Page 49 of My Scorned Best Friend

She looks me square in the eye as if to challenge me, but I know she’s about to slice me open. “I didn’t. Not until the morning after you made love to me and pretended that you didn’t feel a damn thing.”

It’s like my guts spill out onto the floor, I feel that hollow.

She walks away from me into the kitchen.

I rush to catch up to her, grab her elbow, and twist her around, then mold my hands to her hips. “Let me clear up a few things for you. That night, I was jealous and drunk, but I never regretted one moment of our time together. Not one second. In fact, it’s been on repeat in my head for two fucking years. I started dating Giulia to get you out of my head, but all I ever did was compare the two of you and she never measured up. I’ve tried to protect you my entire life.”

“I don’t need your protection. I manage just fine on my own.”

“Just listen to me, will you?” I snap.

“What?”

God, she’s so stubborn and frustrating. I do the only thing I can think of to get her to understand—I smash my lips to hers. At first Clara’s stiff as a board, but she slowly sinks into my hold, opening her mouth for me.

God, she feels so good in my arms. So right.

One heavy push from her to my chest and we’re back to being feet apart. Clara wipes her mouth with the back of her hand. “You can’t do that.”

“It’s me telling you that I do want you in my life and I want you as more than a friend. I’m not sure what that looks like at this moment, but it’s always been you, Clara. Always.”

She stares at me so long that I shift my stance. “Xavier, you need to figure that out before anything happens between us again. I can’t just be your friend anymore. It’s too painful.”

She’s right. It’s about time I figure out my shit because I’ve hurt Clara enough and she’s the one person I never want to be in pain.

“You can have the couch. I’m going to bed.” Without another word, she turns and walks out of the room.

Why does my chest hurt as though she’s walking out of my life again?

* * *

At three in the morning, a loud banging in the kitchen wakes me. I peer over the couch to see Ben rummaging through the fridge.

“Hey,” I say, and he startles.

“Damn, man, you scared me.” He rests his hand on his head. “What happened last night?”

I get up from the couch and head over to the stools by the breakfast counter. It’s time to come clean with my friend. “I need to apologize.”

“Why?” He pours a glass of water and downs it, then refills it.

“I should’ve never said it wouldn’t bother me if you got Clara’s phone number. It did. Way more than I let on and I should’ve been honest with you from the start.”

He sits next to me with a frown. “How so?”

“Two years ago, we slept together.” Hopefully Clara’s not pissed I’ve told him, but knowing her, after our conversation last night, she was planning to do the same anyway.

He shrugs with a resigned expression. “I’m not that surprised. I don’t really believe in the opposite sex being strictly platonic friends. Besides, I could tell she wasn’t that into me. Hell, my trip up here was a Hail Mary. I’m ready to be more serious with someone and Clara’s not like most of the women we meet in our line of work.”

I chuckle. “Truth. You’re not pissed?”

He clamps me on the shoulder. “Nah, man. It is what it is. So, if you guys slept together two years ago, how come you’re not an item? What happened?”

I chuckle because that’s Ben for you. Always easygoing and affable. “I was an idiot and told her the next morning that I didn’t feel the same as she did. That I only wanted to be friends.”

“And that’s how you felt?”

“Only because I was scared.”

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