Page 56 of Kiss and Tell

Miles shook his head. “No. I’m over her. I’m just not sure I should be opening the door to friendship.”

Joey didn’t point out that Miles had told him point-blank he hadn’t intended to. He was curious why Miles hadn’t held firm to that assertion.

Lucy seemed to understand. “Maybe not. But I can’t imagine it helps that your mother still wants you to be with her.”

Miles frowned. “I’m a grown man. While I don’t go out of my way to disappoint my mother, this is one time when I can’t give her what she wants. I’ve moved on.”

“Have you?” Joey asked.

“I have. Jesus, man.” Miles rubbed his jaw wearily. “I played the dumbass the last three times we were together. Fourth time isnotgoing to be the charm. Besides, I can never trust her again. Ever.”

Joey tried to be appeased by Miles’s reassurance, but he wasn’t wholly convinced.

Lucy reached out to take Miles’s hand. “Only you know what you’re capable of handling, Miles. If you think you can be friends with Rhiannon, you should be. If not, then walk away. Just make sure to protect yourself…and this.” She reached over, placing her other hand on his heart.

Miles covered her hand with his. “I will.” His fingers grabbed hers so he could lift her hand, placing a soft kiss on her palm. “Thanks for listening.”

Lucy gave him an adorable grin. “It’s sort of what I do. Romance guru and all that shit.”

They laughed, then fell quiet again as they finished their meals.

Joey considered everything they’d just shared, enjoying the contentment he felt with them, the closeness. It was as if every time the three of them were alone together, they peeled off another layer, revealing bits and pieces of the things they typically held inside.

“What do you say we clear the table and watch a movie?” Joey suggested.

Miles rose, grabbing his plate. “Sounds good.”

The three of them worked to pack the leftovers, then wash and dry the dishes.

Twenty minutes later, they settled together on the couch, as Joey flipped through their choices on Apple TV while they debated which movie to watch. In the end, Lucy made the choice, insisting Miles needed to seeWhen Harry Met Sally, so he would better understand why her couples sat on their couches for theKiss and Tellinterviews.

Lucy was curled up in between them for the first half, until Joey decided he didn’t like the distance between them. Shifting toward her, he placed his arm around her shoulders, crowding her closer to Miles.

Miles shot him a knowing look over her head, smirking.

Joey liked the smirk because it felt like permission to keep going. He played with Lucy’s hair, enjoying the way she nuzzled against him. He was debating how to move things up another level, when Lucy took over for him, pushing her bare feet beneath Miles’s thigh.

Miles glanced at her, grinning when she said, “My feet are cold.”

Joey chuckled. “Oh yeah? How about your hands? Are they cold?” He reached for them as he asked, cupping them between his before lifting them to his mouth to place warm kisses on her skin.

“That helps,” she murmured.

From his peripheral vision, he could see Miles’s hand resting on her calf, his thumb slowly stroking it.

They pretended to watch the movie for a little longer, even as they continued to touch each other.

Lucy shifted her feet to Miles’s lap, groaning softly when he deepened his massage of her calves, his hands slipping under the legs of her jeans to do so.

Joey ran his fingers through Lucy’s hair before gripping her neck, using his hold to pull her toward him so that he could place a kiss on the top of her head.

Lucy wasn’t idle, her hands digging into Joey’s thighs, her feet into Miles’s, giving each of them a massage of their own. She giggled briefly, capturing Joey’s attention, and he realized Miles was tickling the sole of her foot.

Before long, the movie was completely forgotten as Joey did what he vowed to himself he wouldn’t.

He stepped over the line.

Guiding wasn’t working.

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