“Me too. My parents have rocking chairs on their porch, and I would just sit and listen to the rain when I was growing up, especially when I was in college and would visit. It’s calming.”
“It is a sedative, except right now, my entire body is on an adrenaline high because of what has transpired,” she admits in a feathery voice.
“Makes sense. We’ve been walking on glass around one another. We get along, and we laugh together, pretend we are just friends. But the attraction equation comes up with only one answer, and here we find ourselves.”
Inside, a pit opens between my heart and stomach. Sexual tension is one thing, but Hailey isn’t just that. It’s my innate need to feel more. Even if she isn’t just any woman, I fear she may be theonlywoman for me. I just can’t untangle that thought because there will be consequences.
Squeezing her closer, I still think about the circle we always find ourselves in. “I guess we no longer need to wonder about what happens when we give in.”
A short laugh hits my ears. “Yeah, now it’s just stamped in our heads what it is actually like to give in to temptation, and I’m not sure what’s better, dreaming what it’s like or knowing for sure, because both options have my mind spinning.”
So true.
“Don’t think anymore, Hailey. Maybe we should open the bottle of wine.”
“No way. I’m already floating from an orgasm.”
“True. I have that effect on people.” I sigh proudly.
“Tomorrow’s car ride might be a little awkward then,” she teases me.
“Nah, we’ll be okay, right?”No. We probably won’t be.
“Sure.” Her voice is unsteady. “I’ve fucked my adult crush, no biggie.”
I feel a little cocky. “Crush, eh?”
“Oh, shut up.” She jabs me with her fingers. “Would you rather I say that I’ve been pining for you to strip me and have your way with me?”
“Have you been pining?” I’m no longer volleying back our teasing. I know the answer, but the caveman in me wants to hear it out loud.
The sound of the rain overtakes the room again because no words leave her mouth, and I have my answer.
“Oliver… we click, and any woman would be a fool if they didn’t see how you fall into the good-guy category. You’re thetype of man you bring home to your parents. The kind of man that makes someone feel lucky.”
I’m not a good guy.
I only fight for something when it involves sports and law. Maybe I’m protecting a friendship, but I’ve now crossed a line with my best friend’s sister, and in secret, too. And here I am, letting Hailey and me have a taste of something completely forbidden. Not just because of traditional bro-code but also the fact that I don’t want to hurt her, and now this might be hard to forget.
“I mean, you’re the kind of man whose looks are meh,” she jokes.
I softly shake my head. “How do you make life so damn peppy and light? From your humor to your complete randomness at times in general.”
“Because my energy is good for the soul. I can’t complain about life. Not to mention, being grumpy means fine lines on my face at a young age. I can’t have that now, can I? Besides, if I ever want to shift my career a bit, then I need to be ready to rumble with an overload of energy.”
Her career aspirations are an honest one. Wholesome, too. It’s just right now, in my arms, she is kind of dirty in the best possible way when it involves me.
“You’re a good woman.”
“We’re two peas in a pod then. Can you do me a favor?”
“Anything.” I mean it.
“If I give you a hidden signal at the wedding, will you save me? I have a feeling my mother might be sending a pack of single barracudas my way.”
I tense at the mere thought. I could slash out anybody’s eyes who land on Hailey with non-honorable intentions. Only I get to have those. I’m going to be a selfish prick and steer anyprotentional guy far away from her. In practicality she doesn’t belong to me, but in my head, she is only mine. “Deal.”
“Aren’t you going to ask me to return the favor? What if a friend from Liam’s college days who he hasn’t spoken to in years yet somehow got an invite wants to pounce on you?”
