Page 36 of Happy Hour

I leaned my head forward again, looking into his eyes. That’s when I see thatthisisn’t going to be what I hoped but I also saw that emotion that I couldn’t place. He was hiding something behind those beautiful eyes.

“We’re friends...” he paused swallowing. “But I’d like to keep doing what we just did...I liked it.” He took a drink of water from the bottle he’d been holding, concealing his smirk.

“What if someone else comes along that’s not a friend and you wantthatwith her?”

You sound like a jealous high school girl.

“That won’t happen.” His sounded almost disgusted that I asked that.

“You’re Jameson Riley—you have women throwing themselves at you. Why me?”

“Because Sway, you’re my best friend.” Jameson sighed again, leaning back against the bed on his elbows.

It distracted me when his shirt came up revealing the sharp lines of the hips leading down to the promise land.

Before I could gettoodistracted, Jameson’s voice interrupted me. “I trust you and I can’t trust anyone right now.” He leaned closer to me pulling my legs against his chest. “This can be fun Sway, let’s just...have a good time together. Keep it simple.”

Have a good time? Keep it simple?

Can you do that?Maybe.

Can you do this without getting your heart broken?Doubtful.

Do you want to have fun?Absolutely.

Do you want to stay with him?Without a doubt.

I’m so screwed.

I knew my reasoning is completely off and incredibly stupid. I knew I was going to get hurt but I decided, once again, to put Jameson’s needs above my own and reached for my cell phone to call Charlie.

The conversation with Charlie didn’t go as planned. And it wasn’t even his anger that upset me the most. It was the disappointment that I would be with Jameson again for a few weeks. I think his exact quote was, “Sway, he’s using you. It’s a shame that a girl as smart as you can’t see that.”

Way to make me feel like a complete asshole.

Despite all this, it didn’t change my feelings or way of thinking as this (indulging in too much alcohol once again) ended in me sleeping with my best friend. Wasn’t that what I wanted all along? Yeah, it was but just the thought of “friends with benefits” to Jameson Riley was freaking me out a little,okay, a lot. But then I thought about how much I wanted this. I didn’t want to be just another pit lizard to him; I would be more if it killed me trying. Stupid logic I know but fucking sue me. I was a woman on a mission.

Jimi had bought a Citation Bravo Jet last year, which made traveling for their entire family easier. Half the time Jimi was on the opposite side of the United States from Jameson and that made the jet nice.

The Riley’s still kept a home in Elma but they also had a home in Mooresville and Jacksonville Beach.

Jameson had recently started having a home built near his parents in Mooresville, or Dirty Mo as we referred to it.

Unfortunately, the house he was having built on Lake Norman, wasn’t supposed to be finished until December. This left him staying in his parent’s home.

He hated it.

When we walked outside the hotel to get the car Alley had rented for Jameson to get back to Mooresville, I burst into laughter.

Jameson, well he wasnotlaughing. “You have to be kidding me.” He threw his bag down next to the Dodge mini-van and kicked the left rear tire.

Growling, he pulled out his cell phone to call Alley.

“You’re such a fucking bitch!” He shouted and snapped the phone shut. Turning towards me, he glared. “Get in.”

I couldn’t stop my laughter but eventually I got in when threatened to leave me there if I didn’t stop.

Much of the drive to downtown Charlotte was spent with Jameson complaining about the speed in which the mini-van refused to do, how he hated living with his parents, how he was going to get Alley back and if I thought anything was going on with Emma and Aiden.

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