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“Later this week, then.”
She didn’t say anything to that since it wasn’t a question.
He lingered at her desk, running his eyes down the royal blue dress she was wearing. “I’d like to get you out of that dress. Sure you can’t reschedule with your brother?”
Never had an offer been so tempting and terrifying at the same time. She could say yes and blow off dinner with Luke. Then she and Flynn could have wine, and make love on the couch or the bed. He could carry her up the stairs or they could walk up hand in hand, side by side. An entire choose-your-own-adventure scenario unfurled itself like a red carpet leading to a night of absolute indulgence.
Out of her dress and into his arms sounded perfect, but that wouldn’t help her fall out of love with him.
“Rain check,” she muttered, but couldn’t help adding, “I can always wear this dress again.”
He leaned over her desk, coming closer, closer until his lips nearly brushed hers. Then he turned his head and pretended to study the screen of her laptop, his minty breath wafting over her cheek when he said, “I like the sound of that.”
A thin breath came out in a puff when he straightened and walked out of her office. She’d made the wrong decision for her heart, but she’d made the right decision for their future. As much as she wanted to believe that they were meant to be, she had an uneasy feeling that they weren’t. Their fun new pastime would soon grow old and wither on the vine.
She refused to let that happen—to risk losing him completely when having him forever as a friend was well within reach. There was time to put Jack back in the box. To corral the loose horse into the barn. To cork the genie’s bottle...
Horrible metaphors aside, she was going to make this right.
Their friendship deserved no less.
“So let me get this straight. You’re not dating Flynn, but you’re trying to think of a way to break it off with him?”
Luke lounged on her sofa, scrolling through his cell phone. She’d spilled her guts at dinner and told him everything. Well, almost everything. He was still her brother and she would never be comfortable sharing sex stories with him.
“How can you say we’re not dating?” she called from the kitchen as she rinsed the dishes and loaded the dishwasher. “I lived with him! We shared a bed. That’s dating.”
Luke winced when she said the word bed. He set his phone aside and shoved a pillow under his head, regarding her patiently.
Dish towel in hand, she stepped into the living room and collapsed into a chair. “What? Tell me.”
“It sounds like you went on some dates. That’s dating. The other stuff... I don’t know what the hell that is. Not dating.”
“Of course it’s dating. What else could it be? It’s more than a hookup.”
“Have you at least admitted to yourself that you’re in love with Flynn Parker?”
She let out a sigh of defeat. “Yes. I have.”
“Any reason in particular you’re not sharing this news with him?”
“If you had a girl as a best friend for nearly half your life, would you want her to profess her love for you when you knew it wouldn’t last?”
“First off,” he said, pushing himself into a seated position, “I would never have a girl who was a friend for that long without attempting to get into her pants.”
She frowned. “That’s unsettling.”
“It’s also true. Second.” Luke held up two fingers. “How do you know he thinks it won’t last?”
“Because of the pact. The bachelor pact. Or whatever they call it.”
“That’s stupid.”
She used to agree, but now she wasn’t so sure. “He didn’t reinstate it lightly. Which makes me the biggest rebound of all rebounds.”
“He’d better not think of you as a rebound or I’ll kick his ass myself.”
She didn’t know if Flynn felt that way, but it was good to know Luke had her back.
