Page 46 of Love Potion

“Yeah. Same.”

“So you weren’t horny just now?”

His brow creases for a second. “Not at first.”

I blink, searching for the meaning of his reply. “But then…?”

“But then you looked at me and touched me.”

“Oh.”

“Does that make you uncomfortable?”

I shake my head. “No. Confused, but not uncomfortable.”

“Confused about what?”

I shrug, avoiding his eyes.

“Come on, Jerr. I’ve told you a thousand times that you’re hot. You know you are from how other guys react to you. I might be your best friend, but I still have eyes. Plus, I have the added bonus of knowing how amazing you are as a person in addition to your face. Of course I’d be turned on with you touching me.”

I nod, soaking his words in. I’ve never been insecure about my looks, just what I have to offer, but Bane telling me I turn him on, that that’s even possible, is new.

“You said something last night.”

“What did I say?” he asks, rubbing my arm.

“When I asked if you wanted to kiss me, you said?—”

“Always have.” His voice is strong and confident as he finishes my sentence. “I kissed you once before. We were still kids, but I wanted to then, and I still want to now.”

“How come you never have?”

“You know why, Jerr.”

I shake my head. “No, I don’t. Can you tell me?”

He scoots a little closer, until his knee is touching my thigh. “Because the last thing you needed was your best friend pressuring you or making you feel the way other guys do. I didn’t think you’d ever want that from me, so I buried it.”

His answer bounces around my head. I try to find a way that it makes sense, but it doesn’t. “That can’t be true.”

“Yeah, it can.” Bane takes my hand in his, pressing it to his chest. “I think you’re hot, Jerr. I find you attractive, and it goes far beyond your looks. I didn’t kiss you last night for any reason other than because I wanted to. I don’t lie to you, and I won’t start now.”

“But…” I stop talking, reeling from his admission. “You never…” I look up at him. “Is that true?”

He nods. “I wanted to tell you, but it never seemed like the right time. Eventually, I tucked it away and focused on being the best friend I could be to you, but every time you came home disappointed by some douche who didn’t understand you, I wanted to pull you into my arms and kiss it away.”

It takes me a second to process that as another question bubbles up. “Did you want more than kissing?”

Bane frowns, shrugging.

“Tell me the truth.”

He bites his bottom lip for a second before nodding. “Yeah. I used to when we were younger and I was a horndog all the time.”

“And now?”

He searches my eyes for so long I wonder if he’s about to tell me he doesn’t see me that way. Or he doesn’t want to go there, knowing my limitations. I get it.

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