Page 15 of Out in the Country

“Ask what? Everett kissed me and he wants to do more—be more—and there’s only one damn bed in our hotel room. Seriously, how did we get booked into a room with only one bed?”

“Okay, so forced proximity, best friends to lovers, gay awakening—sounds like it’s gonna work to me.”

“Did you just trope me?” I ask in complete disbelief.

“What?” He shrugs. “I read romance books.”

“Huh.” He raises an eyebrow again, and I feel my face heat. “Sorry, I’m not judging. I just wouldn’t have guessed that.”

“It’s nice to get lost in something safe.”

He stares at me, and I know for a fact that he’s never shared something like that with anyone else before. I swallow hard but don’t look away.

“Know anyone else who might be lookin’ for a safe spot to land?” Sorren asks as he takes a sip of his drink.

“He could have done it privately,” I say, but with a lot less conviction than before. “We live together, for God’s sake.”

“Weddings are romantic, and you’re sharin’ a room and all,”—he grins behind his glass—“with one bed.”

“Stop troping me.” I narrow my eyes. “Also we’re coming back to the book thing later when we can swap recs.” He looks like he’s about to argue, but I hold up a hand. “Nope, don’t even try. I’ve got your number now.”

“Why is everyone so exhausting?” he asks no one in particular as he pinches the bridge of his nose.

“I beg your pardon, sir. I am a delight.”

He takes another sip of his drink without answering, and I’d definitely be offended if I was talking to anyone other than Sorren Mackay.

“So book club?”

“No.”

“Buddy read?”

He’s about to say no, but he sighs and I know I’ve got him. For some reason that makes me downright giddy.

“I pick the book.”

“Deal.” I put my hand out for him to shake, and he looks at it before meeting my gaze. “It’s this or I hug you. Your choice.”

He places his hand in mine for a firm but brief shake, and I smile victoriously.

“See, that wasn’t so hard, was it?”

“Don’t push it.” He glances over my shoulder and I can feel the back of my neck prickle. “Your man is gonna be here in like thirty seconds. You got your shit together?”

“Do you think I should go for it? What if it doesn’t work out and I lose my best friend?” I hiss and Sorren shrugs.

“Dunno, but I think you already know what you want to do. Remove all the noise and just focus on what’s really important.”

“What’s that?”

“That you can’t imagine bein’ with anyone else but him.” I know with every fiber of my being that he’s right. “And not for nothin’,” he continues, “but there’s a guy across the room checkin’ Everett out as he walks over here.” I open my mouth to respond to that when Rhea appears.

“Oh good, y’all didn’t kill each other,” Rhea says as she ducks under Sorren’s arm and wraps one arm around his back and rests the other on his stomach.

“I can be nice,” he says, softening as he looks down at her.

“He agreed to do a buddy read with me.” I grin and then jump as Everett’s hand presses into my lower back.

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