Page 51 of Dashing for Love

“I’m glad it was you.”

And now I’m dead, because he has killed me with the swooniest of swoony phrases.

He tilts his head, putting our lips inches apart. I remind myself to breathe. He closes the distance, and?—

“We’re here!” the driver announces cheerfully, prompting Matty and I to rear back and stare at each other.

“R-right,” Matty says, fumbling his words and undoing his seatbelt, his cheeks blazing.

Right.

I watch Matty exit, not making my own moves to do to the same.

“Miss?”

“Mmm?”

“I’ve got another fare.” The driver’s eyes meet mine in the rearview.

Oh.Oh.“Of course.” And thenI’mthe one blushing and getting out of the car.

I trail Matty, not sure what to do, and soon we’re inside with all the animals surrounding us. “Chill out, guys,” Matty says, walking to the back door off the kitchen to let the dogs out.

I pull cups out of the cabinet and fill them with water for us to chug, not remotely near sobriety. We move in sync, as though this is something we do all the time, but this has never—and I meannever—happened. I’ve been here once. Willa is the Dash sister who knows her way around here.

I shake my head. Nope. Not thinking about my sister right now. Worst idea ever. In fact, right now, in this moment, I have no sister.

Matty finishes his water, refills it, and chugs again. I might watch his Adam’s apple bob with each swallow. And I might think about how sexy that is. I might also take a moment to let my eyes linger on how his shoulders fill out the T-shirt he’s wearing and wonder what his chest looks like in person these days.

He lets the dogs back in, then locks the door and walks in the direction of what I can only assume is his bedroom. “Coming?”

It’s midnight. I could still call an Uber and get one. Instead, I finish my water and follow. Because again: we are in ‘fuck it’ territory.

The room is dark, but I can see he’s toeing off his shoes. I do the same. And when he flops onto the bed, face-planting into the pillow, I follow. Minus the face-in-pillow part.

When sleep comes, I welcome it with open arms.

Chapter 20

Matty

ICOME AWAKE in the night with a snap, immediately trying to figure out why I’m fully clothed and hugging a pillow like it’s my lifeline. Within seconds, everything comes to me.

Goldie Dash is Dawn.

Holy fuck me running.

Then another realization hits me: she’s next to me. Also clothed.

Shifting slowly, I roll onto my side and prop my head on my hand to look at her. For once, I let myselfreallylook. I’ve always been so careful with her—the old ‘she’s my best friend’s little sister’ thing is absolutely athing, romance novel trope or not—and it’s only now, as she sleeps in my bed, that I take my time.

It’s hard to believe it’s her. All these years—all thistime—and she’s been right here. Not that I’m certain she wants to keep doing this.

Not that I’m certain ofanything, in fact.

She stirs, bringing me back to the present. God, she’s gorgeous. She always has been, but I’ve just assumed she wasoff-limits. I suspected she harbored a crush here and there, but figured it was just that: an innocent crush.

What wasn’t innocent? The way she fucked herself with her fingers on camera. The moans she gave me while she did it. How she looked at me tonight as she told me she wanted to take me into the back and go down on her knees for me.

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