“I don’t want to ruin what we have,” I say softly.
Blake tucks a chunk of my messy hair out behind my ear. “What do you mean?”
“We’re best friends. We’ve had crushes on each other since high school. We like each other. A lot.”
He leans over and kisses my cheek and neck. “A lot, a lot, a lot,” he murmurs against my skin.
I giggle, but a second later, I try to be serious.
“Is it okay if we take things slow?” I look at him, my nerves sparking up inside of me.
I don’t want to hurt his feelings. But I want to be honest with him. For the past eight years, we hid our feelings from each other. I don’t want to do that anymore.
“I don’t want to rush into anything I’m not ready for.” I swallow hard. “After I broke up with Logan, I swore I wouldn’t rush into another relationship, like I did with him.”
I shake my head at how poorly I worded that.
“Not that I think you and Logan are similar. You’re not at all. And I know you would never treat me like he did.
“It’s okay. I know you didn’t mean it like that.” Blake’s smile is warm and soft as he looks at me. My nervous system instantly calms.
“You’re my best friend, Blake. If we rush into something we’re not ready for, it could ruin our friendship forever. And just the thought of losing you as my friend makes me…”
I trail off as my throat goes tight.
“Hey,” he says softly, pulling me onto his lap. “I don’t want that either. I’m good with taking things slow. As slow as you want,” he says. “I’ll go at whatever pace you’re comfortable with.”
“Really?”
“Yeah. I understand where you’re coming from completely. I don’t want to do anything that makes you uncomfortable. So however slow you wanna go, I’m in.”
That warm feeling courses through me, burrowing deeper at how incredible Blake is. Beyond incredible. He’s willing to go at my pace. He puts my comfort first above anything else.
My heart flutters in my chest.
I grab his face and kiss him. “You’re really okay with this? With being my teacher in bedandmy best friend? Nothing more?”
“More than okay,” he murmurs against my mouth.
“You’re sure?”
He grins at me. “I get to hook up with my hot best friend. What’s there to complain about?”
I giggle against his mouth. We settle in front of his laptop and watchBrooklyn Nine-Ninewhile eating tacos. It’s an episode from season five, the one where the lineup of suspects starts singing “I Want It That Way.”
Blake and I burst out at the exact same moment.
“This will always be hilarious to me,” he says, clutching his stomach.
“Same,” I say through a laugh.
Blake’s phone buzzes right as we finish eating. He smiles at the screen and types a response.
“Want me to pause it?” I ask.
“No, it’s okay,” he says, putting his phone on the bedside table. “That was just my mom telling me how excited she and my dad are to see me during parents’ weekend.”
“Oh, right. I forgot that’s coming up.”
