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I squint into the distance. “Do you believe a girl and guy can actually be just friends? Especially when there’s an obvious desire to bang each other.”
She angles her head toward me, but the secrets in her gaze are still shielded from view. “Why do you ask?”
“You know why,” I croon. “If our relationship goals were aligned, we’d be halfway to the chapel already.”
“Assuming I’d have you,” she quips.
“Wouldn’t you?”
Grace chooses to dodge that sticky spot. “I believe we can put aside our fleeting chemistry for the sake of nurturing a connection that has real substance. As you said, we have a great thing going. Why ruin it?”
“Interesting,” I mumble.
“How so?”
“There was a group of girls at Roosters—”
“This can only take a dirty turn,” she cuts in.
I swerve to bump into her. “Get your mind outta the gutter, Peaches. They just shared that it’s impossible for two single people who share a mutual attraction to remain strictly platonic.”
Grace shrugs. “Maybe there’s some truth to that.”
“Yeah?” Shit, I hadn’t expected her to agree.
“The initial interest can be tough to conquer, especially if it becomes one-sided and unrequited. That’s just asking for a crack in the system.”
My stride falters and I slam to a halt, reaching out to stop her as well. “Is that going to happen to us?”
“Not on my end. I’m aware of the score. It probably helps that you don’t plan to date. Will you be able to handle watching me fall in love with another man?” The way her eyebrows move suggests she’s fluttering her lashes.
The knot in my gut makes it difficult to form a rational response. I whip off her mirrored aviators. A sea of blue searches mine for answers that are lost in the denial separating us.
“As much as I like staring at my reflection in your lenses, I prefer seeing your eyes. They’re very telling.”
“And what do they say?”
I ghost my thumb along her upturned jaw. “You’re stuck with me.”
Grace’s exhale is a soft gust coasting along my resistance, tempting me closer. “That doesn’t seem like such a bad deal.”
The resignation in her voice is an icy blast to sober me. I scrub over my mouth in a pitiful attempt to erase the heat she stoked there. “Damn, I almost crossed another line.”
She licks along her bottom lip. “What’s a few kisses between besties, right?”
The reminder of my foolish excuse slaps me across the cheek. “If only I could be the guy for you.”
“If only,” she echoes.
“All right, let’s quit spinning our wheels. We’re at the fair.” I thrust an arm forward to where a variety of booths and stands edge the street. “What should we do first?”
Grace snags her sunglasses from my grip and slides the shield back into place. “This is your non-date idea. You choose.”
Sunlight glints off the Ferris wheel, which pulls my focus to the surrounding rides. From experience, I recall rows of carnival games near that area. There’s a tent to our left that houses a petting zoo. Motors rev in the distance to announce the go-kart track as an option.
The seemingly endless possibilities trip me up. I’m terrible at this shit. As if I’m not struggling enough, my hunt skids to a stop on Grace’s ass. She looks too sexy in those cut-off shorts. Her thighs are another distraction entirely on their own. A visual of her legs caging mine while I thrust deep assaults me.Fuuuuuuck.
A breeze carries the aroma of deep-fried sugar and sinful cravings. The scent yanks my concentration over to what’s considered the festival cafeteria. From funnel cakes and mini donuts to footlong corn dogs and turkey legs, there’s something to satisfy everyone. Picnic tables are arranged in the center of the semi-circle formation.
