“Done,” she says, posting one of the photos and shifting away, leaving my body feeling cold without her pressed against it.
I turn on my side to face her, propping my head up with one hand. “The fans seem to be buying it,” I say. “I’m getting less DMs, and there was no more than the usual crowd of fans waiting after the game tonight. If you wanted to stop early so you could go on an actual date, I get it.”
She sighs. “With my track record, I think I’m better off single.”
No way I’m arguing with that. Serena has the worst taste in men, but I can’t help pushing it. “Still,” I tease, unable to stop myself from leaning closer, riding high on the buzz of whiskey shots and winning, wanting to feel her warmth against me. “No real dates. No hookups. No fun.”
She gives me a dry look. “If you mean sex, Chase. I can live without it. It’s overrated.”
“What?” The word falls out of my mouth on an exhale.
“Oh, come on. Mind-blowing sex is a myth. It’s something movies invented to sell tickets and give women unrealistic expectations.”
There’s a pause where I just stare at her, my brain short-circuiting. I’m aware we’re moving into uncharted territory. We’ve never talked sex before. And yet I can’t stop myself.“Serena Hayes, are you seriously telling me you’ve never had good sex?”
Her smile fades and she draws her lower lip between her teeth. “Define ‘good’?” she says, voice quiet.
And fuck if I don’t want to pummel Ryan and every other selfish prick of an ex for not worshipping Serena’s body and showing her how good that should feel.
She lets out a small hollow laugh. “I guess anyone who has to ask you to define good sex probably hasn’t had it. How sad is that?”
“I mean… yeah… pretty sad. I might not be very good at the long-term thing, but I know how to make sure a woman never has to ask that question,” I reply.
“So I should sleep with you, is that what you’re saying?” She laughs at her own joke, but suddenly I’m hyper-aware of how close our bodies are. How we’re lying on my bed, alone, in the semi-darkness. And I’m drinking in how beautiful she is—her cheeks flushed from the mention of sex, her lips so damn close to mine. All I can think about is that kiss on the sidelines earlier and how much I want to do it again. Except that’s against the rules. No kissing except in public. No falling for each other. That’s what we both agreed. That’s what Serena expects from me.
“I’m just saying it’s a damn shame no one’s treated you the way you deserve,” I say quietly, my voice rougher than I mean it to be.
Her eyes lock with mine, and then she looks away quickly, tucking a strand of loose hair behind her ear. It feels like we’re dancing on a tightrope. One wrong move and it’s over. Not just this moment. But maybe our friendship, too. I won’t risk it. Not when I can’t give her the future she wants. I draw in a slow breath and let the silence settle around us. Inside, my pulse hammers, my body hyper-aware of hers just inches away.Everything in me is begging to give in. To feel her beneath me, around me, to hear my name on her lips in the dark.
“I should go back to the spare room,” she whispers into the silence.
“Two more minutes,” I reply, before I can stop myself. I can’t lie to myself anymore. I want Serena. I want to kiss every curve, explore every inch, make her feel worshipped and wanted in a way she’s never known. The way she deserves.
But I can’t…
THIRTEEN
SERENA
ELLE:Obsessed with seeing you and Chase all over my feed!
ELLE:You look so hot!
SERENA:You remember it’s fake, right?
ELLE:Do you? I still remember your acting skills from the school play, don’t forget! You were so terrible, everyone thought you were doing it on purpose for comical effect.
SERENA:You’re starting to sound like Liv. Everything is going according to plan!
ELLE:Liv is worried about you? Now I definitely am!
Something is different. The thought nudges and pesters until finally I’m pulled from sleep. I keep my eyes closed but stretch out my arm. It’s lying on something solid and warm. The same solid warmth that my body is pressed to and my leg hooked around.
It almost feels like I’m?—
Reality hits with a jolt as I realize what that something is.
Chase.