Page 7 of Kissing My Brother's Best Friend

The tip of her tongue pokes out to wet her lips, and I’m drawn into her orbit.I need a reminder of what her lips taste like.

My heart thumps faster in my chest as I lean in toward her lips. She closes her eyes and pushes up onto her toes to close the distance between us. But just before our lips meet, I hear Denny’s voice in my head. I pull back abruptly, releasing her hand in mine, and step back.

The frown that appears on her face mars her gorgeous features.

I put both of my hands in my pocket, needing something to physically constrain me from pulling her back into my arms and kissing her until I ruin her for any other guy.

“What are you doing?” she asks, her voice shaking only slightly.

“We can’t. I promised to look out for you.”

She shakes her head at me. “Do not tell me you are pulling away because of some stupid promise to my brother?”

“He’s my best friend.”

“You’re making a huge mistake,” she says, taking a step back away from me.

I know.

“I think you should go.”

“Please, let me make sure you get home safe,” I offer.

“Despite what my brother might think. I don’t need someone to look out for me. You should go home, Alec.” She turns and starts walking back to her table.

Everyone but Carl pretends like they weren’t just watching us. It takes everything in me not to walk over to him and punch the smug smile on his face.

ChapterFour

DEVRIE

It’s been a few days since Karaoke in the Park, and I’m still angry and confused about what happened between Alec and me. One minute we’re having a great time, and the next, he almost kisses me—but then doesn’t.

“Okay, what’s going on with you?” Landry asks, interrupting my thoughts. “You’ve been reading that same page for the last twenty minutes.” She points at the book in my hand.

I close it and toss it onto the coffee table. “How’s the paper coming along?”

“Don’t change the subject,” she says as she pushes off the couch and heads for the kitchen area. “Besides, I need a distraction from my work.”

“That bad?” I ask.

“I was an idiot to double my workload over the summer. Graduate school is no joke.” I watch her as she grabs a banana from the bowl on our little dinette table. She peels it and takes a bite before returning to the couch. “So, what’s with the sigh? Did something happen at work?”

“No.” I shake my head and tap the screen of the phone sitting next to me. I keep hoping that Alec will call or text, but he’s been radio silent.”Work is going great. I love it there.”

She waves her hand for me to continue.

“Well, there’s umm,” I stumble over the right words to explain.

“It’s a guy.”

I lift my brow at her. “You got my problem is about a guy from that?”

“It’s a gift.” She shrugs. “Please continue.”

I don’t have many friends, but I hit the jackpot when I answered Landry’s ad for a roommate. We haven’t discussed guys or boyfriends before, but she’s someone I’m finding myself more and more comfortable confiding in.

“My brother’s best friend lives nearby.”

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