Page 74 of Fake Dating My Best Friend

I press my palm to his temple, then mine, then back to his again. I need double, triple, quadruple-checking.

He takes my hand away, but instead of releasing it, his fingers tighten around my wrist. In one swift movement, he tugs me toward him, turning us so that my back is facing the couch. His hand slides to my waist, guiding me down onto the couch. I sink into the cushions, looking up at him as he towers over me.

My pulse skitters. His thigh presses against mine, the solid, unshakable heat of him seeping through my skin and curling up my spine, making it hard to breathe.

Before I can catch my breath, he lowers himself until our eyes meet. One hand braces against the cushion beside my hip, the other settling just beside my head.

We’re close enough that I can see the faint stubble along his jaw, count each of his eyelashes, and feel the warmth radiating from his body. He’s everywhere, crowding my senses, stealing my breath. My stomach flips hard, sharp, and sudden.

“I’m not delirious. Peachie.” His grip on the cushion tightens. “And I know exactly what I’m doing.”

“This is breaking our friendship pact,” I whisper.

His arm flexes as he leans closer.

“So?”

He tilts my chin up with one finger, coaxing my gaze to his like he needs me to see him. The storm in his gaze steals the air from my lungs. His eyes flick down to my lips, then back up.

I have no idea what I’m doing, but I shift just a breath closer.

We stay still, barely a millimeter between us.

“WOOF!”

Mochi barks suddenly, darting toward the door.

In a blink, a few faces flash through my mind. Kyle. My father. My exes. I start to pull back.

Asher goes rigid beside me, and I seize the escape route like it’s my last chance at self-preservation. I should let Mochi eat an entire rotisserie chicken because he just saved me.

Saved us.

Whatever Asher is saying or suggesting is like a forbidden fruit I can’t let myself taste. Like all the feelings I’ve buried might not be one-sided after all.

It’s too delicious and almost like a dream come true.

But I know myself better.

I’ll never be enough to make someone stay. Never enough to make someone love me. No matter how hard I try.

Even if we started something more, he’d see it too. One day, he’d look at me the same way Kyle and the others did when they left.

And more than that, I will lose my lifelong best friend.

The thought sinks low in my chest, heavy and sharp in all the places I don’t know how to carry.

“I need some air,” I mumble, trailing after Mochi. My lips still tingle with everything that almost happened. “Come on, buddy.”

I don’t look at Asher as I step through the door, but I feel his eyes burn into my back, and it takes everything in me not to turn back.

“Isla, wait.”

Asher’s voice stops me at the open doorway. I turn back to him, plastering on my best friendly smile.

“Oh! Yes, Asher, thank you for the very informative experiment. Super insightful. Groundbreaking stuff,” I wave my hand. “And uh . . . yeah! Our friendship pact’s still a thing. Definitely. Very much intact.”

His jaw tightens, bracing one hand against the doorframe.

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