter.”

Her spine straightened, a hopeful look crossing her expression. “Marshmallow Fluff?”

He held up the bag in surprise, nodding. “You want it?”

“You’re not going to eat it?”

“Already had one.” He extended the sandwich out to her, and she could not seem to take it fast enough. There was the smallest touch of her fingers against his—so small and so brief that he wasn’t sure it happened at all until he felt the white-hot heat that always accompanied it shoot through his extremities. A grin pulled at him in more places than just his lips.

She moaned around the first bite, unabashedly indulging in the treat. “Oh yeah, baby, that hits the spot.”

Aaron chuckled. “Knew I wasn’t the only person who liked that combination.”

She nodded enthusiastically. “My mom called them fluffernutters. Jared called them vomit inducers.”

Aaron smiled, absolutely entranced by the way Kennedy’s nose wrinkled when she laughed. He’d been around his share of beautiful women, spent time in their company, but he’d yet to be around someone so naturally intoxicating. He didn’t have to wonder what drew Jared to her.

His gaze fell to the urn resting on the coffee table, the firelight dancing on the reflective surface. Kennedy must have noticed him staring, because she slowed her devouring of the sandwich and swallowed.

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