Page 13 of Mine for a Moment

“Having our real-life Serenity work for Serenity Solutions is surreal to both of us too, you know. I’m pretty sure this is what Ezra always envisioned. He’s happier than ever before, and he hasn’t stopped talking about you joining us from the moment he found out.”I hesitate before parking on the side of a quiet road before turning toward her. “Which is why we have to talk about that list of yours and my name being on it.”

“No,” she retorts. Vulnerability crosses her face despite her firm tone. “We don’t. Unless you’re about to tell me that you’ll do it, we don’t need to discuss it at all.”

My eyes widen a fraction when I realize that she truly does want this.Me. That list wasn’t a drunken fluke. It was a real consideration. “Just tell me why, Serenity. Why me?”

She looks at me then, her gaze pained. “You’re someone I trust, someone who’d never hurt me, and this…it’s something I want to get out of the way, but I don’t want to sleep with just anyone, and I just thought maybe you’d want this too. Notme, per se, but just being with someone you trust with no other expectations or pressure. I loved her too, you know?” She falls silent for a moment, clear agony crossing her face. “I would never try to take her place nor would I ever expect anything from you that you can’t give. I just thought…I thought that maybe we could give each other what no one else can. I can see how hard it is for you to move on, and maybe…maybe I could help.”

I reach for her and gently brush one of her long curls out of her face, my heart skipping a beat at the thought of having that with her. She’s right. She’s the only one I could ever be with that would understand what losing Tyra did to me, the only one woman that loved her just as much as I did. “I wish it could’ve been me, Serenity. I wish I could give you what you’re after, but I can’t. Not without risking my friendship with your brother and the company we share.”

“I know,” she whispers. “I never even should’ve… I’m sorry. I’ll find someone else.”

“No.”The word leaves my lips without conscious thought, andher eyes widen at my harsh tone. “Don’t go looking for someone else, Serenity.”

“W-What are you saying?” she asks, her gorgeous hazel eyes tinged with hope.

Longing hits me hard and fast when she looks at me like that, and fuck, I don’t think I’ve ever wanted to bury my hand in a woman’s hair this badly—pull her in, brush my lips against hers, feel her soft sigh against my mouth in the moments before I kiss her. “I—fuck, I don’t know. All I know is that I can’t stand the thought of you being with someone else.”

She leans in and places her hand on my thigh. “No one would have to know,” she whispers, and I raise my hand to cup her face, my heart pounding wildly. “It could be our little secret, Archer.”

My thumb brushes over her lips, and she parts them just a touch. Goddamn. I desperately need a taste. “Do you understand what you’re asking for? What we’d risk? We can’t, Serenity.”

She searches my face, and then she pulls her hand away, straightening in her seat. Her expression shutters closed, and she sighs. “I know,” she whispers. “I’m sorry, Archer. Just…just forget about that list, okay?”

I run a hand through my hair, wishing I could and knowing I won’t.

Thirteen

Serenity

The words on my screen begin to melt together as I read the same report all over again, trying to ensure it’s free from errors before I send it to Mark for review. Archer wasn’t joking when he told me the working hours would be unconventional and the workload varies. In the week since Theo and I started, not a single day has been the same.

Just this week, we’ve worked with the design, implementation, customer service, and various engineering teams. I’ve learned more than I thought I would, and at the same time, I feel like I now know less than I did when I started.

“I’m exhausted and I’ve never been more glad it’s finally Friday,” Theo says, rolling his chair over to rest his elbow on my desk. “Wanna grab dinner together? Somehow I’ve seen you every single day yet we’ve barely spoken.”

I hesitate, and he throws me a pleading look.

“There’s a little bistro around the corner from the office that I’ve been wanting to try if you’re up for it?”

“Sounds like fun,” I lie. Work has kept both Theo and me busyenough for him not to complain about the lack of time we’ve spent together, but I think he’s starting to realize that I’ve distanced myself. I’ve had to—I can’t be in love with someone that’s in a committed relationship with one of my friends, even if I’m not particularly happy with her right now. I need time to sort out my feelings and come to terms with our new relationship dynamics, so I don’t do or say something I’ll regret.

“You should invite Kristen to join us,” I say as we walk out of the building together. The three of us haven’t hung out together since I found out about them, but I know it’s inevitable. I can’t avoid her forever.

“It’syouI want to hang out with,” he says, his voice tinged with frustration. “You’ve barely looked at me since I told you about Kristen, and I just don’t understand why. What did I do wrong, Serenity? Tell me why it seems like I’m losing my best friend.”

We come to a standstill in front of the restaurant, and I look away. “You aren’t losing me,” I promise, unsure what else to say.

He takes a step closer and wraps one of my curls around his finger. “Are you sure?”

I nod, my heart aching. How do I explain to him that he’ll always have me, but that I’m just trying to make peace with the fact that he’ll never want everything I would’ve given him?

“Serenity?”

My entire body tenses at the sound of Archer’s voice, and I take a step back before turning to face him. I stand rooted in place, captivated by the storm brewing in his eyes, and it takes me a moment to realize that Emma is standing behind him.

“Here for dinner?” she asks, a sweet smile on her face.

I nod and force a smile as she moves to stand next to Archer. Something about how close she’s standing to him doesn’t sit well with me, and something unfamiliar settles in my stomach.

---