Page 63 of You Cake My Breath Away

We all share a laugh at that, knowing she’s dead wrong. Me and Jessie would’ve bombed this class if it wasn’t for her.

Three drinks and a basket of chips and queso later, the karaoke host announces the first singer. The bartender drops off another margarita and two Jack and Cokes to our table. I’m trying to stay sober and keep an eye on Tilly’s drinking, so she doesn’t get too plastered, but each time I notice Jessie getting closer to her or making her laugh I order another drink.

The bar reeks of greasy tortilla chips and sweat from the bodies gyrating on the dance floor, but it’s my favorite place to be because she’s here. Jessie and I cheer her on as she takes the stage and tries to rap the entirety ofIce Ice Babywithout managing to hit one note correctly. She exudes happiness, and everyone who takes the time to get to know her is immediately pulled into that happiness too.

She’s out of breath, skin glistening when she hops off the stage and tumbles into the seat beside me. Beside me. My heart trips over itselfwhen she latches onto my arm and looks up at me with her big brown eyes and pink cheeks.

“You’re up next, Arch.”

“Me?” My voice cracks. “I can’t sing.”

She boops me on the nose. “That’s the whole point, silly. No one can, but it’s exhilarating.”

“Go on, Arch.” Jessie has a shit-eating grin on his face.

“Next up on the roster is Archer Wilson.” The host pauses. “Singing ‘Man I Feel Like a Woman?’”

His questioning voice echoes mine. My wide eyes land on Tilly, and she’s so excited and giggly I nearly kiss her right there. I know in that moment I’d do anything to make this girl smile like that every day of my life if she’d have me.

I scoot out of the booth and head up to the stage, sheepishly keeping my eyes on the ground. I grit my teeth against the hoots and hollers of the crowd cheering me on. If my parents could see me, there’s no way they’d be able to hide their embarrassment at having me as a son. Everyone would finally see how much of a disappointment I am to them.

The opening chords of the song begin and the entirety of the bar joins in as I start singing. In this moment, I’m thankful Seb used to force me to listen to country music when he drove us to high school. I can’t imagine the bar would be this hyped if I was stumbling over the words. I chance a look at the booth where Tilly sits with her head propped up on her hands and her eyes fixed on me. Jessie gives me the finger and I laugh, nearly missing my next cue.

After I’m finished, I head to the bathroom to splash my face with some cold water. I’m pushed up against a wall the moment I walk out of the bathroom, and Tilly’s mouth is on mine. I’m so stunned it takes me a momentto react.

“That was so hot,” she says, breathless.

Lips on fire, I snake my arms around her waist and spin us around until she’s pinned against the wall. Lithe fingers skate across my beard and into my hair, tugging softly in a way that makes me tilt my head so she can deepen the kiss. Her soft moans warm my core, and the strawberry taste of her mouth makes me hungry for more than this kiss, this moment.

Glass crashes to the floor, and like a shotgun going off, the entire bar stops and stares at the person who dropped their drink. It takes only that split second for Tilly to slip from underneath my arms and head back to the booth.

I take a few breaths and adjust the now very awake animal inside my pants and make my way to where she and Jessie chat with a round of fresh drinks in their hands. I’m stone cold sober after that kiss, and I want to make sure Tilly and Jessie both get home okay, so I forego another, in hopes she’ll want to continue what happened in the hallway.

Jessie scrutinizes me the moment I arrive at the booth, tongue pressed into his cheek like he knows we kissed. Tilly won’t meet my eyes. Her gaze flits to me for a moment before Jessie grabs her attention again, and I find myself stuck between my two best friends, unsure which one my loyalty lies with. Tilly’s face lights up as Jessie tells her another joke, and an uncomfortable sensation ensnares my chest.

We walk Tilly to her apartment, and I take the keys from Jessie to drive us home. My thoughts are filled with all the what ifs of tonight. What if she didn’t like my kiss? What if I upset her by taking charge? What if it’s not me she belongs with?

Am I repaying Jessie for saving my life by stealing his girl?

Chapter thirty-three

Tilly

“There’s only one bed.”

Archer laughs, laying his journal and car keys on the small nightstand. “You’re still just as good at math as you were in college.”

I push him and he chuckles. “It’s not funny, Arch.”

He turns to me, rubbing his hands up and down my arms. “I’ll sleep on the floor, Til. No worries.”

The nice person in me wants to say no, but the woman who hasn’t slept with another person since her husband died with his arms around her can’t bear the thought of it. Thankfully Archer, being the amazing human he is, doesn’t push the subject. He takes the top cover off the bed and lays it on the floor with a pillow, grabbing his journal and pen.

“What are you always writing in there?” I lie on the bed, spinning my ring on my finger.

Like a teenage girl with a diary, Archer presses the book to his chest and gives me a scathing look. “I’m drawing pornographic images of you on that bed. Prop your head up and show me some skin so I can sketch you like a French girl.”

I laugh and throw a pillow at him. We lie in silence for a few minutes before the smell finally reaches me. The inside of my nose stings with a noxious scent. “Gosh, that smell is horrid.”

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