Page 231 of Reverse

Within earshot now, Damon quirks a brow. Devising a quick plan, he moves to shield himself behind the thick curtains of our cabana. I take my margarita back from Holly and sip it to hide my grin.

“I know real, and I know fake. A man who can work it right can also tell the difference, so you should tone down the enthusiasm and make him earn it.” Damon lifts his chin in an urge to keep me going as I make the split decision to bait her. “If you want to stop faking it, why not hook up with Damon?”

“Are you fucking kidding me? God, no.”

Damon scowls at her back as she draws some polish from her bag while frowning at a chipped nail.

“Why not? You two have had a vibe going for years that’s well over the border of flirtatious.” Damon crosses his arms over his sculpted chest, apparently thoroughly enjoying our conversation. Sadly, Holly’s not the only one I’m attempting to lure in.

“Damon vibes witheveryone,” she protests. “I’m not special. Besides, it would screw us up.”

I weigh Damon’s reaction as he stands waiting and interpret mild irritation.

“So, you’ve thought about it?”

She glares at me and quickly glances behind her, missing Damon, who’s now concealed behind the curtain.

“I meanrecently,” I add, covering myself.

“You didn’t pick up on that in the hundred or more conversations I’ve had with you over theyears?”

Just as Damon comes back into view, he stills, lifting his eyes to mine, his expression turning to shock.

That’s right, bestie, it’s time you know the truth.

“I’ve had morerealorgasmssolocalling his name than with any other man,” she admits.

Whoops, she’s going to fucking kill me.

Seeing this convo going into far more dangerous territory than anticipated, Damon fully perks up, his grin unmistakable as I try to shut it down.

“Tell me about the last guy.”

Damon’s eyes drill into me as I frantically wave him away from the cabana while Holly begins to touch up her polish. He jerks his chin in determination to get answers, eyes challenging as I narrow mine, and he narrows his right back.

Beautiful bastard.

Damon and I continue our wordless argument as Holly cluelessly runs polish along her flawed nail. I lift my sunglasses to telepathically wage war.

Get out, Damon. You’re crossing a line!

I give no fucks.

She’ll never forgive me!

He lifts his chin in prompt. Ask her something else.

This has already gone too far!

A jerk of his chin.Ask her!

“I love him so damned much,” Holly offers as my chest seizes. “He’s the only man other than our dads that Itruly respectin this world, and that’s so hard to come by. He’s also the only man I’m brutally honest with—about everythingbutmy feelings for him. Even if he was game, I can’t gamble our lifelong friendship for an easy O.”

“That’s if he’s even capable,” I taunt as his honey eyes flare.

“True. God, what if he can’t carry his weight? What if I risk us for nothing because he’s horrible in bed?”

Damon’s indignant shift in posture and matching glare has me pressing my lips together.

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