Page 59 of Beyond Friendship

He grunts before smashing his lips against mine. I try to suppress the sensations coursing through my veins, but I can’t. As we pull away, my eyes fill with tears and the question I’m afraid to voice escapes me.

“What happens after this, Brian?”

My breaths become shallow as he stares at me in silence. The seconds feel like hours until he finally speaks up. His thumbs brush my cheeks as he exhales a deep sigh.

“Would you be willing to take it one day at a time?” he asks, resting his forehead against mine, and my heart drops. “At this point, all I know is that I’m not ready to let go of this.” His grip tightens around me as clarity hits me like a ton of bricks.

For him to even acknowledge his struggle out loud is an enormous step.Who am I to expect him to give me more than this?My mind tells me to take it slow, but my heart begs for more.

“Okay, let’s take it day by day.” I lace our fingers as our eyes interlock.

“Are you sure?” he asks in a low voice, his lips hovering over mine.

“Yes,” I whisper before pressing a gentle kiss against his mouth. “I don’t want to let you go either.”

Our lips dance around one another, sending sparks of warmth throughout my body. I moan as his hands wrap around my waist, a deep longing rising within me.

But before I can act on it, my stomach growls and we let out a laugh.

“Hungry?” he inquires, his eyes twinkling with amusement.

I blush and nod, biting my lip in embarrassment.

He presses a gentle kiss to my nose, whispering, “Let me make you breakfast,” before sauntering off to the kitchen in all his naked glory.

I giggle, amused by his boldness, before I follow him in.

Sitting in the kitchen chair, I admire the way his muscular back flexes as he cooks up a storm. A few minutes later, he sets a plate of pancakes and fresh fruit in front of me and I let out an appreciative sigh while taking a bite of a strawberry.

We share stories between bites, laughter bubbling up from our chests and weaving its way around the kitchen.

Once we’re done, he looks at me with a mischievous glint in his eyes. With a raised eyebrow, I ask, “What?”

He leans forward, running his tongue along my bottom lip before smirking. “You had a little syrup on your lips.”

My heart flutters. This man has no idea what he’s doing to me.

“Oh, really?” I say breathlessly.

“I removed it because you taste sweet enough without it,” he says with a wink.

He stands and sweeps me up into his arms and carries me to bed. “Time to relax.” We settle under the covers and listen to rain patter against the window until it lulls us into a peaceful sleep with both of us cuddled up in each other’s warmth. One day at a time is fine by me.

17

AMANDA

It’s Sunday afternoon when I enter my parents’ kitchen through the back door. “Hello! Anyone here?” I call out. “Mom?”

“Hey, sis.”

My head swivels to find Nick leaning against the kitchen island eating chocolate cake. “Why is it so quiet here?”

He grins. “Because Mom and Dad took the kids to the forest.”

I snicker at the thought of my parents doting on their grandchildren, just like when we were young. We would get down and dirty, climb trees, and have lots of fun. I remember those days fondly. I sidle up next to him, hip pressed against the counter. “How was your weekend with Emma?”

Nick grins from ear to ear. “Perfect. We savored every minute of much-needed quality time.”

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