AllFreeNovel
Share Us
“Oh, I’m good.” I raised my eyebrows at the invitation that glowed on my screen.
Bryson let out an obnoxious chuckle. He knew by my reaction the exact offer of the text I had just received. Just like I could tell by the way he leaned into Maci and randomly grabbed her hand that he planned on coaxing her into the bedroom soon.
At the thought of Bryson on top of Maci, I tossed my empty beer can into the trash. I needed to leave an hour ago.
I was no good for Maci, and pretty soon, Bryson would show her exactly why I had to say no the other night. Maybe Bryson hadn’t shown that side of himself yet. He usually reserved that experience for the second or third encounter, according to his timeline.
“I’m heading out,” I said. My thumbs hovered over the phone screen and tried to text Heather back so I could get her location. I refused to bring her back to my place again.
“You’re walking all the way home?” Maci asked, breaking away from Bryson’s body weight in her lap. There was a hint of concern that lingered in her question.
Bryson sat up and checked his phone once Maci was off the couch. He was probably texting Sandra or Morgan back. I couldn’t remember the name of the leech he was with last night.
I shook my head and slipped my phone back into my pocket. Heather let me know she was home, and I really needed to leave before my drinking got the best of me.
Why the hell was I feeling some type of way about Bryson just being Bryson? I literally did the same shit, and followed the same pattern. But I already knew the answer to that question. It was because it wasn’t some random broad this time. It was Maci.
“Kennedy, you have a key?” I asked Bryson.
“Yeah, I’m good,” Bryson said to his phone screen.
“Do you want to stay on the couch?” Katie offered and started gathering beer bottles from the coffee table. “It’s late.”
“I’ll be okay,” I reassured her, and she rolled her eyes.
I left the apartment and heard Maci whisper something to Katie before the door closed. I didn’t need to turn around to know that Maci followed me into the hallway. “Jaxon?”
I looked over my shoulder and then turned to face her when I saw her walking toward me. She closed the space between us and pressed her body into mine. I planted my feet to prevent us from falling backward and let my arms pull her into my chest.
Every drunken cell in my body wanted to throw her up against the wall and persuade her to come home with me. The remaining sober part of me won, and I rested my chin in her hair. “What’s up, Mace?”
She looked up at me and took a small step back. “I just wanted to say bye. And to tell you that if you ever ignore me for that long again, Jaxon Hayes, I know where you live now, and I’ll find you.”
I caught myself staring at her mouth and smiled when she finished her threat. “Throwing that last name at me, huh?”
“I wanted to make sure you didn’t hate me,” she whispered and crossed her arms in front of her chest. She took a few more steps back and leaned against the railing that looked over the main parking lot of the building.
My phone buzzed in my back pocket and I knew it was Heather. I realized what Maci was saying and I couldn’t leave her feeling like this. I hated that she was going to sleep with Bryson tonight. I hated that she slept with Bryson the night after we almost did. But I didn’t want her to think that I wanted to stop being friends.
I walked over to her and gripped the railing, placing one hand on either side of her hips. I leaned forward so my forehead rested on hers. Her perfume flooded my senses and I took a deep breath to remind myself where I was and who was in the apartment down the hall. Her eyes met mine and I ached to rest my hips in between her legs.
Still, I had to keep my walls up and around the fact that I couldn’t give her what I knew she wanted. She wanted me to always be the guy she was friends with, and I couldn’t show her who I would become if we slept together. Everything with us would change and our friendship would disappear into feelings of bitterness and arguments. I didn’t know how to do the morning-after. I didn’t know how to be the loyal rom-com boyfriend, and honestly, I didn’t want that label.
“I don’t hate you, Maci . . .” I pursed my lips.
“You don’t know my last name, do you?” She shook her head like she was disappointed. “Jesus, Jaxon.”
I shrugged, and she rolled her eyes.
“It’s Lawson.” She smiled. “Continue.”
“I feel like I knew that.” I shrugged again and prepared my lie. “I wasn’t ignoring you. I just got busy this week, that's all.”
I forced myself to return the space between us and started my way down the stairs. “I’ll text you tomorrow,” I shouted up at her.
She waved goodbye and turned to head back to her apartment. She’d sleep with Bryson, and I would sleep with Heather. I ignored the ache in my gut and knew that it couldn’t be any other way if I wanted to keep Maci around.
Chapter21
