“Oh.” It makes no difference in the big scheme of things, but I’m still ridiculously pleased by that.
He meets my gaze. “I’m not with anyone.”
“Me either.”
The tension in the air feels heavier suddenly, and I reach for my mug, needing something to occupy my hands so I don’t reach for him.
Because we’re not doing that.
I have a feeling I’m going to be reminding myself of that a lot over the next two weeks.
CHARLIE
For two peoplewho’ve supposedly taken sex off the table, the tension between us is getting thicker by the second. Maybe that’s why?
All I know is I can’t seem to look away from Pete’s mouth, and the urge to kiss him gets stronger the more I stare. But I’m only here for two weeks and I have work to do. That was the whole point of coming here. I don’t have time to get involved with someone when it can never go anywhere. And experience has taught me that I can’t do casual.
I’m convinced that’s how I ended up with Dan.
We were never supposed to be a long-term thing, but then I went and got attached and he went along for the ride. Now that I’ve had some distance from him, it’s easier to see how we were never right for each other. Doesn’t excuse the things he said to me or the way he pissed off and left me that night, but it does put a few things in perspective.
And one of them is that I don’t think I can have sex and not catch feelings.
I already feel a pull with Pete.
I reckon I felt it on New Year’s Eve too, even though we weren’t together long. He exudes this warm, kind, confidentaura that I find really fucking appealing. It matches his broad shoulders, and I can easily imagine how it would feel to be wrapped up in a hug by him.
Which is why I can’t start anything with Pete.
But we can be friends, right?
Can’t have enough of them.
“Last orders,” Hailey calls out to the remaining people in the bar.
“Shit. I didn’t realise it was so late.” I mean, it’s only ten thirty, but I wanted to get at least one more chapter down tonight. I glance back at Pete and bite my lip. Despite all my reasons not to, I want to stay with him. I’m not ready to let him go and not see him again.
I like him.
I like talking to him, even if we did get off to a rocky start.
“Do you need to get back to your room?”
“Yeah. Sorry, but I’ve got some work I really want to get done tonight.”
He drains the last of his hot chocolate. “You don’t need to explain yourself. I understand.”
Judging by the way he’s avoiding my gaze, I’m not sure he does though. I reach for his hand, fingers curling around his wrist. “I had a good time tonight.”
He huffs. “Apart from when you thought I was laughing at the fact you write books.”
I smile at him. “Yeah. Apart from that.”
“I wasn’t, you know.”
He looks so earnest. Nothing like the sneer Dan used to have whenever I talked about my writing. “I believe you.”
“Good.” He glances down at where I still have hold of his wrist, and I quickly let go. “I know you have to go, but I’d like to see you again.”
