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My face unglues from his chest, and I look up into his darkened gaze, thoughts racing betweenGet away from himandWhy the fuck is there a storm of butterflies in my chest?
“I slipped,” I choke out through a small, drunken giggle.
“Gotta be honest, I’ve missed that little laugh of yours.” Nico’s grip on me doesn’t loosen, and we stand pressed together for the longest time we have ever touched each other.
At six feet, he’s a few inches taller than me, and even from this awkward angle, I can see how undeniably attractive he is. The knot of nerves between my legs begs me to find out what he tastes like.
Probably like the perfect makings for ignition. Smoke, liquor, and gasoline.
I scream internally, trying to ignore my feeble body.
Nico grins down at me as though he can transcribe each of my thoughts.
Is his mind racing the way mine is? Is he aware that a brief tip of his head forward or a slight rise on my tiptoes would cause our lips to touch?
“We already agreed that we shouldn’t.”
His eyes track from my mouth to my gaze and back. “I know.”
But as we break away, it’s hard to remember why.
Chapter2
Lily
“I’m guessingthis is either a dildo or a phallic-shaped weapon.” Avery takes the neatly wrapped present out of my hands before shaking the box beside her ear.
“Maybe it’s both,” I tease as she carefully undoes the silk bow decorating the black wrapping paper.
We sit together on a bench, enjoying two large lattes while we wait for the wedding ceremony to begin.
The sun is perched high on the horizon, glimmering against the Pacific Ocean. The salty breeze ruffles through each strand of Avery’s cropped blonde hair, which sits in waves across her shoulders.
“Lily, you shouldn’t have!”
“Relax, it’s a little something from the best maid of honor ever, just to liven up your honeymoon.” I smile at her glowing face as she focuses on not ruining the wrapping.
Leave it up to Avery Soko and Luca Navarro to exchange vows in one of the most romantic places in the world. Albion is a quaint beach town in Northern California that looks like it was carved straight out of a storybook.
Below the roofed veranda, the ceremony is set up on a cliffside garden facing the water. Rows of chairs line the grass with intricate bouquets of flowers leading up to a large arch of pinks, whites, and golds.
Avery could give Grace Kelly a run for her money in her elegant white silk dress. Her future husband ensured her wedding would be worthy of Hollywood royalty. The overwhelming sense of joy and love I feel for her is practically shining off me, but there’s a strain scraping at the back of my throat.
Are we really at the age where my best friend is old enough to get married?
I could’ve sworn we just started our lives in New York together with Avery blazing her way through graduate school while I chipped away at my general education credits.
But time seems to have escaped me in a blink.
“Oh, come on, tear it open.” I wave my hands at her as she insists on peeling apart the wrapping with surgical precision. “It’s not like you’re going to find another use for this.”
Avery’s life motto could easily be the reduce, reuse, recycle slogan, but I would expect no less from my overachieving ocean conservation executive. “This is fancy paper, Lil. We’ve obviously graduated to the big leagues if we’re no longer exchanging gifts wrapped in old newspapers.”
“Those were the days.” I stretch my legs in front of me. “You know, I’m sure Luca would buy you all the fancy paper your heart desires. He may even ask about your preferred pulp count for each roll.”
Our laughter erupts almost immediately, sending streaks of happy tears down our faces. Thankfully, Avery’s soft and subtle bridal makeup hasn’t run at all, but my dark eyeliner stains my fingers. Definitely have to touch up the cat eye and my red lipstick before we make our way to the ceremony.
Avery rips open the wrapping paper to reveal a thick textbook. “Ecology Saves the Planet?” She holds the book in her hands. “I mean, I love it, but—” Avery flips through the pages until a loud gasp leaves her. “What the fuck, Lily?” She slams it shut, clasping the gift close to her chest as her wide eyes dart around the veranda.
