Page 6 of His to Cherish
“I just thought, maybe, something might happen between us.”
Oliver goes very still. “Something like what?”
I give a little shrug, still not looking up. I think I’ll die if I have to see his reaction right now.
“We’ve been friends for a really long time,” I begin.
“Best friends,” he cuts in, sounding annoyed.
“Best friends,” I agree. “But I thought…well, we get along so well. And I, you know, I think you’re really attractive.” Oh my God, I can’t believe I just said that out loud. “I thought maybe we could try being more than friends,” I finally manage to finish, then immediately wish the floor would open at my feet and swallow me up.
Ollie is silent for a long time, and I’m pretty sure that tells me everything I need to know about his reaction. He doesn’t feel the same way. I just made everything unbearably awkward and probably ruined our friendship.
“Lilly,” he eventually croaks out, his voice sounding pained.
“Forget about it,” I say quickly, sure I won’t be able to handle his rejection. “It was a silly idea. I guess I just got carried away.” I’m babbling now and I seriously wish I could just run away and pretend this never happened. “I mean, of course you’re not attracted to me?—”
He cuts me off with a low growl. I’m so caught off guard by the noise I actually look up. Ollie is glaring at me, an emotion I’ve never seen before flashing in his eyes. “Not attracted to you?” he demands in a raspy rumble. “Are you fucking kidding me, Lilly?”
I just blink at him, having no idea what to make of his reaction.
Then he takes my hand from under the table. Before I can wrap my mind around what’s happening, he brings it to his lap. And then…oh, God, and then he’s pressing my hand to the rigid length under his trousers. I’m touching my best friend’s dick.
His very hard, very large dick.
I can’t help the gasp that shoots out of me. I’m even more surprised a moment later when Ollie presses my hand harder against him, then groans low in his throat, the sound filled with so much desire and pleasure I feel faint.
“Does that feel like I’m not attracted to you?” he asks. “I’ve been like this the whole night.”
“Why?” I gasp out, and he laughs darkly.
“Because you’re driving me fucking crazy in this dress. Those damn shoes. Jesus, Lilly, everything about you.”
Oh my God. I didn’t imagine it. Heisattracted to me. My heart soars as I realize I might just get everything I’ve ever wanted.
But then it crashes right back to the ground when Oliver gently pushes my hand away and clears his throat. “But that’s not something that can happen.”
“What? Why not?”
Even as I watch, his expression shifts from hungry to calm. Controlled. It’s like watching a person put on a mask, and I don’t like it one bit.
“It would be a mistake.”
I shake my head. “No, Ollie. We would be good together. I know we would. I would do anything to make you happy?—”
He groans again, then rubs a hand over his face. He looks tired and frustrated and I just want to go back to when his face was filled with desire.
“I have no doubt you would make any man extremely happy.” He practically snarls the words, like he hates the very sound of them. “But I’m not right for you.”
“I don’t understand.”
He lets out a long sigh of frustration. “I know you don’t. But you’re going to have to take my word for it.”
I feel like crying. I’d gotten so close to the thing I wanted and now I’m watching it slip away. I could argue with him. I could throw a little temper tantrum and try to convince him he’s wrong. But this man has been my best friend for years and I know him better than just about anyone. I know him wellenough to know that when he makes up his mind, there’s no changing it.
Determined. Dominant. Sure of himself. All those things that I’ve always loved about him are the very things that are going to keep us a part.
Again, he roughly runs his hands over his face. When he removes them, something has changed in his expression. The matter is settled and he’s ready to move on.
