Page 41 of Betting on the Best Friend
“Seems like she initiated all the touch, that’s all,” Ruby says. “Either initiate more touching or at least match her.”
“Show me.” I let a trace of a dare slip into my tone.
She covers the distance between us in three steps. My arms are folded, and she rests her hand on my forearm, smiling up at me. “Think intentional without being overwhelming.”
I meet her eyes, and in true addict style, the freedom to stare into them hits me with a sweet buzz, their warm depths inviting me to drown.
“See how perfect this works?” Her voice is soft, and so is her touch as she lets her fingers trail away.
“Got it.” My voice is raspy, and the hair on my arm is standing up. There’s no way she’s unaffected by this, is there?
“Hey, have you noticed that box up there?” She touches my side and points up at a shelf. I follow her gaze, but there’s no box on the shelf. “See how I touched your side? It wasn’t necessary.”
No, it was. It definitely was.
“Look for those moments. Getting it yet?”
“Better keep explaining it to me like I barely figured out that girls exist.”
“Oh, Charlie, you’re so silly.” Her voice is breathy and high. She sways against my side gently enough to give me a nudge that doesn’t affect my balance.
“Like that,” she says in a normal voice.
“So, if she does that, I do this.” I sway back, returning her soft bump and smiling.
“Right. But think proactive, not reactive, if you want to tell her you’re into her.”
“I want to show you something.” I hook a finger through her belt loop and draw her toward the nearest corner. This move is a Ruby Special, because it drives me especially crazy.
“What are we looking at?” Her voice is breathy again.
We stare at the empty corner where the shelves meet. I give her belt loop a light tug. “Nothing. Proactive enough?”
She keeps her eyes on her captive belt loop and nods.
I have to break this spell or I’m going to make my up-against-the-wall-I-want-you fantasy a reality. I let go of her. “I’m inspired. What do you think of starting with a booty smack when she’s getting into the car?”
Ruby snorts and turns to leave. “Figure it out yourself, ingrate.”
I beat her to the door and hold it closed as she grabs the handle. When she looks up, I bend down and close our height gap by several inches. “I’m not the one who snuck us into a closet to talk about . . .” I lean forward to say the last part softly by her ear again, “touching.”
When I hear a tiny hitch in her breath, I step back, posture relaxed. “So, initiate like that?”
Ruby blinks at me then nods. “Uh huh.”
“Cool. Thanks for the tutoring.”
She blinks again, nods again. “Uh huh.” Then she lets herself out.
Intentional connection, check. Step four is my favorite.
Chapter Fifteen
Ruby
“Lunch date,” I saywhen Charlie comes in at noon for his shift on Wednesday. I’m so glad I have this news to open with.
He was off yesterday, so I haven’t seen him since The Closet Shift on Monday—yes, it lives capitalized in my head. We’d worked the rest of the day like normal, but that tutoring session keeps intruding on my thoughts. The wiring problem is getting worse, and I blame the bowling date debrief and everyone telling me to help Charlie with PDA and Sydney. You know what spells disaster in a library? Sparks. They must be stomped out and starved of fuel.
