Walking to the door, I let us in. The place still looks picture-perfect from when I left this morning. I never thought I’d be bringing Alex back here tonight instead of Madeline, but that’s not what tonight is about. I don’t want to be alone, and Alex is my best friend. She gets that I need comfort right now, and I want my best friend more than ever.
Alex sighs and moves in next to me as I stand in the living room, just staring into space. She runs her hands up my chest, in a way that’snotsomething a friend would do, but it soothes me nonetheless as her hands run up over my shoulders and aroundmy neck, pulling herself to me in an embrace. “I’m here, Matt. I’m so sorry,” she says, and I wrap my arms around her tightly.
Warmth.
Chapter Twenty-Three
MATT
My heart races faster, feeling Alex against me, smelling her, touching her.
I need comfort.
I needher.
My nose dips down into her hair as I close my eyes, taking her all in. She’s my safe place. We’re in our own little Malex bubble, and nothing can hurt us here. My hands run up and down her back, seeking herwarmth, but it’s oozing off her in waves. She’s comforting me without even trying, and even though every inch of me is touching her, I want to be closer. I have no idea what’s happening right now, but I take it all in and don’t question it.
“Alex,” I murmur.
“Mmm…” she asks, nuzzling into my chest, seeming to need comfort from me as well.
“Will you sleep in my bed with me tonight? I know that’s a weird thing for me to ask, but I want to have you close to me.”
Alex looks up at me and smiles with a quick nod. She then grabs my hand, breaking our embrace, and leads me toward the stairs. I take a deep breath and walk with her toward my bedroom. The atmosphere’s changing around us as we take the stairs upward.
There’s silence between us.
It’s deafening, but it speaks volumes.
I’m not sure what’s happening right now, but my thoughts aren’t on friendship.
Her hand squeezes in mine, seeming to read my mind as we reach the top of the stairs, and she leads me to my room. Weenter, and I had no clue that the bed I had made perfectly would have Alex in it with me.
Swallowing hard, we get to the edge of the bed, and Alex turns to me, looking me in the eyes. The buzz in the air is electric as she licks her lips and stands there as if waiting for me to tell her what to do.
Everything in me is screaming that we’re friends—don’t do anything to fuck that up.
But right now, she looks so amazing, so astonishingly beautiful, and my body is aching to feel her touch.
We have been friends for a long time, but the events of today have me needing her, and right now, with her standing here looking at me with those fucking adorable big doe eyes…
That feeling ofwarmthfloods through every inch of me, and all I want is for her to touch me in every way. My hands reach out and run up her arms, caressing her skin softly, and she looks down at my touch that crosses over the border of ourfriend zone. Alex looks back up into my eyes as her breathing hitches, and she steps closer to me, our bodies barely touching.
“Matt,” she murmurs, and I step closer, curling my fingers around her biceps, holding her to me as we stare into each other’s eyes, both panting for breath.
Her gaze holds mine, and her hands move up, her fingers lacing into the loops of my pants as we hold each other tight. The electricity surging through the room is unmistakable. Sure, I’ve felt the pull and the buzz with Alex before, but right here, right now, this is the most intense it’s ever felt. It’s like I’m on a high, and I’m seeing her, truly seeing her for the very first time.
If the chemistry right now is anything to go by, we’ll be amazing together, and to be honest, if the swarm of butterflies that are raging in my stomach and the colossal thumping in my chest is anything to go by, then maybe this is something that’s been coming for a while.
Something Alex and I need to give in to.
My hand slides from her bicep, up her neck, and into the back of her hair, gripping it through my fingers. The move is almost forceful, but not too hard, yet not soft either, as she pants for breath. Her thighs squeeze together before she presses herself closer to me. The tension between us is burning too hot, and I can’t stand it any longer. The hooded gaze in her eyes sends me over the edge, and I rush forward, closing the tiny gap and forcing my lips to hers. The moment our lips meet, an avalanche of emotion washes over me. I’m kissing Alex, and my lips are tingling so fucking powerfully that it’s like she has popping candy lip gloss smothered over her lips.
Her mouth opens instinctively, and our tongues battle to dance together. We work into an easy rhythm as I try to get a handle on what I’m feeling while our bodies collide together in a fury of passion and excitement.
I’m kissing her—my friend, or is this something more?
I don’t know.
