Page 81 of Restricted List

I’m so far fucking gone for my Field Manager’s daughter that it’s bordering on unhealthy.

So I do what I always do when my mind is reeling—I talk to the one friend who I know can give me some outside perspective on my messy situation.

“Why are you calling me so early?” Ari asks as he answers the phone.

“It’s 10pm for you.”

“Yeah, but that makes it, what, 8am for you? That’s early.”

“I’ve been up for like two hours, man,” I laugh. “How’s Seoul?”

“It’s great. Good to see my mom.” I can hear his smile through the phone.

“When are you coming back? You said you were only staying for two weeks.”

“I extended my stay.” Of course, he did. He always does. “This week is my last week here. What have you been up to?”

I haven’t talked to Ari since he gave me the advice to just go for it. Before that, it was before he left for Korea. He doesn’t actually know anything I’ve done recently, and he doesn’t know who the girl he’s been giving me advice about is, either.

“Got back from Garro’s bachelor party last week. That was a good time. Other than that, I’ve just been enjoying the offseason. Seeing my friends. Having fun and relaxing.”

“Do anything interesting?” he asks.

“I went to the planetarium with Rory a few weeks ago. That was actually pretty fun.”

It was more than fun, honestly.

It was the day I realized how tired I was of fighting the feelings between us.

The day that I realized I couldn’t be just friends anymore.

“Rory is Paul Fisher’s daughter, isn’t she?” Ari’s voice is muffled, like he’s speaking around the food in his mouth. Knowing him, he probably is.

“Yeah,” I answer, pushing down the tremble in my voice as I think about her. “One of my closest friends, too, actually.”

“That’s pretty cool. Paul’s always seemed like a good guy.”

Yeah, but he’s a good guy who might actually crucify me if he ever finds out I’ve been inside his daughter.

“Yeah, he sure is,” I manage to mumble.

Ari’s voice turns more devious now. “How’s the love life going? You take my advice?”

“Did I take your advice to fuck her, you mean?”

“I also said kiss her,” he laughs. “But with your mind going straight to fucking, I’m going to guess that happened, too.”

“Goddammit,” I groan, annoyed with how easily he figured that out. “Yes, I slept with her. Kissed her, too. But she left right after we finished. Told me it was one night to get it out of our systems.”

“Damn, that’s cold. She fucks you and just leaves?”

“Yeah,” I sigh, scratching my jaw. “But she did let me take care of her again the other night.”

Ari’s laugh is deafening. “‘Get it out of our systems’ my fucking ass.”

I let out a breath. “I never said she was out of my system. She sure as fuck isn’t, and I’m not sure she ever will be.”

“Because she’s your Starlight,” he says reassuringly, remembering the nickname I told him before.

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