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“How’d you get so strong anyway?” I ask when he sets me down in front of the car.
“Just get in.”
“Sterling.” I cling to the front of his shirt, looking up at him desperately. “Don’t be mad about the pumpkins.”
He pinches the bridge of his nose. “This is not about the pumpkins. I’m worried about you.”
Worried about me…
My stomach sinks. He cares about me so much that it makes me sick.
“We’re just friends,” I blurt. “You know we’re friends. Right? You don’t have to take care of me.”
His nostrils flare as he inhales, looking away, nodding once. Twice. The vision is blurry. “Okay. Get in the car, please.”
Even though we’re friends, Sterling doesn’t take me home. I try to ramble on the way there, but he doesn’t give me anything, and my anxiety peaks by the time we arrive, driving over rocky roads.
“I’m going to barf,” I mumble. “Where are we?”
“My place.” He opens the car door. “The cottage—your cottage… she doesn’t like drunk people.”
Well, that explains why she doesn’t like Leo.
“How? How do you know?” I try to get out of the car, but everything is moving in slow motion until Sterling meets me.
Silent. Ignoring my question. He unbuckles me and helps me out, his arm around my waist as he guides me in. If some random guy took me to his cabin in the middle of nowhere? I’d be hexing his ass—or trying to—and dialing for help. But this is Sterling. He’s so gentle, and even though I don’t trust anyone, I want to trust him.
Can I? I don’t know. I don’t know anything.
All of my questions float out of my head as he lifts me into his arms and carries me to bed.
“Just like in my dreams,” I whisper, my face bright red as he sets me down.
He removes my shoes and turns his back to me, rummaging around his drawer until he comes up with something—a T-shirt. A big T-shirt.
“My favorite outfit.” I can’t stop talking. He turns his back to me, still stony, as I strip and change into the T-shirt. “How did you know?”
“Don’t throw up on it,” he deadpans.
“I’ll try.” I draw out the final word, giggling. “No promises.”
That’s the last thing I remember saying.
But when I fall asleep, I know I’m in bed. His bed. Alone.
Chapter 20
Sterling
Just friends…
I know it. I knew it before she said it, but those words still haunt me in my sleep. Since when do I want to be more, and how can I make it stop?
We can’t be more. I know that, but it doesn’t stop the want. I liked walking into the party with her on my arm. Kissing her. Our video call. Taking her home, even though she was drunk and rambling.
There’s one thing I don’t like about it.
Sleeping in my living room because we’re just friends.
