Page 136 of Force Play

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“No, he isn’t. I’m not being an idiot because Lucia and I are just having sex.That’s it.”

“And where exactly were you while we were waiting for you, hm?” Josh crosses his arms, waiting for an answer.

It takes a lot to make me uncomfortable, but this conversation seems to be doing it.

I begrudgingly say, “I was out with Lucia.”

“Doing what?” Knox demands.

Watching the sunset.

Kissing on the beach.

Totally normal friend things.

“Hanging out,” I mumble, sitting myself back up, heat creeping up my chest.

“Where?”

I sigh and give up the fight. “We went over to Anna Maria Island. Sat on the beach for a bit. That’s all.”

“How the fuck don’t you see this?” Cole asks, dumbfounded.

“Because there’s nothingtosee. Lucia and I are friends.”

Lane scoffs. “You marched over to the bar a few weeks ago because someone was flirting with her, Ari. Jealousy isn’t a friendly trait.”

“Iwasn’tjealous,” I groan. “Why do I have to keep saying it?”

“Because you’re trying to make yourself believe it.” Knox shakes his head. “That’s why. You don’t want to admit you were jealous because that goes against everything you say this is.”

I fall back on the bed again, heels of my hands over my eyes. “Look, I don’t know what else to tell you guys. I get that you and your girls all want to see us together, but this isn’t that. Please just be happy we’re friends now. That’s a large step up from what we used to be.”

The four of them collectively sigh in defeat, knowing they aren’t getting anywhere with me.

“Just… be cautious then,” Cole says softly. “Lucia has already been hurt. We don’t want to see her end up hurt again.”

I let out a deep breath. “The last thing I want to do is hurt her. But she has the same understanding of what this is. Nothing has changed.”

Everything has changed,I think to myself.

I neverused tolight up around her.

I neverused tolaugh at every funny thing she said.

I neverused todo more than imagine what a night with her would be like.

But it doesn’t mean anything.

None of this means anything.

Theonlything that means anything here is Lucia, and she means a hell of a lot to me.

forty

Lucia

Ella