Page 50 of Love Thy Neighbor

Feeling brave, I kiss her again, this time just half an inch higher.

Another sigh.

Another kiss.

And another.

My lips brush her barely there shorts, and I’m fairly sure she’s not even breathing at all anymore.

I’m not sure I am either.

“Cooper…”

I swallow, my lips brushing against her leg with the movement.

“We should go to bed.”

I look up at her, and her face flushes with embarrassment. “Not together,” she rushes out. “Separately.”

With a whole lot of willpower, I pull away from her and tilt my head back.

“About Friday…” She darts her tongue out to wet her lips, and I remember just how good that same tongue felt against my own just three nights ago. “We can’t.”

Two words.

Whispered.

Yet so fucking loud.

She doesn’t want this.

She doesn’t want me.

I push to my full height, putting distance between us because I really fucking need it.

She stands there, wringing her hands together, lip tucked between her teeth.

“It’s just…we’re best friends, you know? We can’t go there. It’s just not something you can come back from.”

She’s right. I know she’s right.

Doesn’t mean I want her to be right.

I want her to be anythingbutright.

“You understand, don’t you? Friday was just a fluke. We were drunk.”

I was sober.

She’s a lightweight, but notthatbig of one.

And it wasn’t just a fluke.

At least I don’t think it was.

But maybe I’ve read this all wrong. Maybe she hasn’t been feeling anything happening between us. Maybe I’m just a moron and almost screwed everything up just like I tried to do when we were teens and I kissed her.

We’re perfect as friends.

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