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“Fine,” I sigh out. “I don’t get it, Larinda. I mean, I do, but I don’t. The guy has hurt you so many times. Betrayed you personally and professionally. He’s so far beneath you as a human being, it would be an insult to put you on the same scale. Plus, how could you not tell me?”
She crosses her arms. Her eyes are doing this weird squinty thing that I think is supposed to be a glare? She sucks at being mean. Her “terrifying death stare” is most people’s stuck-in-traffic look.
“Tell you what, exactly?” she huffs. “That Jarvis and our label came up with some diabolical PR stunt and didn’t bother informing me?”
My heart stutters in my chest.
“Wait. So you’re not actually engaged to Jarvis?”
She still looks like she’s stuck at a red light as she parks a fist on her hip. “After all our time together, do you not know me at all? How could you think I would marry him after everything that’s happened? And not even tell one of my closest friends?”
“I’m one of your closest friends?”
“Duh.”
I’m one of her closest friends.
“Closest” is good. “Friends” is… not. Still, she isn’t marrying that asshole, which beats getting friend-zoned any day.
“Thank god,” I mumble, sinking back against the couch.
She puffs out a breath and mirrors my position, which leaves us slouching against the cushion and staring at the roof of the bus. By the feel of her heat and smell of her expensive perfume, we must be close but I’m afraid to look. If I move, I might break the spell, and this brief respite from hell is quite refreshing.
“Fudge on a stick, Val,” she says after a long pause.
“Is that an almond flavor too?”
“No. It’s a verbal smack on the arm. I can’t believe you actually thought I’d marry him. Why did you think I called you here?”
“To smooth things over.”
“No,” she draws out. “I messaged you because you’re one of the smartest, most strategic people I know and I need you to talk this through with me and help figure it out. Plus, you’re one of the few people I trust.”
Wow.
I finally turn my head and immediately regret it. She’s even closer than I thought. Crystal blue eyes lock on mine, screaming something in the tense silence, but it can’t be what I want it to be. How could it? Every muscle in my body tightens. Blood pounds in my veins.
“How?” she whispers, searching my eyes. “How could you think for even a second that I’d choose him when…”
“When what?” I return hoarsely, my heart thudding in my chest.
Her gaze is pleading as she reaches up and brushes the small X tattoo near my eye.
“When you’re right in front of me.”
Words evaporate from my brain. Everything… just… gone.
“Larinda…”
She pulls her hand away, leaving that spot burning from her touch. “Sorry. I know you don’t see me like that, but…” Her eyes seek mine again. “I’m falling hard for you, Val. I have been for a while. I promise it won’t affect our?—”
I cut her off with a kiss.
Her gasp becomes a moan as she grips my shirt and drags me closer. Her soft lips surrender to mine, igniting a fire that’s been simmering inside me for months. My fingers thread into her hair. Hers clutch my shirt like she can’t get enough. Our hesitant kiss becomes urgent, and she climbs onto my lap to straddle me.
She sinks down hard, sliding glorious friction over my zipper before settling achingly deep in a tempting invitation. We resume the kiss, her hips grinding in small, targeted movements I feel everywhere. Pent-up longing fuels each probing kiss and greedy caress. The way she claws at my shirt and sinks her fingertips into my shoulders exposes how long she’s been craving this as well.
She yanks off my hat and grasps my hair in a firm hold. The slight burn of her grip fuels the fire as my palms slide down her back and cup her ass in a long-held fantasy come to life.
