Page 50 of Missing Pieces (Men of Manhattan 3)

What the hell had Josh actually said to her? She seemed so calm and understanding today. I was the one that owed her an apology, not the other way around.

"I overreacted. You guys were just talking. And honestly, you're right. We are just friends."

Just friends. I shook my head. "Friends don't usually sleep together."

"Yeah, well, friends with benefits. Whatever you want to call it." She waved her arm dismissively. "And I'm sorry I flirted with Josh. I wanted to make you jealous and I don't know...I regret it is what I'm trying to say. I'm sorry."

"It's not a big deal. I get it. I shouldn't have talked about you like that. Especially when it's not even true."

She laughed. "You don't think I'm good in bed?"

"Oh no, I meant that." I smiled.

She laughed again.

"It was more than just physical for me, is what I meant."

Chapter 25

Hailey

Tuesday

Me too. Everything about Tyler was off the charts. Yes, I had finally given into his charm because he looked even better when he was completely soaked for some reason. But it was more than physical attraction for me too. I liked his personality. It's what drew me to him in the first place. So what the hell did that mean?

"We never got to our 21 questions, you know," I said.

"No? I didn't realize."

"Can I ask you one?"

He smiled at me out of the corner of his mouth. Just one look and my stomach seemed to flip over.

"Would you be open to maybe repeating what happened the other day?"

"Letting you drive and getting in an accident? I'm not sure I'm up for that," he said with a laugh.

"No, smart ass." I lightly hit his arm. I wanted to wrap my fingers around his biceps again. "The other thing."

"Crashing at a friend's house?"

I rolled my eyes.

"Or do you mean stepping over the line of just being friends?"

"Yeah." My voice sounded so small. "That one."

"I'm going to be honest, Hails, I'm not really in a place for a relationship right now."

I looked at his hands on the steering wheel. He was gripping it so tightly that his knuckles were turning white. Why was that? Because he was upset about what he just said? Because he wanted more? I still did. I didn't want us to be a onetime thing. We could at least be a three day thing. I bit the inside of my cheeks. Or maybe we could be more. I could convince him that he wanted more, couldn't I?

"Neither am I," I said. "But we're both adults. We both know what it would be. It doesn't have to be more than what it is."

"Maybe."

"Maybe it doesn't have to be more than what it is? Or maybe you're open to trying it again?"

He glanced at me and smiled. "I might be open to trying it again."

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