Page 79 of The Has-Been

And yet, I haven’t.

But the lines are beginning to blur the longer I’m around him, making me forget who’s really to blame—what truths I really need to tell him.

I lean forward, desperate to remember exactly what his lips feel like. They are nothing but a memory—a dream I chase as I lean up and up and up. Only a breath separates us, each of us waiting for the other to give in, to admit defeat.

What did I need to tell him? Suddenly I can’t remember.

His lips brush mine—a whisper, a taste, an electric surge.

And then someone busts through my door.

The feeling of the kiss lingers, hungry and desperate for more as we break away.

He’s halfway across the room as Reese barges in, standing wide-eyed before us.

Will she think we’re back together? God, I hope not. I’m not even sure what I want. Last night I tried to forget so badly that I wanted to remember—because that makes a lot of fucking sense, Aubrey.

I slam my eyes closed. Reason is kicking in, and I’m more than thankful for Reese interrupting. I was about to make a colossal mistake, blurring the lines between a physical want and a desire. I finally blink, catching my breath.

“Reese?” I question as she still stands dumbfounded at the door.

“Sorry! Sorry! I’m leaving—I see nothing…nothing at all,” she stammers, covering her eyes and trying to make her way to the door, but she runs straight into Liam instead.

I laugh into my hands as she bolts out my door.

When I look at Liam, he just shrugs and asks, “Are you hungry?”

It’s quiet for a few seconds as my heart beats wildly in my chest.

“Starved,” I reply with a playful wink.

CHAPTER 16

PATH TO HEARTBREAK

LIAM

Typically, Lover’s is more of a takeout place, but when the waitress takes our orders, Aubrey shoots me a look. “It’ll be cold by the time we get back to your place,” she says in a pathetic, whiny voice.

“For here,” I respond immediately.

I try not to act too surprised or happy that she even suggested taking it back to my place.

Blood rushes to my dick, and I try very hard to ignore it—reminding it that my brain wants to take it slow.

But fuck common sense. It’s so lame.

We slip into the booth as Aubrey goes to town on the peanuts. She cracks one open, throws it into her mouth, and tosses the shells onto the ground.

It took me a while to get used to just throwing the shells, but I guess it’s what this place is known for. I toss a few in my mouth, but get distracted as I watch Aubrey making faces, trying to get a peanut out.

Aubrey never ceases to amaze me with just how much she can eat. I mean, where does she even put it? She’s like half my size and could outeat me even when I was playing hockey and throwing down a ton of calories trying to bulk.

How come it’s one of the most attractive things about her?

“Why are you staring at me?” she asks. I blink, realizing I have been glowering at her this whole time.

“Do you remember our first date here?” I blurt.