Page 35 of A Little Complicated

He hesitates but doesn’t argue. Grasping the handlebar, he twists his wrist. The motorcycle jerks forward then screeches to a halt, and I fly with it, my chest slamming into Maverick’s back.

“You were saying?” he quips.

With a huff, I wrap my arms around him, and he slaps my thigh playfully.

“Fine, you win!” I yell over the rumbling engine.

He looks over his shoulder at me and smirks, but doesn’t comment.

Then, we’re off.

And it’s loud. The wind. The engine. It cuts through the quiet ambiance like a hot knife through butter.

But I kind of like it.

The power of the engine between my thighs. The heat of Maverick’s back against my chest.

He glances to the left, checking his blind spot and making a turn while giving me a glimpse of the boy I used to know. The one I fell for before I even knew what a real crush was. My heart tightens in my chest, and I start to let go of his waist, but his left hand encompasses mine, keeping me in place.

Giving in, I settle against him even more and close my eyes.

Because a girl can pretend, can’t she? How things could’ve been different. Even if it’s only for a moment. Even when she knows it’s fleeting and reality will catch up to her soon. She can still pretend.

Just for a minute.

10

OPHELIA

Archer and I order pizza. Archer gets barbecue chicken and I opt for supreme. He’s a sucker for a good routine, but so am I, so it works. With the boxes laid open on the coffee table in his family room along with some spiked lemonade, we catch up, and he tells me about his trip, though I’m too distracted to pay much attention to him. I’m still pissed about how I had my ass handed to me on the ice by a freaking defender.

Archer snaps his finger an inch from my nose, and I jerk back.

“Sorry,” I mutter, playing with the edge of crust from my second slice of pizza.

He shifts his body on the couch until all I can see is him. “Rough day?”

Tossing the crust in the box, I brush the excess crumbs off and puff out my cheeks. “You could say that.”

“What happened?”

“Nothing.”

He smiles and lifts my chin. “We’ve been friends forever, Lia. You really think I don’t know when you’re lying to me?”

“Your brother’s…” I sigh and pull away from Archer’s innocent touch. “He’s an ass, sometimes is all.”

“Yeah, I’m aware.” His scrutiny is palpable as he adds, “What did he do this time?”

This time.

I’d laugh if Archer weren’t so spot-on.

Maverick’s always gotten on my nerves. Even when we were little, he had a habit of driving me crazy. Later, he’d push my buttons so he could get us alone in the same room and shut me up by shoving his tongue down my throat.

It worked all too well.

“Not gonna tell me?” Archer prods.

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