Page 31 of Happy Hour

“Well, was it what you hoped for?” Emma asked as we made our way back down the hall to our rooms. “I heard you. You sounded like a damn hyena in there.” She added laughing hysterically.

I pushed her again, knocking her and her ice chips against some innocent quests door. “I hate you. I really do.”

When I made it back inside the room, Jameson cuddled against my back. I thought he was sleeping but his breathing hitched when I kissed his arm that he’d placed around my shoulders, pulling me closer.

“Have you ever thought about this before?” he asked. His voice was out of breath and low but smooth as it always was.

“Thought about...?” I tried to be vague as though I didn’t know what he was asking, even if I did.

“This...” his answer was just as vague. His arms flexed around me and he kissed my shoulder once, his lips warm.

“Yes and no,” I told him honestly, because right now, I couldn’t tell him how I really felt.

For someone who never ran from anything and spoke her mind frequently, I couldn’t tell him that this was all I’ve thought about for the past four years. The words just wouldn’t form.

In his arms that morning, I knew then that nothing would ever be the same between us. This wasn’t something where two people just casually slept together.

It couldn’t be.

Not with the thirst I had.

4.Happy Hour–Sway

Happy Hour – Slang term for last official practice session held before an event. Usually takes place the day before the race and after all qualifying and support races have been staged.

I was dead.

That’s all there was to it. Surely, there’s no way someone could feel thisbadly, and still be alive. My throat felt like the Mohave Desert. My head felt like someone hit it with a baseball bat and my body felt like jelly.

I laid there for a good ten minutes, wondering if I truly was dead. Stretching, I intended to get up, when my arm bumped something causing me to jump.

What the hell?

I felt movement on the bed and someone groan beside me. Once I turned my head, I groaned myself.

Not only did Iknowthat particular groan but even so much as turning my head, hurt like hell. Bringing my arm up, I covered my face to block out the blinding light coming in from the morning or afternoon sun.

I continued to lay there for a moment trying to remember anything that happened last night when reality hit me—slapped me across the face actually.

It came back to me in flashes.

The race, the bar, Chelsea, the dancing, that kissing, Purple Rain.

And then in a rush, without warning, the sex came back to me based on the soreness between my legs.

Thenwhocame back to me...Jameson...oh god.

What if he regretted it? What if he doesn’t even remember what we did?

I turned over onto my back, covering my head with a pillow now, wondering what I was thinking last night. Friends with benefits,geez, you have truly lost your mind this time.

Just as I decided that I would be perfectly content never removing my head from under that pillow, Jameson groaned loudly beside me and flung an arm around my waist.

It was at that point I realized I was still completely naked, in bed with Jameson Riley, my best friend.

While I was starting to regret not putting some clothes on before we went to bed, he grunted and moved closer, pressed my body against his andoh my...he was hard.

What did I do next? I started giggling.

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