Page 43 of Ride By Your Side

Goosebumps prickle along my skin, following the movement as a mounting pressure builds between my thighs. I know it’snothing but a simple touch to the arm, but it’s definitely doing things to my body.

“Probably not, but when have I ever been known to make good choices?” I ask, pulling my bottom lip between my teeth.

He drops his hand. “Well, it’s a good thing I am,” he says, sliding to the side and breaking all contact between us. “You’re my sister’s best friend, and I’m your new roommate. We can’t complicate things.”

Just like that, it feels as though a bucket of cold water has been dumped over me, and I let out a visible breath. He’s right, I know he is, but that doesn’t mean I like it. If he had let it happen, I easily would’ve let things go way too far. I would have let him do whatever he wanted to me—no questions asked.

“Yeah, no, you’re right.” I sigh, nodding as I close my eyes, willing my heart to return to a normal pace.

“I’m going to, uh,” he says, pointing over his shoulder with his thumb, “head into my room, but let me know if you need anything, and feel free to make yourself at home.”

I’m honestly not sure what to say to that. I place my hands on my hips and nod, watching as he calls Bubba to follow him.

Once his door shuts, I cover my face with my hands and slowly drag them down. I really need to pull myself together because if I can’t control these raging hormones, I’m screwed. I know I can always land back at my parents’ house if it comes to that, but that’s the last place I want to end up.

Plus, how hard can it really be to not flirt with Miles Bennett?

26

Miles

Iplacemyphonefacedown on the desk and let my head fall into my hands, my fingers digging into my temples as I scrub at my face. Even though I’ve made an appointment with a lawyer in the next town over to try to keep things under wraps, it’s still hard to believe I got myself into this mess in the first place.

Not only am I way behind on all my book keeping duties here at work, but I actually let myself contemplate having sex with Veronica Prescott last night. There’s even a small part of me thatstillwants to say it’s fine—sheismy wife, after all, and it wouldn’t have to mean anything. But I can’t do that. I have to be smart about this, even if my dick keeps trying to convince me otherwise.

It took a second shower last night to get my body under control, even if it ended with me fucking my hand to rid myself not just of the tension, but the temptation as well. Too bad itdidn’t work, since it was her face in my mind that I ultimately came to.

I just need to stay strong. Eventually, she’ll move out, and our marriage will be annulled, but the tension between us will still linger. With my sister back in Evergreen for good, there’s no avoiding the fact that Veronica and I will run into each other more often than not. We’re just one big mistake waiting to happen, and I refuse to let us walk into yet another one.

“Knock, knock,” a voice I know all too well calls out, as they rap a few times on my office door.

“Come in,” I yell to Blair as she opens the door and makes herself comfortable, setting her bag on my desk, and sits in the chair directly across from me.

“I brought lunch,” she says, holding up a white paper bag before also setting it down between us.

I raise an eyebrow. “Why do I feel like this is going to cost me something?”

She lets out a soft gasp, covering her heart with her palm. “Miles! Why would you ever think that?” She plays along, doing her best to look offended, though a smile peeks through. “Can’t a girl just bring her big brother lunch without any expectations?”

“With a normal sister, yes, but I know you. So, what’s up? What do you need now?” I ask, reaching forward to pull out the sandwich she must have picked up from Simon’s Deli.

At least she knows me well enough to know my order, I think to myself as I carefully unwrap my Italian sandwich.

“Okay, so you know how I just purchased the old building on Main Street?” she asks, and I nod for her to continue.

Most of our reunion after arriving home had centered around the trip and the whirlwind events that led to our wedding. But Veronica and I did our best to steer the conversation back to Blair and Ford. That’s when they officially announced they were together—and Blair shared even more exciting news. She’d beenworking with Mary-Beth, the town’s realtor, to purchase the old model train store and turn it into her very own photography studio.

“I’ve officially gotten the keys and the green light to get started, and could really use some extra hands. Any chance you’d be willing to be one of them?” she asks, linking her fingers pleadingly and holding them under her chin.

“And by ‘helping hand,’ what exactly would that entail?” I ask before lifting the sandwich to my lips and taking a bite. Obviously, I’ll help her with whatever is needed, but I want to know exactly what I'm getting myself into before I formally agree.

“Well, I’m not sure if you’ve seen the place recently, but the inside is pretty gross and filled with tons of old shelves and tables. So, first, I’ll probably need your and Ford’s help to get all that moved out.”

I try to resist rolling my eyes, knowing exactly what comes with working with Ford, but I keep my mouth shut as she goes on.

“And then after that, I plan to do some painting, but Ronnie has already agreed to help with that side of things…” She casually waves her hand.

“So, what you’re saying is that you need me for all the dirty work, and you and Vee get to do all the fun, easy stuff?”

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