Page 18 of Love, Just In

ME:Haha, it’s all good, he just insists on walking around naked, no biggie.

(And really, I mean no biggie)

ZAC:You’re kidding, right?

ME:Wish I was. But don’t worry, I think he thought I wasn’t coming home.

Are all the men in Newcastle nudists?

ZAC:Apparently it’s a requirement. I’m so sorry.

ME:Not your fault! Plus, I know there are at least two decent men left in Newcastle.

Did your housemate Lindsay tell you he gave me his number today?

My finger hovers over the ‘send’ arrow before I chicken out and delete the message. Zac didn’t seem to think much of Lindsay, and right now, our friendship feels fragile enough.

ME:Better run and get ingredients.

See you soon, my sexy-a-f boyfriend.

This is exactly what I would have said to old-Zac, but this is new-Zac now, and the words I’ve already sent make me grimace at my phone screen. When he doesn’t reply, I fast-type another message.

ME:I was obviously joking … see you soon.

ZAC:As long as you don’t puke if I kiss you.

My stomach does a funny dip and doesn’t seem to right itself until I get to the grocery store.

CHAPTER 7

Eleven years ago

My lips detach from Damien Di Fiori’s. His eyes glaze over as they blink into mine before I hurriedly shift backwards, realising we’re being stared at by, like,everyonein this circle.

‘I thought the rule was to kiss, not eat each other’s faces off,’ Cody teases with a snort, and my cheeks redden as I ease back into my spot beside Amy. I cast Zac a sidelong glance, but his gaze is fixed on his lap.

‘Sorry,’ Damien says with a wink. ‘Got a bit carried away there.’

He’s absolutely right—Damien is the one who attempted to turn that kiss into a tongue battle, not me. It’s been two years since he first slipped his tongue inside my mouth behind the science building at school, which nearly made me puke, and while his kisses did get better after that, it’s been a long time since I’ve wanted to make out with him.

Emily takes her turn to spin the bottle, and cheers break out when the glass tip halts at Hayden. Hayden used to date Bianca, Emily’s best friend, so I cringe internally when they both shuffle forward on their knees and press their mouths together. Zac and I exchange a look that says,Eeek.

‘Next up—Zachary!’ Cody shouts, and a few guys make drum rolls on the carpet with their palms.

Zac chugs a third of his beer like he’s preparing for an intense moment, then leans forward and whips the glass bottle into a fierce spin. It takes a few seconds for it to slow, and slow, and slow, until it lands on …

Me.

My stomach pitches, and the background music is instantly swallowed up by the whoops and cheers and sarcastic comments about Zac and me pretending to be ‘just good friends’.

But we are just good friends. We’re the best of friends, and best friendsdon’t kiss.

I glance over at Zac, whose cheeks have turned crimson, and steal a quick look at his lips. They don’t look like they’d bebadto kiss. They’re plump and pink, and … my heart begins to gallop in my chest.

My gaze drifts back up to meet Zac’s, and through the noise and excitement around us, a question forms in his eyes, reaching into my mind.

Am I OK with this?

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