My gaze darts everywhere while I try to pull the pieces of the puzzle that is Duke Bennett together. My heart begs me to dig as deep as I possibly can into all of this and uncover Duke’s secret obsession with me, but my head, and the paper on the table, suggests that he’s only done it to help with the list.
Except … maybe it does mean something. Now that we’ve paused at the top of the wheel, there’s nothing but glorious, golden sunlight splattered across the cornflower sky, drenching me in the sweet warmth of Rory’s revelation.
Maybe all these polarities in the way Duke acts towards me, the disorientating switches between hot and cold, aren’t just part of his nature. Sure, I don’t miss the way he’s always looking to keep a barrier between us, or the way he never touches me first if he can help it, or how he always finds subtle ways to remind me that I’m Wyatt’s little sister – I’m always Baby Hensley, for God’s sake.
But I also didn’t make up the fury in his eyes when I’d been hurt the other night, or how he kissed my head when he thought I was still asleep, or the way he watched me like I’d hung the moon as we swayed in his grandmother’s living room.
Orthe way he groaned with a primal kind of pleasure as he sleepily ground his hard length against my ass yesterday morning. No, I can still hear that loud and clear in my mind, and I’ll probably be replaying the sound as I let my hand drift between my thighs tonight.
My smile threatens to explode.
‘Just to confirm, we’re talking about Duke, right?’ Fliss checks.
Rory just rolls her lips and glances at me.
‘He … might have been helping me too.’
Fliss’s jaw drops as Rory jiggles again in her seat, clapping her hands together with too much glee in her eyes.
‘Asfriends, obviously. I’m sure Sawyer or Wolfman would have offered to do the same,’ I say, even though I’m not convincing anyone, including myself.
Fliss tuts. ‘Cherry, haven’t you readanyof the romance books I’ve been recommending? We all know that anyone who has to persuade others that they’rejustfriends, are neverjustfriends.’
‘She’s right.’ Rory folds her arms on the table. ‘Just like when I snogged Wyatt that time to make his stupid ex jealous – told him I was helping him out as a friend. What a load of bullshit.’
‘Seriously?’ Fliss snorts. As do I, because I can remember that night vividly, the rest of our group watching them act as if they weren’t besotted with each other as they shared one of the most passionate kisses I’ve ever seen.
‘I was drunk, scorned, and jealous – not a good combination.’ Rory tosses her copper waves behind her shoulders. ‘Anyway, can we please return to Cherry and Duke?’
‘Yeah, so what’s next for you two?’ Fliss squints at the list. ‘Wild swimming or shower sex?’
‘He’s not helping me with the sexual stuff!’ I shout, announcing to the whole café who don’t even pretend not to hear me as people on the other tables turn to glare at us.
Rory holds up a hand and mouthssorry, then leans further into the table, Fliss following. She keeps her voice hushed and adds with a wink, ‘Yet.’
My only response is to groan, hide my face under my hands and slide down in my chair. They’re incorrigible. But I love it.
‘Hey, look.’ Rory reaches over to give me a nudge. ‘We’re only teasing you.However, I am serious about Duke asking me to distract the others. I’m not trying to betray his confidence, but I think if you guys enjoy spending time together, then you should do more of it. Regardless of what anyone – aka Wyatt – might think.’
I separate my fingers, allowing me to peek through. My gaze flicks between my two friends as I mull over Rory’s words.
Sometimes it’s like Duke and I are constantly in this game of push and pull. We can’t help but gravitate towards the other, always in each other’s orbit – like binary stars. Yet, when one gets too close, the other withdraws, as if the pull between us is too much. But maybe it’s more like tug of war. There’s a clear line between us that neither are ready to cross first, so we’re always gently tugging the other closer, then retreating as they do, hoping they’ll be first to fall.
All I know is that I’ve been slacking in this game. And I think it’s time I finally become this strong woman I’m so obsessed with being and pull a little harder.
Because I’m going to make Duke cross that line.
20
Duke
‘Duke, seriously, where the hell are we going?’ Cherry asks for the hundredth time since we parked across the street from Willow Ridge High. She dubiously scans the football field as we race past, her hand wrapped firmly around mine as I lead her to where the next item on her bucket list awaits on a Thursday night.
I’d offered out a hand to help her get down from my truck – whatever I can do to touch her somehow, even if it is brief and swept off as just a bit of chivalry. The cool slide of her fingers across my palm sent shivers skittering across my skin, and then she just never let go. Her fingers shuffled about and eventually slipped between mine, pulsing as her grip tightened. I just wanted to pause and marvel at the way the gaps between my fingers seem so perfectly formed to fit hers.
‘Patience, Baby Hensley, we’re almost there.’ I flash her an irksome grin, to which she rolls her eyes.
‘Do you know what this reminds me of?’ Cherry asks. Silvery moonlight rains down on the apple of her cheeks
