Page 73 of If It Can't Be Us

Brian knows I think Vivian is hot and a great friend—I’ve talked about her enough. But only Meredith knows about my deeper feelings for her and our mutual attraction.

We take the elevator up to the 99th floor, and as soon as the doors open, the sounds of chatter and music fill the air. The room is decked out like a high-end casino, complete with poker, blackjack, and craps tables, along with roulette wheels. I immediately look for Meredith to see if she needs help with anything, even though I’ve spent a small fortune ensuring there’s plenty of staff to handle everything.

I find Meredith near the bar with Piper on one arm, and a drink in the other hand, talking to the bartender. She’s in a sleek black dress, effortlessly commanding attention as always. We’re right on time, with only about fifteen other people here. The majority will roll in within the hour, and the rest after that.

We make our way across the room. “Mer,” I call out.

She turns around. “Leo! Brian! You made it!” She gives each of us a one-armed hug, carefully holding her drink to the side so she doesn’t spill it.

“This turned out great. You’ve really outdone yourself.” I grab her by the shoulders, grinning like a proud father.

“It’s really great, Meredith,” Brian chimes in.

“Ah, thanks, you guys! Honestly, I couldn’t have done any of it without you, Leo. And Piper puts up with my crazy for all the weeks leading up to it.”

Piper goes wide-eyed and grimaces, causing us all to laugh.

While we catch up on the week, I order a whiskey on the rocks for myself, and a Liquid Death water for Brian. Brian is somewhat of a situational alcoholic, so he doesn’t consume much alcohol, and when he does, it’s usually just one or two beers. His drinking became a problem when he was twenty-two after his dad, who was his role model and best friend, died suddenly of a heart attack. That loss sent Brian into a nine-month spiral of heavy drinking, alienating everyone around him. He went on another bender in his late twenties after his fiancée broke off their engagement, but since then, he’s managed to keep his drinking under control.

At 9:15, Michael and Stella arrive and join us at a standing table to mingle. By 9:30, I still don’t see Vivian and the party is in full swing, with glittering decorations and a sea of people filling the room. Laughter and chatter mix with the music, creating a vibrant, almost electric atmosphere. Streamers and stringed lights hang from the ceiling, and the faint smell of champagne and hors d’oeuvres lingers in the air.

I text her because yes, I am that pussy-whipped, even though I’m adamant that we stay just friends. Everything is better when Vivian is around. Plus, I want to normalize things as quickly as possible, get rid of any leftover tension.

Leo:Party can’t start until you’re here. What’s your ETA?

She responds within two minutes.

Vivian:Slow your roll… I’m in an Uber, almost there.

I give her message a thumbs-up and realize just how anxious I am for her to arrive, mindlessly tapping my index finger on the table—a nervous tick.

Finally, fifteen minutes later, Vivian steps out of the elevator, and I practically have to scrape my jaw off the floor. She is drop-dead gorgeous—the sexiest I’ve ever seen her. I can’t help but kick myself a little for being such a stubborn ass.

She’s wearing a low-cut sequin mini dress. The front plunges in a deep V, almost down to her belly button, showing off the perfect curve of her tits—the same tits I rubbed, kissed and sucked on just a few weeks ago. It’s sheer… and it’s fucking with my head—I can’t tell if it’s skin or fabric, but it’s going to drive me crazy all night. And her strappy heels make her long legs look sexy as hell. All I can think about is what’s underneath—what color are her panties, is her pussy bare?

Fuck.I’m in deep shit tonight.

This friends thing is going to kill me. All I want is to close the distance between us and forget about all the reasons why I shouldn’t.

I watch from across the room as she finds Piper, every guy she passes glancing at her, their eyes lingering a moment too long. The best part is that she doesn’t even realize how beautiful she is. She doesn’t flaunt it.She and Piper start talking, and I watch as she laughs, her smile lighting up the room.

Vivian glances in my direction, her eyes locking on mine. She smiles and gives me a little wave. I gesture for her to come over, and she holds up her index finger, indicating she’ll be over in a minute.

She and Piper make their way to the bar, and I watch as two different guys approach her. One is definitely not her type, but the other is a decent-looking guy. A wave of envy crashes over me as I watch her smile and flirt with him, placing her hand on his chest. Damn. I know what it’s like to be on the receiving end of that hand and laugh, and I don’t like that it’s someone else. I can’t wait any longer. I excuse myself from the table where Michael, Stella, and Brian are conversing and make a beeline to the bar before another guy can flirt with her.

“Hey, Viv,” I say casually, interrupting her and Piper.

“Oh hey, you!” she says, offering me a side hug.

Hey you? A side hug?

She’s never given me a side hug before; that’s what you give your father or brother… or, shit, a friend. Well, fuck me. I guess this is what it’s like to be Vivian’s friend with her guard up.

“Have you been here long?” she asks, her voice cheerful.

“About an hour.” I look her up and down and grin. “You look fucking incredible, by the way. You’re turning heads as you walk through this room.”

She smiles shyly. “Thanks. But there’s only one head I care to turn in this room,” she says unwaveringly, her green eyes locking with mine.

---