Sterling stands when he hears the door open and smiles softly. “All set?” he asks.
“Yep.” I smile and move to shove my dirty clothes into my mesh laundry bag. I hear the bathroom door click, and I take a deep breath. Swiftly, I climb under the covers and keep the light off this time. I close my eyes and pretend to be sleeping. It seems like hours, but I know it’s only mere minutes when the bathroom door opens and the bed dips.
I feel him slide in beside me, but I don’t move a muscle. Opening my eyes, I stare into the darkness. With the silence surrounding us, it’s easy to let my mind go back to our kiss earlier today. I managed to push it out of my mind while we were with the others, but now it’s there. I lick my lips, still feeling the ghost of his pressing against them.
Can we do this?
Can we be more?
Am I willing to risk what we have for the possibility of more?
“Tink?” Sterling’s voice is a gruff whisper.
“Tank?” I tease, hoping to keep my tone light.
“Come here.”
Taking a deep breath, I turn so that I’m looking toward his side of the bed. The glow of the moon gives us just enough light to make out each other’s form.
“Closer.”
I move a few inches closer.
He sighs. “Let me hold you, Alyssa.”
I part my lips to protest but quickly close them. Instead, I will my heart to stop racing. I count to thirty before I open my mouth to tell him it’s not a good idea, but again close it quickly. Bad idea or not, I want that. Besides, I’d probably just end up there sometime during the night anyway. Maybe tonight, I can pretend he’s mine and I’m his.
Not giving myself the time to overthink my decision any longer, I move across the bed until I reach his side. I snuggle into his chest. Something I’ve done a million times, but this time it feels different.
It feels better.
Sterling wraps his arm around my shoulders and holds me close. I feel his lips press to the top of my head, and he exhales heavily as if heneededme in his arms. No words are spoken between us. We’re comfortable with one another, and it’s not long before sleep claims me.
CHAPTERELEVEN
Sterling
Last weekend was incredible, insightful, and stressful in ways. All of a sudden, all I can think about is sinking balls deep into my best friend. We spent three nights at Lake Oconee, and on all three of those nights, I held her in my arms and woke with her tight little body pressed against mine.
Deacon suggested I take some time to think, but I already know.
I want her.
I want my best friend to be more than just my friend. Hell, if I’m being honest with myself, she already is. Alyssa is everything I could ever want and more. I just never allowed myself to go there in my mind, but now I’m there. I’m living it. Dreaming of what life with her would be like. Nothing would really change except for the fact that I’d get to make love to her.
Nope. No. I can’t go there. I shake my head as I pull into her driveway. Deacon and Ramsey are getting married today, and even though Alyssa received her own invite, she’s my plus-one. What would she say if I told her I wanted her to be my forever wedding date?
Fuck. Admitting that I’m in love with my best friend is making me a pussy. Yeah, I’m past denying it. Now, I need to decide what I’m going to do about it.
Climbing out of the truck, I jog up to her door and turn the handle, walking in. We never knock at each other’s places, and we both have keys to let ourselves in whenever we need. “Tink!” I call out for her.
“Why are you yelling?” she asks, walking into the living room from the kitchen.
My mouth drops open as I take her in. “Wow.”
She looks down at herself. “What? Is this not okay?”
“You look beautiful, Alyssa.”