"I know." She draws a breath. "I just miss my best friend, that’s all." My chest tightens at her admission. The only thing she needs from me is reassurance, so that’s what I give her.
"No matter where we are, you’re always going to be my number one. And I’m seeing you in five days," I say excitedly, reminding her that her birthday party is fast approaching.
I planned the whole thing.
Even while I’ve been away from California, I’ve still organized it all remotely for her, because I would do absolutely anything for my best friend.
"I can’t wait!"
"Is it okay if I bring Harley and Bea?" I ask, knowing she wants to meet them as much as they want to meet her.
I’ve talked about them to each other nonstop over the last month. It feels like I have a huge circle of friends, but they don’t know each other at all.
"The more the merrier. Plus, I want to meet the man who has my best friend feeling all kinds of naughty things." She chuckles. "I haven’t heard from your ex, by the way, so I assume he won’t come. But if I do, I’ll tell him to fuck off." She rolls her eyes.
"Honestly, Jen, don’t even worry about it. If he shows up, he shows up. I’ll be fine. Being home has really put things intoperspective for me. I don’t miss him like I thought I would," I say, and it’s completely the truth.
"I’ll always care about him and a part of me will always have loveforhim, but I stopped beingin lovewith him a little while ago." I shrug and Jenna lets out a sigh of relief.
"You don’t know how happy I am to hear you say that. I’m proud of you, C."
"Me too."
The quick call I hoped for was a bust, and we spent the next hour gossiping about everything and anything while I unpack boxes and put some things away.
Who knew a gossip session was all I needed to be productive after a long night?
***
"Hello?" I knock on his office, but there’s no answer.
Needing to place these documents on his desk for this weekend’s wedding, I barge in without permission, stopping in my tracks at the sight before me.
His perfectly sculpted, bare back faces me, his belt lies on the floor in front of my feet, his light blue button-up shirt beside it.
His trousers are noticeably unzipped, while his pants sit lower around his waist, and I can’t help but admire the curves of each muscle, the dimples on his lower back, forgetting to take in the fact that he has a woman pinned up against the wall in his office, with her legs linked around his waist.
I want to back away without being noticed or heard, but I can’t bring myself to look away. I’m watching as he fucks someone else right in front of me, while a pang of jealousy knocks me off my feet.
"I’ve wanted this for so long," his deep voice grumbles, his breathing staggered.
"Me too," the female voice responds, and I pull my attention away from him, to her.
Me.
I’m watching myself have sex with Harley up against the wall in his office.
Edging closer to the scene in front of me, I stare as our mouths collide and a moan slips from my throat.
Raising my fingers to my lips, it’s almost like I can feel and taste him there.
Trailing my eyes down our bodies, I watch as he thrusts in and out of me at a rapid pace, and I hear the sound of my own orgasm vibrating through the walls.
"You feel better around my cock than I ever thought possible," he whispers into my ear. "God, you’re perfect, Herring."
Even though I can see that it’s me he was fucking, hearing my name leave his mouth in such a way makes my toes curl. Makes me feel things I never expected to feel.
He peppers kisses along my jawline, down my neck, my back arching against the wall.
