Page 100 of Spies Don’t Fall for Their Best Friend

After the intelligence operative reveal and tonight’s confession, she deserves one experience with me that is simple, uncomplicated, and perfectly designed entirely around her.

I can do that.

Then Reese smiles at me—the same smile I’ve loved for five years, except now I’m allowed to hope it might mean something new.

CHAPTER 18

THE DATE THE UNIVERSE PLANNED

REESE

At three twenty-six on Saturday afternoon, I hurry down the stairs to where Charlie is in our living room, and say, “How do I look?” I’m wearing a soft green blouse that I’ve got tucked into my fancy jeans, a honeycomb-shaped necklace, ankle boots, and a cropped, faux-suede jacket.

“Adorable,” Charlie says. “Do you know where you’re going?”

“Nope. No matter how many perfectly legitimate methods I’ve used to extract information from Miles, he hasn’t given up any clues. That man has an unfair advantage by being trained to withhold information. All he told me was to wear pants, comfortable shoes, and a light jacket.”

Charlie looks down at my ankle boots. “Are those comfortable?”

I shrug. “I’ve worn them for entire school days, so I’m sure they’re close enough.” I pause a second, then say, “So, Owen’s in Philadelphia this weekend, and you’ve got the apartment all to yourself… what are you going to do tonight?”

“I really wanted to watch a romantic comedy.”

“Oh, yeah? Which one?”

“It’s new. It’s called My Roommate Finally Dates the Spy She’s Been in Love with for Years. But I couldn’t talk Miles into wearing a button cam and being on comms.”

I throw her a look. “I haven’t been in love with him for years.”

She just raises an eyebrow.

“I’m not saying I haven’t been,” I add. “I’m saying the timeline is currently under investigation.”

The doorbell rings, and I let out a sound that’s kind of a cross between an eep! and a squeal—a sound I don’t think I’ve ever made before.

Charlie just grins like she’s been waiting years for this exact moment. “It’s your boyfriend.”

“He is not my boyfriend.”

“Your future boyfriend.”

“We agreed to one date.”

“Your probationary boyfriend.”

I open the door before she can make the title worse.

Miles is standing on the porch in dark jeans and a blue button-down shirt. The rolled sleeves expose his forearms, which I have somehow managed to regard platonically for five years. That seems considerably less achievable today. He is also holding flowers. It’s a bright, slightly unruly bouquet in nearly every color and is the most beautiful thing I’ve ever seen.

Or maybe it’s just because of the man who’s holding them. He told me he was bringing flowers—I should’ve prepared myself.

Miles’s gaze moves over me, and something warm yet slightly unsettling winds its way through my insides. My eyes make the mistake of doing the same thing to him, and suddenly I understand why Charlie was grinning so hard.

He hands me the flowers and says, “You look beautiful.”

My brain, which has spent four days preparing for the possibility of romantic Miles, provides no useful response. In fact, I even manage to forget how doorways work.

Charlie skips around to my side, takes the flowers and hands me my purse. “I’ll get these in water.” Then she looks at Miles. “Are you sure I can’t hook you up with a button cam and mic?” At Miles’s expression, she sighs. “This was so much easier with Jace and Mackenzie.”