Page 6 of Pinky Promises

“I love it when you do that,” he moans.

I laugh for the first time since I left the apartment earlier this evening. Not including the uncomfortable giggles that left my lips in the cab ride home. I embraced my awkwardness years ago. I’m the type of girl you don’t want to sit next to at a funeral because I might randomly start laughing, not knowing how else to react. The poor driver probably thought I was some mental patient escapee.

“I know.”

Cal leans back against the headboard, pulling me into his arms. I settle against his broad chest. His familiar scent brings me comfort and soothes my racing mind.

“Is this where you give your typical talk spiel where you say, ‘He was no good for you anyway, and he was a total asshole.’” I drop my voice, mimicking his. “And no one is ever good enough for my best friend.” We both bust out in a fit of laughter at my terrible impression of him.

“Well, hewasno good, heisan asshole, and yes, Iwillcontinue to say that no one is good enough for you. Although, I don’t sound anything like that.” The vibrations from his laughter surge through my body. His fingers dance up and down my spine, and I relax into his touch.

Silence passes between us, but it’s not an uncomfortable one. “Do you want to talk about it?” Hmm, do I want to talk about how my boyfriend broke up with me because of how close I am to the man currently holding me while I cry wearing only gym shorts and a bra? Would any man fully accept the bond he and I have, or am I doomed from the start?

“No, I just want to stay like this a little longer.” This is my safe haven.

“You got it.”

I glance up at him. There is a crease between his brows as he focuses on nothing in front of us as if he’s deep in thought and planning a thousand ways from Sunday to kill him. “Promise me that if I fall asleep, you won’t go hunting Spencer down.” He hesitates. “Callum, I mean it. Don’t do anything stupid. I just want to put tonight behind me.”

He loops his pinky with mine as he says, “I pinky promise.” However, instead of releasing it right away like we usually do, he keeps them linked together. Our breathing syncs, and my body relaxes in a way that only he can make it.

The light is shining in through the blinds as I crack my eyes open.Ugh, I should have shut the curtains before I fell asleep.Although, in my defense, I don’t remember falling asleep, just lying in Callum’s arms, his heartbeat eventually lulling me to sleep like a mother singing a comforting lullaby to their baby.

My cheek feels damp as it’s pressed into the pillow. I run my fingers along my skin and wipe away the smallest amount of drool.Great.I’m thankful I’m lying on my side instead of drooling down Cal’s chest—it wouldn’t be the first time.

I am ready to break out in a sweat from the heat radiating off the body pressed up against my back. Callum must have taken off his shirt at some point because I can feel his smooth skin against my back. I begin to move away from him, but his arm slung over my waist keeps me stuck to his front. There also seems to be something poking me in the back. I blink my eyes a few times and become fully aware that his morning wood is nestled between my ass cheeks.

I try to make a stronger effort to shimmy out of his grasp and put space between us when his palm spreads out against my stomach and holds me to him.

He mumbles, his voice full of sleep, “Stop moving. You know that doesn’t help. I can’t help it. That thing has a mind of his own.” It’s like he could read my mind to know why I was trying to move.

I laugh because I know all too well. The first time I felt it against me waking up, I flew off the bed, not understanding what was happening. We were much younger then, not fully understanding the body of the opposite sex.

“Oh my God, B, just stop everything. Your laughter is not helping either.”

“Well, get up.” I push his arm off my waist and reach over, shoving his shoulder back. But due to his size, he doesn’t move much. “You’re the one in my bed. Go deal with that in your own room.”

He groans. “Please don’t talk about my dick like that. It has feelings, you know.”

I roll over to face him. I press my lips together and gather my thoughts. I open and close my mouth a few times before words finally come out. “Okay, me talking about you jerking off when I know that you’re a guy and you do it is weird, but you can talk about your dick as if it has feelings of its own?”

“Now you get it.”

I laugh and shake my head. “You, sir, are something else.”

“You love me anyway.”

That is true. I roll back over to reach for my phone on the nightstand and see that it is already nine twenty-five. I can’t believe we slept in that late. The combination of mental and emotional exhaustion, this bed, and snuggling my best friend is a lethal combination.

“Shit,” I mumble, “I’m supposed to meet the girls for brunch in less than an hour.”

I throw back the covers and jump out of bed.

Callum finally stirs and pushes himself up against the headboard. The comforter drops to his waist, revealing his bare chest. His time in the gym has paid off. The slim, lanky limbs that used to make up Callum Murphy are a thing of the past, now replaced with firm muscles. Of course, it doesn’t help that his roommate, aka me, teaches Pilates there and got him a free membership.

I quickly discard the shorts, not caring that I’m standing in front of him in only a sports bra, my blue lace boy shorts on display.

“Am I ever going to get those shorts back?”

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