Page 67 of Unforgettable

I was caught between two insanely attractive men who seemed to sincerely want me. And not just want in my pants as I’d once thought—they wanted me in every way they could.

I’d asked for space the first few days of classes, and they’d listened to me. There was something about their listening that felt important. And while the distance was good and exactly what I’d asked for, they still hadn’t been far from my mind. All week I’d been dreading the conversation I knew they’d make me have. I knew we’d get to Friday—or maybe they’d give me until Saturday—and they’d be ready to talk.

And the fact that they were both in front of me and available was enough. I was ready to get it over with and get it all out in the open, like Hazel had suggested.

Reed tipped back his shot and, like the seasoned drinker he was, didn’t make any sort of face as the liquor went down. His fingers twitched around the shot glass as he set it back on the bar top. With the tap of the glass against the bar, I turned to Josh.

“Are you busy right now, or do you think you could stand a few minutes away?” A nervous energy ran through me, and my foot bounced on the barstool, trying to release it before the conversation ahead.

“Sure, I can ask Grady to hold down the fort for a little while.”

I nodded. “Can we talk?”

Josh’s eyebrows lifted, and his eyes darted to Reed. “All of us,” I clarified, looping Reed into the conversation.

“Your office?” Reed asked. I couldn’t watch Josh’s response because Reed was too busy taking my hand in his and pulling me from the barstool.

Reed’s hand was firm against mine as we headed to the dark hallway at the back of the place. And then I felt Josh’s presence behind me as we ascended the stairs to the second floor.

There were still so many people crowding the bar that I didn’t think anyone noticed our hasty exit. At least I hoped no one saw it.

None of us said anything even after the door to Josh’s office was closed. The silence was thick and loaded with tension. And it was a stark contrast to the music and energy downstairs that could still be heard through the thin walls. Then, suddenly my mouth was dry, and the room was so small around us.

The alcohol in my system was all but gone and with it went my courage.

Reed leaned against the wall near a filing cabinet to the left while Josh leaned against the front of his desk. I decided to hover near the door not only for a quick exit but also because I’d lost the ability to walk under the weight of their stares.

They both watched me expectantly, and I fidgeted with the strap of my purse still slung across my body.

The words I’d planned on saying were stuck in my throat. No, actually, that wasn’t true because that would have meant I remembered them. But looking between the two men in front of me, not a single coherent thought crossed my mind.

“We’ve missed you this week.” I didn’t catch which one of them said it because my eyes were downcast, staring at a deep knot in the wood floor.

I swallowed around the emotion, disbelief, and uncertainty lodged in my throat and murmured back, “I missed you, too. Both of you.”

TWENTY-ONE

Josh

I’d never seenAmanda so nervous. Her hands were trembling against the strap of her bag, and she was standing on unsteady legs.

I loved to watch her legs tremble but for wholly different reasons.

My statement—that we missed her—was the total truth and was meant to relieve some of the tension in the air. It hadn’t worked, though, because she’d gone back to staring at the floor and shuffling her weight from foot to foot in her heels.

Even filled with nerves and seemingly unsure of herself, she looked like a goddamn goddess. Her blonde hair was curled and falling around her shoulders. And the tight black dress was meant to show off every one of her curves. The fabric wrapped around her arms, down to her wrists as the bottom of the dress hovered a few inches above her knees. It did a fantastic job of showing exactly what I’d been missing for the past week.

Nothing was like having Amanda in my arms. Being able to touch her and follow the contours of her body, memorizing each with as much precision as I could. Feeling her shake with need beneath my palms was a sensation I craved to feel again.

She continued to fiddle with her purse strap, and I could hear her quick, labored breaths even from across the room. Reed and I looked at each other quickly, and I saw in his eyes the same concern I was feeling. I inclined my head to her, and he nodded his response, pushing off the wall.

While he closed the distance between them, I kept my position leaning against the desk.

Reed stood in front of her and dipped his head to whisper into her ear. His voice was low enough that I couldn’t hear what he said, but it did make her look up from the ground.

“Take a deep breath,” Reed instructed, removing her purse from her shoulder and hanging it on an empty hook near the door. “Why don’t we just sit, and you can—”

“I don’t think I can sit. Just—I’m fine.”

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