Page 33 of One More Shot
We’ve fallen in step with each other as we meander through the aisles. Our arms brush against each other every so often, but neither of us makes any move to put any more space between us.
‘Not far from here.’ My brain must be running on autopilot, because I don’t even have to think about the words that come out of my mouth next. ‘Why? You looking for an invitation?’
Because she can have one. An open invite, even. I’d gladly give one to her. All she has to do is ask.
Eliott rolls her eyes. She looks almost disappointed. ‘And there it is again.’
‘There what is?’
‘Theshtick.’
We’ve stopped in the cereal aisle, and Eliott whips out her phone again to check her grandmother’s list.
‘I already told you,’ she mutters as she glances up and down the aisle for whatever it is that’s on her list. ‘I don’t go back for seconds. So you can stop whatever this is. You’re just wasting your time.’
I frown. There’s an edge to her voice that definitely wasn’t there before, and I don’t like it. ‘Whatever what is?’
Eliott sighs like the weight of the world is on her shoulders. ‘We’re not going to fuck, Dane.’
Later, I’ll revisit this moment and wonder why her bluntness is turning me on like this. But right now, all I can do is gape.
‘I wasn’t—’
She gives me a sardonic grin. ‘Open book. Remember?’
Well,fuck.
I guess I am easier to reader than I’d like to think. I smile sheepishly, and it seems to melt away some of the sudden ire she’s feeling. ‘My bad. But we can be friends, right?’
I don’t know why I’m clinging onto anything in the first place. Eliott knows, just as well as I do, that my interest in her is purely physical. Without sex on the table, there’s no reason for us to have any kind of lingering communication with each other.
Eliott snorts. ‘Right. Sure.’
‘What’s that supposed to mean?’
‘You don’t seem like the kind of guy who keeps a lot of girlfriends.Platonicgirlfriends. And I’ll be honest with you, Dane,’ she shrugs, ‘I don’t really need you around if all you’re going to do is try to get into my pants.’
There it is again. That bluntness that I can’t help but find strangely attractive. Thinking back on it, this is what attracted me to Eliott two years ago as well. Aside from the wholeshe’s gorgeousthing. It was the confidence she approached me with, and it’s back again now.
Although it’s definitely not going in my favour this time.
She’s giving me an out and every rational part of me knows that I should take it. Just admit that she’s right and we can both go our separate ways. At the wedding we’ll be like two ships passing in the night. Nothing more. Nothing less.
But I want more.
‘I can do friends,’ I tell her.
Disbelief is painted over her face, and I can’t exactly blame her.
‘I’m serious,’ I say. I stick out my hand and she eyes it warily. ‘Friends.Justfriends. I can do that.’
She hesitates for a second or two, and then grips my hand and gives it a squeeze. ‘Friends.’
I grin as we shake on it, and I try my best not to think about how nicely her hand slots in with mine.
I fail.
Miserably.
