Page 33 of Never Kiss Your Brother's Best Friend

He was honest with me, so it’s time for me to do the same. But whenever I think of telling him that I liked him back then too, I'm speechless.

Me, who is known around this town for being to talk to anybody, any day, anywhere at the drop of a hat. Me, who makes conversation with every person I meet...

For once, I can’t think of a word to say.

Chapter fourteen

STERLING

Emma keeps looking at me like she’s going to say something, but she never does. It's like she's holding herself back, keeping a distance between us. At first, I thought she was just tired after the long day we’ve had, but she's acting a little weird. She's not her usual bubbly self.

I shouldn't have told her that I had a crush on her. After it slipped out, I thought it might make for a good segue into what I really want to say, but that's not how it worked out. All I did was make things awkward between us. She seems overwhelmed by it.

When we're done cleaning, she excuses herself to the restroom and I gather Buddy's leash, ready to take him outside for his last potty break before the night is over. The sun has set, and the street outside looks quiet from the window.

"Come on, Buddy," I tell him, tugging on the leash. "Let's go out for a walk."

Buddy doesn't need to be told twice. He follows after me eagerly, his tail wagging with excitement. He leads me toward the front entrance, but as my hands press against the door, Emma's voice comes from behind me.

"Hey, Sterling, got a sec?" she says, breaking the silent treatment she's been giving me, whether she meant to or not."

"Sure," I reply, turning around. "Is everything okay?"

She smirks and then jingles her keys in front of me. But I don’t get it.

When I just blink at her, she says, "You're an idiot, do you know that? I'm jiggling my keys. You know, like in the movie?"

I laugh, trying to play it cool. "Oh, I see. So, what happens next? Do I kiss you?"

Her playful expression turns into a mischievous grin. "Well, if you want to stick to the script."

My mouth goes dry, and I can't move a muscle. My mind is a garbled mess, and I can't seem to form a coherent thought.

There's this tension between us that's been there for so long. And now that it's out in the open, I'm not sure what to do... I feel like a twelve-year-old boy playing spin the bottle, and it just landed on me.

But then I tell my twelve-year-old self this is my chance and I'm not passing up the most beautiful girl I've even seen. I lean in slowly and kiss her. It's soft and sweet, and my heart thunders in my chest. The moment her lips meet mine, something inside me shifts, and an intense desire for more floods through me.

Emma seems hesitant at first, like she's not completely sure about what we're doing, even though it was her idea. But when I bring my hands up to the side of her face, gently tracing her cheek with my fingertips, her lips part.

And that's all the permission I need.

I take the lead, deepening the kiss and pulling her close. Her hands slide up my chest, and the delicious weight of her body pressed against mine takes my heart to a higher gear.

I start guiding her toward the wall, the heat of the moment taking over, when she suddenly flips our positioning and presses me up against it, pinning my body with hers. The shock of her unexpected assertiveness sends a jolt through me.

That was extremely pleasant. More, please and thank you.

This whole thing feels unreal. It isn’t just a fantasy, it's happening. Emma and I have been friends for ages. And although I've longed for this moment a thousand times, I didn't know it could feel this good.

Particularly the part about her pressing me up against the wall.

But now that we’re here, it's so right.

She checks every box I could desire in a woman. The only problem is that she’s in the “best friend’s sister category.” I could definitely do without that complication.

But everything else? Absolutely.

And now there’s a bonus—the taste of her lips on mine. It’s a mix of fruit and something more subtle, making me want to go back for more until I can identify the exact flavor.

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