Page 87 of Friends Like This

“Here we are,” he says softly. Our eyes meet for a second. The slightest pink creeps onto his cheeks, and that relaxes me. I’m not the only one who feels… whatever is happening here.

For some reason, I feel bold enough to ask what I probably shouldn’t. “How do you think it would’ve been if we’d lost it to each other?”

He smirks a little, then narrows his eyes at me, his hands running down through my hair. “I think everything that felt off or wrong about our first times would’ve felt completely right with each other. Beautiful, there’s no way I would’ve been complaining if it had been with you.”

I can’t help but smile widely at that. “I’d have to agree with that.”Oh my god, why do I sound all breathy? What is happening?

He takes me in, and I feel that shift in the energy surrounding us. Our eyes lock. We stare at each other intensely. My heart slams into my ribs. I’m practically panting.

Seriously, what is happening?

“Rae…”

His eyes flit to my lips for a second. Are we about to kiss? If we did, we’d be cheating. And if we did, I know with certainty, it wouldn’t be a friendly kiss. It would be a cross-every-line, burn-it-all-to-hell kiss.

No. This can’t happen.

We’re best friends lost in a moment. One I won’t let derail us. So, I wrap my arms around him and rest my head on his shoulder, squeezing him tightly.

He squeezes me back with equal force.

“You’re my best friend,” I whisper.

“Of course I am,” he whispers back after a minute. “It’s always us.”

“And it always will be.” I pull back and quickly stand up, offering him my hand. “Come on, let’s go upstairs.”

He takes my hand and pulls himself upright. I head toward the stairs, but when he doesn’t follow me, I turn back in time to see him messing with his sweats. I furrow my brow in confusion. “Are you coming?”

He chokes on a breath, yanking his hand up and shoving it through his hair. “Yep. Yeah. I’m coming,” he says, voice raspier than normal. Everything about this is freaking weird.

We walk up the stairs in silence. My head is still spinning as we enter the kitchen, both of us quickly stopping in our tracks. All four of them are staring at us.

Aaron and I exchange a look.

I roll my eyes. “Well, I see news travels fast.”

“I don’t know what you’re talking about,” Joel says.

“Yeah, we’re just enjoying thisamazingcoffee,” Miles says.

“Uh huh,” Aaron says, unconvinced.

Sarah slides me a cup. “I know you said you didn’t want any, but I got you some, anyway.”

I take a sip. “Okay, that is amazing. Thank you.”

“Always, Rae baby.”

Aaron steals the cup from my hand and drinks some.

“Damn, that is good.”

Thankfully, the mood lightens as we all sit around drinking coffee and chatting, and I try to let go of all the complicated thoughts I have about sex, love, losing my virginity, and, apparently, Aaron.

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