Page 1 of Best Friends
Chapter One
The elevator is where everything got complicated.
Malcolm dragged me with him to the Whispering Pines Outdoor Fishing Expo, promising it would be a “good time.” Neither one of us expected the trip to spiral into the sort of “good time” it turned into.
The problem was, after wandering through the convention center for most of the day, Malcolm and I had gone into the hotel bar, hoping to meet some girls who might be looking for a casual hookup. But every girl we tried to connect with made it clear they weren’t just looking for sex. Malcolm and I had the complete opposite objective in mind. We simply wanted a quick, no-strings, fuck. We might not agree on everything, but avoiding commitment is one thing we’re both fanatical about.
So, many, many rounds later, we leave the bar drunk, horny, and sexually frustrated. As we head up to our hotel rooms, I lean against the elevator mirrored wall. The elevator is all glass and chrome. It’s obscenely bright, and the mirrored walls reflect everything like a giant disco ball. It smells dimly of lemon cleaner and cigarette smoke, and the low hum of Muzak comes from a speaker overhead.
I feel Malcolm’s gaze on me as the elevator moves upward to the twelfth floor of the hotel. I meet his blue eyes and the look on his face makes me pause. I’ve never seen that look in his eyes before. At least, not when he’s looking at me. I’ve seen that look when he’s zeroing in on a chick he’d like to bang.
What the fuck?
“What’s going on in that head of yours?” I ask, laughing. “You have a funny look on your face.” Malcolm is an alpha and he tends to be the one who leads. I usually just do whatever he wants to do. I guess it’s the omega in me that’s willing to please. Right now, he looks like he’s having one of his ideas.
He licks his lips and his grin is sheepish. “I was just thinking.”
“About what?”
“Well, I was talking with a buddy the other day.” He hesitates. “He was telling me how he and a friend of his in college used to make out and get off together when there were no female omegas around to sleep with.” His cheeks are flushed as he finishes speaking.
I widen my eyes. “He got off with his buddy?”
“That’s what he said. He said a lot of guys do that. In prison. In the army. In college. They kind of just use each other to get off.” He clears his throat. “It doesn’t mean anything serious. It’s not like they’re gay.”
“Huh.” My face warms at the idea of doing that with Malcolm. “Why are you mentioning this to me?” I think I know why, but he needs to say it out loud.
“I was just thinking, since we couldn’t find any girls to fool around with in the bar, maybe we can… uh… help each other out.”
I swallow loudly. My heart is racing as he stares at me with obvious lust glittering in his eyes. I know that his lust isn’t specifically for me. It’s just that he wants to get off and he thinks I can help him with that. I’m not completely opposed to the idea. I mean, it’s weird because he’s my best friend, but Malcolm isone of the sexiest male alphas I’ve ever seen. He has raven black hair, icy deep blue eyes, full lips and a muscular body. If I was going to make out with a dude, he’d probably be my type.
“Did you want to jerk off together or something?” I ask, cheeks hot.
“I was thinking maybe a little more than that.”
“What’d you have in mind?” I ask nervously. Even if I’ve noticed that Malcolm was attractive in the past, I never once thought we’d do anything with each other. I’ve never considered being with a guy sexually. I’m perfectly content with women.
“We could try kissing.” He laughs self-consciously. “I mean, if you want. Just to see if we like it. If we do, then maybe we can see what else we want to try with each other.”
“Really?”
“Sure. Why not?”
I grimace. “You don’t think it might be weird?”
He lifts one shoulder. “It would be with some other dude, but not with you. What do you think?”
“Um… I guess? If you really want to try that, I’m game.” My face feels like it’s literally on fire right now. I make no move toward him because I’m feeling so awkward. I mean, this is fuckingMalcolm, not some girl. I know how to make a move on a girl, but how does one make a move on their best friend?
He laughs and takes a step toward me. His cheeks are red and his pupils are dilated, probably from the booze we had in the bar. He stops near me and reaches up, taking hold of my chin. I can’t help laughing. Fuck, this is so weird. Having my best friendlooking at me like he wants to eat me for lunch makes my knees weak.
My buzzed reflection smirks back at me in the mirrored walls—eyes glassy, cheeks flushed, shirt askew. I can’t stop giggling when Malcolm comes in for a kiss. It’s just so bizarre to even think about locking lips with my best friend.
“Stoplaughing,” he growls, although he’s smiling when he says it.
I try to hold back the chortle that wants to erupt. “I can’t. It’s fucking bizarre to think about kissing you, dude.”
“Come closer, idiot.”
