Page 54 of For You & No One Else (Say Everything 3)

“You don’t know that.” The words were out before she could stop them.Hormones: 1. Logical brain: 0.

“I do,” he said grimly. “If we start this, I already know where it’ll end. And you don’t want that kind of ending. You’re looking for things I can’t and will never be able to give you—or anyone else for that matter. I like living alone. I’m not looking for a relationship. I don’t even believe in the concept of marriage. I’m much better as a friend than someone’s boyfriend, believe me. This would be a dead-end road.I’ma dead-end road.”

She opened her mouth to protest that no one can know the future, that he was young, but something about his tone and the look on his face stopped her. There was a resignation there, like something had already been grieved and accepted. This wasn’t some speech from a twenty-five-year-old guy who just wanted to hook up with as many people as possible. This was something deeper, some kind of trauma that had left its mark on him.

She wanted to ask a thousand questions, wanted to tell him that his fate wasn’t sealed, that the past didn’t have to dictate the future, but she was also smart enough to know that if she even put a toe on that let-me-play-therapist path, he’d slam the door in her face and she’d lose their budding friendship along with anything else. So instead, she took a breath and nodded. He was not her client. He wasn’t asking for her help, only her understanding. “Okay.”

“Okay?” A look of gratitude crossed his face—gratitude and relief. He nodded. “Okay.” After a moment, he put his hands on his hips and released a long breath. “That was a great fucking kiss, though.Damn, Eli.”

She laughed at the break in tension and leaned her head back against the column. “So good.”

“Thank God I didn’t kiss you in front of the group,” he said. “You know how long my friends would’ve teased me about getting a hard-on during a game of Spin the Bottle?”

She pressed her lips together to stanch her laugh. “Eons.”

“Into the afterlife probably,” he agreed. “I can’t believe I lost control like that.” He crossed his arms and gave her a stern look. “Honestly, if this friendship is going to have any chance, I really need you to work on being less hot.”

She snorted and put her hand to her chest. “Oh, so this is my fault? Blame the woman. That’s how it always goes.”

“Kidding.” He put out his arm so she could hook hers with his. She joined him. “But really, I’m sure there are absolutely disgusting things about you. I need you to share those with me immediately.”

“I eat peanut butter and pickle sandwiches,” she offered as they made their way back to the door to the house arm in arm.

He grimaced. “Yes, like that. Gross. What iswrongwith you?”

She laughed. “Sometimes I add hot sauce to that.”

He made a gagging sound. “You’re a monster, Eli. I don’t know if we can be friends now that I know that. Maybe we should just fuck after all and call it a day.”

She unhooked her arm from his and shoved him playfully when they reached the door. “Get over yourself. You didn’t even bother to wonder if I would say yes if you asked. You assumed I’d just fall into your bed and thank you for the privilege.”

He stayed facing her as he walked backward through the door. That smug, pretentious smile she was beginning to think of as endearing lit his face. “Oh, Eli, you showed your cards way too early to play poker with me now.” He pulled up his sleeve. “Exhibit one:The lady wants to lick my tattoos.”

She narrowed her eyes—and very pointedly tried not to look at his really bitable shoulder. “I. Was. Drunk.”

“Keep telling yourself that, Eli.” He reached out and pulled her gently through the doorway. When he didn’t stop tugging her hands, she ended up closer to him than she’d planned. He bent forward and kissed her cheek. Then his lips brushed her ear. “I like that you want me. Evens the playing field, you know? Means we’ll both have to fight for this friendship.” He leaned back and smiled. “It will keep things…”

“Interesting,” she said with a sigh.

“Exactly.”

He left her standing there, watching him leave, her head spinning and her body still thrumming with lost opportunity.

After saying a quick goodbye to Khuyen and Trinity, Eliza found Andi downstairs a few minutes later. Andi had been chatting with Jayleigh, who’d been manning the door, but she came over to Eliza when she saw her. She gave Eliza an up-and-down look. “Whoa, what happened to you?”

“What?”

“You look, I don’t know, disheveled.” Andi waved her hand in front of her.

Eliza straightened her pajama top and smoothed her hair. “I was out on the back porch. There was a breeze.”

She handed Eliza her newly freed phone. “Did you find Beckham?”

“Uh-huh.”

Andi tilted her head. “And?”

Eliza made a show of unlocking her screen and making sure there were no messages so that she didn’t have to look at her too-observant friend. “And it was interesting.”

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