Some unresolved bullshit we hadn’t aired.
I knew firsthand when emotions ran high, people acted out of character. They did things they wouldn’t usually do. I couldn’t trust a single thing about that kiss—even if it had ruined me for all other kisses.
My fingers drifted to my mouth, prodding gently, in a feeble attempt to feel his mouth still on mine. Damn you, Phoenix.
He couldn’t just leave me alone.
It made no sense when he’d walked away from me so easily last year.
I felt Celeste’s heavy stare and thrust my hand under my thigh. “What aren’t you telling me?” she whispered.
“What aren’t you telling me?” I countered, and she flushed right to the tips of her ears.
‘Later,’ she mouthed.
“Fine.” I leaned my head back against the seat and closed my eyes.
Tonight had been confusing. From Nate wanting to come with us, to Nix turning up and kissing me, to Nate’s attempt at a heart-to-heart. I felt exhausted. My temporary high had slipped away the second Nix kissed me.
And now I was left with nothing but a gaping hole in my chest.
“Hey.” Celeste slipped into my room and climbed into bed with me. “Can I stay in here?”
“Are you going to tell me what happened with Miles?”
“Oh God, Harleigh, it was… the biggest surprise of my life.”
“So you two…?” I waggled my brows, surprised how easy this felt. Talking to her. Sharing secrets.
“We didn’t fuck, if that’s what you mean.”
“You kiss your mother with that mouth?”
She balled up her fist and pressed it to her mouth, suppressing a smile.
“Celeste…”
“Fine, okay.” She inhaled a deep breath. “We were talking and then he just looked at me, like really looked at me, and the air turned thick and my heart started beating so hard, and I knew. I knew he was going to kiss me… and I let him.”
“And was it good?”
“So freaking good. And unexpected. I mean, it’s Miles. He isn’t exactly—”
“The bad boy from across the reservoir?” My brow lifted and she rolled her eyes at me. “So, what else happened?”
“He touched me, down there. I swear to God, Harleigh, I came so freaking hard.”
“Way to go Miles.” I chuckled. “Did you reciprocate?”
“Of course I did.” She shrugged. “And let me tell you, I was not disappointed.”
“I’m happy for you, Celeste. Miles is a good guy and it’s obvious he dotes on you.”
A strange sensation snaked through me. I didn’t want to think of it as jealousy because Celeste deserved this. She deserved to be happy with a guy who would treat her right. But she was the only real friend I had here. If the two of them started going steady, I’d find myself without an anchor. And maybe that made me a shitty person, but the truth was I was scared about drifting again. Scared of losing myself to the darkness.
“Harleigh, what is it?” Concern pinched her brows, but I couldn’t tell her.
“Nothing.” I forced my lips into a convincing smile. “I’m so happy for you.”