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“Yes.” His body vibrated with his nod.
His chest againstmyshoulders, his abdomen againstmyback, his strong arms cagingmeagainst the door, his sweet voice inmyear, but this man wasn’t mine. Not even temporarily. Yet I couldn’t help myself from leaning back against him.
“Let’s see, then,” I replied smoothly. “Were you sitting with your arms around each other on the couch laughing?”
“Yes, but-”
“Did she stand up and shake her ass in your face?” I continued politely but firmly.
“Yes,” he gritted out. “But it didn’t mean-”
“Did you or did you not slap your hand on the aforementioned ass?”
His jaw clicked with the force of his grinding teeth. He leaned into me harder. “Please…”
“You don’t want to answer that one?” I questioned lightly. My shoulders drooped and I rested my forehead against the door, losing the ability to lock down my disappointment. “Please step back.” I sounded defeated.
“Okay. I’ll step back. For now,” he answered resignedly. His hands slid down the door while he bent and pressed his lips to the nape of my neck for a pregnant moment.
God help me, I soaked it in, closing my eyes to imprint it in my memory.
He moved away, taking his warmth with him.
I opened the door and walked briskly to my car.
He stood on the porch, his hands on his hips, watching me.
I raised my hand in goodbye. We would never be friends, but we could be civil. We would have to be.
Chapter Twenty-Two – Unhinged
Lucky
“She’s psychotic. Fucking unhinged,” I fumed.
“Hmm,” Hope hummed.
“Come on,” I griped. “I’ve told her in no uncertain terms there’s nothing between us.”
“Except for that.” Hope pointed to Brayleigh. “And the fact that we love each other. That we enjoy spending time together.” She sighed and looked out the back window. “Honestly? I don’t know how anyone could put up with it.”
“What are you talking about?” My whole life I’d been surrounded by women and my understanding of them was still less than rudimentary.
Hope turned her cornflower blue eyes on me, more serious than I’d ever seen her. “Do you know how many men I’ve gone through because they can’t accept our friendship?” She laughed but it wasn’t a happy sound.
“You have?” This surprised me. I knew she dated; I just didn’t think she’d found anyone worth pursuing long-term. Which was true if they couldn’t get past her having a male friend. Who fucked her. Got her pregnant. And still hung out with her on a weekly basis. “Fuck.”
I sat down on the couch and dropped my head into my hands.
“Da-da?”
I looked up and smiled. “Hey, Tweetie-bird. Come give Dad a hug.”
I helped her climb up into my lap where she stood and dug her little fingers into the back of my neck. “Mine Da-da?”
“Yes, Tweetie. Yours.”
“Do you want to go after her?” Hope asked, twisting her hands together.
