Page 106 of Undeniably Enemies

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Strong arms pull me in until my back is against his chest and his face is in my hair. I stiffen momentarily but force myself to relax as I turn over in his arms. Jack slept over last night. It’s the first time we’ve done that, and I didn’t hate it. Not even a little.

“Morning,” he rasps, his voice and face thick with sleep and his hair all over the place. His arms come back around and tuck me against his bare chest. He’s hard, but he’s not doing much about it as he holds me. “Did you sleep okay?”

“Mmhmm,” I hum into him. “You?”

“Better than I have in a while actually.” He chuckles as if that notion surprises him. “I was thinking about this last night after you fell asleep. You know we’ve been on five dates.”

“What?” My head pops back, and I meet his blue eyes. “What crazy are you talking?”

“I bought you the smoothie, that was one. That Thursday, I met you at the gym and bought you dinner after, so that’s two. Monday, we got home at the same time, and I made you dinner at my place, and we watched Jeopardy together. Tuesday, wehad a repeat of the smoothie, and Thursday, we brought in food to your place and watched Jeopardy and then reruns of a medical show so we could laugh at how bad the medicine in it was. That’s five dates, not including last night.”

I scowl at him. “Those don’t count as dates. We were hanging out as friends.”

He gives me a dubious look. “Do you honestly believe we’ve ever been friends?”

I smack his shoulder. “That was the word you used.”

“But I didn’t mean it.”

“Then why did you use it?” I snap and twist his nipple, making him yelp and grab my hand to pull me away.

“Because Wren Fritz, I’m in love with you, and men who are in love with women they feel they can’t have are often forced to play the friend card so the woman they’re in love with will spend time with them.”

“Huh.” I prop myself up on my elbow and stare down at him as he falls to his back. “So when you told me over text that men and women can be friends without thinking about sex, you were lying?”

He rolls his eyes. “No, I wasn’t lying. It is possible, though I suppose it’s rare. But think of Katy and Owen or me and Sorel for that matter. No sex and I promise I’ve never thought about it with her. But you and Ihadhad sex so no way that wasn’t going to be all over my brain every second we hung out together.”

“This is why I hang out with Tyson. Gay men are easier.”

He laughs lightly. “I believe that. But we’re getting off-topic. We’ve had five dates.” He takes my hand and intertwines our fingers before he rests them on his chest over his heart. “Five dates, we’ve said we love each other, and we’re sleeping together. I think that makes us officially serious.”

“You think five dates make us serious?” I deadpan. “You don’t get out much.”

He ignores that, but there is no hiding his toothpaste commercial smile. “You’re my girlfriend, Wren. You’re going to have to live with that.”

“What perks come with that title? Obviously we know you get me out of this. But what do I get?”

“Other than me, you mean?”

“Yes. Other than my grumpy, controlling, overprotective neighbor.”

“Hmm. That’s a good question.” His other hand comes up and drags through my hair until he’s captured the back of my head. He pulls me toward his mouth. “How about kisses?”

His lips softly brush mine.

“It’s a start, but I need more than that to call this a relationship and you my boyfriend. Or my manfriend since you’re so old.”

He chuckles and nips at my shoulder. “Tyson is your manfriend. I’m your boyfriend. Or lover. What about the talking we did last night? Does that count?”

We ended up talking until about two in the morning and it was some of the best conversations I’ve had with any guy ever.

“Good. What else do you have?”

“Well, we both like to work out and watch the same shows. We like the same kinds of food. We also read the same sort of books.”

That gets me and I crack like an egg. “You had me at romance books.”

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