Page 80 of Butter My Biscuit

Her cell phone lights her face in the darkness, and she takes a few steps forward, then looks up at the open window. “Did you just climb down from there?”

Neither of us answers her, and I stand up, giving Harrison my hand and pulling him. Then, we take off running like the wind is carrying us. We make it to the truck, breathless, laughing. Just like we used to do as teenagers when we played pranks on his siblings.

“Shit,” he huffs, opening my door, and I climb in. I sit, facing him, pulling him closer to me.

“We’re going to be squashing rumors for a month,” I mutter as he positions himself between my legs.

“When it comes to you, I don’t give a fuck.” Then, he’s kissing me, only pulling away to buckle my seat belt. “Let’s go. My place or yours?”

“Mine,” I whisper. “Safer.”

On the way there, Harrison and I talk about the engagement, but the cute-as-fuck smirk on his face and the sparkle in his eye never fade.

Once we’re inside, I lock the door, pushing him against it, claiming his mouth all over again.

“I want to do this forever,” he whispers.

“Really?” I ask, kissing him, and he pulls away.

“You don’t?” he asks.

“What?” I pull away.

“You’re already trying to figure out how to move on.”

“Of course I am. You’re not?” I search his face.

“No.” He’s firm in his answer. “I don’t have an inkling of doubt when it comes to you and me and what we could have. But you’re already wondering how this will end without giving it a proper beginning.”

I open my mouth, then close it because he’s right. “Isn’t that what everyone does?”

“No.” He shakes his head. “It’s not.”

I grab his hand. “Ihavebeen having second doubts, knowing this can’t possibly end well. The sex is great—the best I’ve ever, ever had. But our friendship is better. When best friends who know every single thing about the other decide to get together, sex usuallyruinsthe friendship.”

“Not subscribing to that bullshit. Youcanhave your cake and eat it too, Grace. But you don’t believe that, and you’re not sure. And I told myself that if I ever crossed the line with you, you’d have to be sureIwas what you wanted.” He shakes his head.

“Because you’re scared I’ll fall in love with you?” I ask, knowing why he created the rules he had.

His brows crease, and he shakes his head. “No, because I’m scared of falling foryou.”

My face softens. “That’s not what a fuckboy says.”

“Is that what you wanted from me, princess? A fuck buddy?”

“What? You wanted more?” I look at him, confused.

Right now, we’re on opposite sides of a coin, and no matter how many times it’s flipped, we’ll still be there. About this at least.

He crosses his arms over his chest. “I’m doing you a favor. I’m enacting our agreement right now. I don’t want to activelytryto lose you if that’s where your heart already is. You know?”

I hug him, but I understand this decision. Fuck, I wholeheartedly agree. “You know that I fuck up my relationships every single time. It doesn’t fail. Ever. Why would we be any different?”

“If you don’t know, then I can’t explain it to you. It’s something you feel deep inside. When you know, you just know.”

“Okay.” I take in the hint of cologne on his body, and then I take a few steps back, creating space between us.

His hair is a mess, and his lips are as swollen as mine.

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