Page 40 of Shattered Dreams

What would happen if I kissed him?

These feelings, as new as they are, don’t feel entirely sexual for me. I mean, this feeling… it isn’t about getting off or fucking. This is about emotion. Connection. Intimacy.

Do I have a thing for my best friend?

How the hell did this happen? And why?

Like why now? I’ve known him for years, so why, suddenly, is all of this coming up? It has to be all the changes. The stress. The fact we’re together in a different capacity now.

Seeing him with the kids… that’s sexy as hell.

“Dre?”

His voice is firmer. Concerned, almost.

“Yeah?” I say, snapping out of it once again.

He moves closer to me, putting his hand on my upper arm. “You sure you’re okay?”

I look at his hand, where it rests, the warmth of his touch searing my skin, and then I look back at him. We’re so close. So damn close. If I just leaned in, I could kiss him and see what happens. See how I feel. See that this really does have to do with the alcohol and it’s tricking me into thinking it’s something else.

But then what? I ruin my friendship? He’d understand. Right? Of course he would. He’s Paul. He understands everything.

I take a small step toward him, my thigh brushing his. I lift my hand to cup his cheek, prepared to just do this and see what happens. His lips part, eyes widening, and I’m about to do it. Holy shit, I am going to do it.

Then my phone rings.

I jerk back, and when I turn to hurry for my phone, my heart pounding, I find Paul staring at me confused but also… is that disappointment?

My phone is on the kitchen island. It’s my mother.

“Hey,” I answer, breathless by the time I reach the kitchen, before the last ring.

“Hi, Daddy!”

“Rylee, sweetie, what are you doing still up?” I say.

“Gramma let us have popcorn while we watched a scary movie!”

“Oh yeah? A scary one?”

“Yes. It was called Monster House and guess what?”

“What?”

“The house was alive!”

“Whoa, that’s so scary.”

“I know! But I only got scared one time, but Maddox told me it was just a movie and there was nothing to be scared of.”

“And he’d be right.”

“Yes, Gramma, okay! She says I have to say goodnight and go to bed now. Can Maddox talk to his daddy first?”

“Of course, pumpkin. Love you. I’ll see you tomorrow.”

“Love you, Daddy! Maddox, your turn!”