“Nineteen… fuck.” He pulls back and rubs his hand down his face. “Whatever, get inside and warm up. Text Nessa for a ride tomorrow.”
“I prefer my bones intact, and with Nessa’s driving skills… I’ll take the subway.” I laugh it off.
“She’ll text me and I’ll come get you.”
“That’s wholly unnecessary.”
“Please, Stella, just… stay safe, okay?” I would make fun of him, but his brows crease, making me pause.
“Okay, stud,” I say with a soft smile. “I will.” I allow myself to linger one more moment before running inside, not stopping until I’ve reached my apartment. Curiously, I sneak over to the window just in time to see him rip away from the curb. He’d stayed to make sure I got in okay.
That was sweet of him, even if he is a complete and total asshole.
Chapter 4
James
“All I’m saying, Nessa, is that if you’re going to drag me out to brunch with your friends, you could at least be on time.” I had driven through Toronto traffic to pick her up after she begged me to come to this brunch with her, and she still made me sit outside her apartment and wait for her for nearly twenty minutes before she strolled out, completely unhurried.
Those twenty minutes were pure torture, leaving me alone with my thoughts. I’ve been spending all my extra energy trying not to think of Stella, which is impossible when my car still smells like her perfume, sweet and light. Not even one night with her and I’m already an addict, chasing my next fix. Every night, my thoughts wander to her, her taste, her smell, how she felt wrapped around me, and my hand eventually wanders to my cock, stroking myself to the thought of her legs wrapped around my waist and her tongue in my mouth. That single moment has been branded into my memory, never to be extracted.
In the aftermath, I always remember that she’s my sister’s friend and I have been warned off of her. And she’s nineteen.And she’s inexperienced. I don’t want to ruin her. Not her wit, or her sass, or her fucking sweetness. I’m no good for her.
But thoughts of her still dominate my brain until Nessa plunks into the seat next to me without so much as an apology for keeping me waiting. I love her to death, but I do wish we were still the same size, like we were when we were kids, and I could smack her. Just a little.
“Calm down. They’re my friends, they’re going to blame me for our lateness anyway,” she replies without looking up from her phone. A quick glance shows me she’s swiping through freaking Tinder. It makes me wonder if she somehow knows about me and Stella, if she’s punishing me for tarnishing her shiny, angelic friend.
“Whatever. Let’s get this over with,” I grumble, navigating my way to their favourite brunch spot,Ovo.
This group is way too into brunch.
“Oh, stop looking so grumpy, sourpuss! It’s not like you’ll only know me there,” Nessa fusses from the passenger seat.
“Brave words for someone who’s going to be walking home,” I mutter, and she sticks her tongue out in retaliation. “Who’s all coming?”
“Well, there’s Beck and Hazel.”
Thank God, at least some sane people will be there.
I’m hoping that’s it, but she continues. “I think Mel was invited, Maria, Beth is going to be there—that’s not going to be awkward for you, is it?” Beth and I dated for over a year nearly a decade ago.
We had some good times, but she broke it off. She said she felt like she was dating a ghost, that I was too focused on dreading the unavoidable outcome of my future, long predetermined by my parents. After some lengthy talks, she decided that she wanted something different and we parted on decent terms, despite the fact that I was head over heels for her. We still keepin touch, seeing each other at group events here and there. After the first few times it wasn’t awkward anymore, we’re basically family now.
“Nah, Beth’s cool.” I reply.
“Good, you guys usually are, but now that you’re back in the city I wasn’t sure if anything had changed for you?” Nessa has hope sparkling in her eyes and it coaxes a smile out of me. Nessa had always hoped Beth and I would get married, and they could be sisters-in-law.
“Cool it, Nessie,” I warn as I start to pull into a spot right outside of the restaurant. The parking gods must be smiling on me today.
“Oh, and Stella will be there too,” Nessa says casually, and I hit the brakes a little too hard. I’d heard she’d been invited in the past, so it shouldn’t surprise me, but she’s never shown up to these get -togethers.
“Sorry.” I’ve got to get a handle on myself before I go in there. I’d be a liar if I said I hadn’t thought about Stella constantly since that night at the bar. The way her lips felt against mine, the gentle brush of her skin, the way her hips—
“Dude, you good?” Nessa asks and I realize I’m staring off into space.
“Yup. Let’s go.” I get out of the car and start walking away, locking it behind me once I hear Nessa follow.
The place is packed to the gills when we get there, and I hover stiffly in the entrance, arms crossed sternly until Nessa waves at someone over in the corner. I follow her stoically, like a man on a death march. I can hear the chatter of other patrons around me as we approach until the sound bleeds into that of our friends.
