Page 42 of A Lesson in Deceit
River pressed his lips together, hard. His eyes were crinkling at the corners a bit, which told me he was trying to stop himself from laughing. “I would assume you want him to do all those things…”
“Ugh, River it’s not funny…” My voice was anything but serious. I nearly wanted to laugh myself due to the fact that this situation was very high on the list of bizarre things to ever happen to someone.
My boyfriend gripped my shoulders, sliding his hands down my arms. “I’m sorry, I’m sorry. If you want to kiss him, then do it. If you want to explore more than that, then go for it. If this is the way that makes you comfortable, full of that sexy confidence I know you have and in return, at a later time, I get to make you come and then watch him also make you come, then by all means please get your ass downstairs.”
I lightly shoved him back. “Okay, okay. I’m going to go downstairs, happy?”
River tapped his chin. “Hmm…will going downstairs makeyouhappy? Remove me from the equation. Would you be happy to go spend this specific kind of alone time with him if I wasn’t your boyfriend and he wasn’t my best friend?”
I furrowed my eyebrows considering this. I liked Grayson...a lot. He listened to me. He knew nearly all of my favorite books and laughed at all of my jokes even when they weren’t funny. He could actually discuss book to movie adaptations and even have shouting matches with me on why our fan cast was better than the others.
“Yeah…I would.”
River squinted at me, giving me one solid nod. He sauntered over to his bed, laying down and placing one of his arms behind his head. “Hmph, I had a feeling. Just take a minute and godownstairs when you’re ready, unless you’ve changed your mind because I can tell him to fuck off and go home.”
I hurried over to him and gave him a long kiss that left me a little breathless. “No! Don’t do that. I want this…. I want youandI want him.” I backed away, pushing my braids over my shoulder when I turned around.
“Oh and gorgeous?” River called before I could open the door.
I looked over my shoulder, curious.
He gave me an innocent smile. “Your pleasure turns me on, so if anything does happen, be loud for me, alright?”
21
Grayson
Ihad changed my sitting position on the couch five times before she came downstairs. Her footsteps were soft and tentative, but the look she gave me when she entered the living room was one of pure determination. It was fucking cute, and I couldn’t help but smile at her. Riley looked back at the stairs, took a breath and then walked over to the couch.
“Can I sit down?” she asked, and I gave her a skeptical look but swung my arm out in front of me.
“Of course you can.”
I let my arm hang over the back of the couch after I made sure she was comfortable. Riley tucked her legs under her thighs, focusing on me. I cleared my throat when she didn’t say anything after a beat. “I’ve heard twenty questions is a nice way to get to know someone.”
She rolled her eyes, and I zeroed in on the gold coloring that highlighted her pupils. “I already know you.”
I hummed. “Clearly that’s not enough, now is it? We can start with how school is, how you like campus? Or we can talk about how my mom used to like River more than me, but now I think she likes you more than both of us combined. No, wait, we can start with the fact that you keep recommending series to me thataren’t complete and making me invested in a story when I have no idea when the next one is coming out.”
“Grayson…” She started interlocking her fingers, fidgeting. A tiny laugh escaped her lips which settled the nerves in my stomach for at least a moment.
I chuckled, shaking my head. “I already got the run down from your very thoughtful boyfriend, so don’t worry. I know lots of wonderfully normal things about you. You’d be surprised at all the information I’ve retained over the past year, especially since River never shuts up about you.” I pulled one corner of my bottom lip into my mouth, letting my voice get low. “I am sorry if we went a little too fast. Or maybe if it was just me.”
She scooted closer to me on the couch. “No, you guys are great. I guess I feel like I know you like my friend or like a guy I’ve thought about kissing while my boyfriend watches with hearts for eyes. It’s a little nerve wracking to jump from friends to….” She motioned towards the couch and everything that almost transpired here, letting her words fall away.
“I suppose it is quite different when it’s reality and not fiction.”
Her eyes sparkled when I mentioned anything to do with books. Riley pointed her index finger at me. “Hey now, you’re the one who isn’t a fan of friends to lovers.”
I waved her off, noticing her body relaxing. “I’ll make the world’s biggest exception if that means I get to make you happy.”
She leaned against the back of the couch, her cheeks turning a slight reddish color. “One thing you and River have in common, you sure can flirt with the best of them.”
“I can flirt less if you’d like.”
She bit her lower lip, as she tucked one of her braids behind her ear. “Please don’t.” She traced her finger along the top of the couch. “You can actually flirt a little more if you want.”
I wanted to move closer to her, minimize the small amount of distance there still was between us, but I wanted her to make the move. If she wanted to kiss me or anything else for that matter, I wanted her to ask for it. I fucking wanted her to need it. I sure as shit knew I needed it. It surprised me that she couldn’t hear how loud my heart was thudding in my chest.
