Page 87 of The Rescuer

“You’re twisting my words, Reece. Money’s important to me insofar as it keeps the lights on, but I’m no gold digger, if that’s what you’re implying.”

His lungs deflated. “No, that’s not what I meant. I just … You need someone who’s good enough for you.” And sadly, that someone wasn’t him either.

“So tell me. What gives you the authority to decide who is and isn’t good enough?”

“No one gave me the authority. I took it.” He chuckled, hoping she’d join in on the joke. When she didn’t, he launched into his argument. “It’s just that I know a lot about you. For instance, I know that, given a choice, you’ll pick coffee chip ice cream over any other flavor. I also know that your favorite baseball team is the San Francisco Giants—though exactlywhythey are is a mystery I have yet to solve. You also think your legs are too short—”

“Stubby.”

“Yeah, stubby—except they’re not, but that’s a discussion for a different day. There are more facts where those came from. I guess you could say I’m a Neve Embry expert, which empowers me with some level of authority.”

“That’s a load of BS,” she scoffed.

“Is it, though, when you’ve been friends with someone your whole life? You keep claiming the same authority, saying how you know this and that about me because we grew up together.”

She didn’t have a comeback, and she huffed. “You’re looking mighty proud of yourself over there, Reece Hunnicutt.”

“As I should.” He put an extra helping of smug into his smile before raising his cup to his lips.

She slid him a calculating side-eye that put his warning systems on alert. “Since we’re such good friends who know so much about each other, why didn’t you come knocking onmydoor when you were looking for sex?”

Tea spewed from his mouth. “What did you say?”

“You heard me.”

He wiped the tea from his chin with the back of his hand. “You’re kidding, right?”

“No, I’m not. Why wouldn’t you approach someone you know, that you share that warm, fuzzy, safe space with? I’m not trying to put you on the spot. I’m genuinely curious.”

“Because …” He was about to say because she was like a sister to him, except she wasn’t. Probably never had been and certainly wasn’t anymore. He’d recently moved her out of that category he’d cast her in years ago. “Because wearegood friends, and I wouldn’t want to destroy that. Sex and friendship—not a good combination.”

“If not sex and friendship, then what? Who says you can’t be best friends and lovers too? I mean, lots of people talk about marrying their best friends. Didn’t Noah say something like that when he and Hailey exchanged vows? Doesn’t your mom make bones about friendship being the foundation for a strong marriage, yada, yada? Not that I’m implying sex between friends should lead to marriage.”

“Are you forgetting that it did? Not the sex part. The friends part.”

She flapped a hand at him. “I’m not talking about a drunken night in Vegas.”

“Well, I am. That never would have happened if we’d been strangers.”

“People who don’t know each other get married in Vegas all the time.”

“Peopledo. Not you and me. We know each other too well.” What he didn’t say was that sleeping with Neve wouldn’t be having sex—it would be something profoundly different. Soul-deep and terrifying, and probablylike no other encounter he’d ever had. Therefore, it could never,everhappen.

She rubbed her fingers over her forehead. “You’re making my head hurt.”

“Sorry. I guess what I’m trying to say is that if I were ever to marry anyone, it would be you, Neve.” That was his heart talking, and he couldn’t have shut it up if he’d tried. In fact, he was one big flailing failure lately when it came to corralling his emotions. They seemed to be leaking out of him like a punctured water bag.

Her eyes misted over. “Oh.”

They held each other’s gazes for long strokes of the clock, and an undeniable electrical charge built up between them, crackling in the suddenly thick air. Unable to stop himself, he reached out his fingers and lightly traced the side of her face, down her jawline just short of the bandage, feathering them over lips he wanted to taste.

Her phone rang, breaking the spell, and he yanked his hand away.

“Oh, hi, Leo.” Her eyes widened in surprise. “You heard? No, I’m fine. Yes, I saw where you called the other day. I’m sorry I didn’t get a chance to hit you back.” She shrugged and turned her body away from Reece. “Oh, I didn’t realize you were going to be at the parade. Was that the reason you called?” She nodded. “I wish I could, but I’ve been told to stay home.” She fired a glare over her shoulder.

Countering the urge to snatch the phone from her hands and yell at Cantrell to stop sniffing around—she was a married woman, for God’s sake!—Reece rose from his chair and stepped outside. Maybe the chilly air would calm down his runaway libido. Telling himself that lusting after his best friend—who was suffering from aconcussion, for fuck’s sake—wasn’t getting it done. Logic didn’t seem to have a seat at this table.

Which led him to the unavoidable conclusion that Pandora’s box was now wide open, with all his secrets strewn around him. He was so screwed.

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