Page 4 of Tell Me No

He scoffs and takes another drink from his beer. “She thought I had more feelings for you than I let on.”

I scrunch my nose and roll my eyes with a laugh. “Okay. Maybe she’s right because she clearly didn’t know you at all.”

He keeps his eyes locked on me and his face stoic. “Yeah. I guess so.”

THREE

After about an hour,Anthony finally shed his skin and loosened up. Like, really loosened up. It wasn’t the weird fake bubbliness from when I first got here, or the odd cryptic facial expressions I couldn’t make out. It’s like he said what he needed, and that alone made him feel better. Or maybe it was the fact the discussion about Isabella was over.

I’ve never been one to pry, but I can tell he’s hiding something. Even now, watching him as he jokes and laughs with the bartender, I can see it lying behind his eyes, but I’m not sure how to ask exactly what. Hell, I could be making shit up in my head from being so tired. Working a ten hour shift at the dealership, then getting woken up just to slide back into a dress and make my way here has been exhausting. I’d do it a million times over though if he asked me.

After all, that’s what friends are for, right?

“Last call! Closing up in thirty minutes!” The bartender yells out with a chuckle, dragging me from my thoughts.

I’ve been trying to figure out what’s really going on with my best friend that I completely clocked out of the conversation they were having a solid three minutes ago. Whatever it was must have been funny though.

Turning to me, Anthony smiles and takes a drink from his beer. “So,” He wiggles his eyebrows. “We ditching work tomorrow or what?”

I huff. “We’re still on that?”

He shrugs. “You never answered me earlier.”

I open my mouth to finally give him an answer, or rather protest, but I’m cut off.

A man walking by to the bathroom, mug in hand, with the signature draft sloshing over the side as he moves stops by us. “Aw! Look at the love birds!” He slurs.

I shake my head with a laugh. This isn’t the first time we’ve been mistaken as a couple, but the man doesn’t let me speak before he spuing more barely coherent words. “Give us a kiss!” He yells.

Anthony looks at me and laughs as the few lingering people left inside cheer and agree. “Come on, Mia. Give the man what he wants.” He jokes.

I sneer at him. “Tony…” I warn.

He winks and leans in closer, then whispers so only his words are audible to me. “Just do it.”

I lick my lips with a grin then grab his bottle from his hand. Holding it up between us, I place my lips on one side then inch in closer to him. I cock a brow and wait for him to mimic what I’m doing.

With a half smile and a shake of his head, he reaches up and pushes his fingers into my hair on either side of my head, then pushes his lips on the opposite side of the bottle. I keep my eyes open as he closes his and try not to laugh at how seriously he’s taking this. Standing from his seat, he keeps his hold locked on me, then dips me back, making the show more dramatic for everyone watching.

The few drops of foam left in the bottle roll out and hit my hair, and I lose it. Laughter bubbles from my throat and spills out, forcing me to close my eyes and lower the bottle between us. When I open them again, Anthony is hovering his lips an inch from mine.

My laughter dies down as I stare into his eyes. “What are you doing?”

His tongue juts out as he licks his lips then he moves his eyes down to mine. “Tell me no, Mia.”

Suddenly, I can feel my heart beating in my throat. “Tell you–”

“No. Tell me no,” He repeats himself.

I can see the confliction in his eyes. He needs me to stop him. To give him a reason as to why we shouldn’t do this, but I don’t have one. Or maybe I do but I can’t think of it right now. Not with him so close to me.

Everything we’ve been through, every second and every memory flashes behind my eyes, and I can’t help but think what if?

What if I don’t tell him no?

What if I let him follow through?

What if this could be something great?

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