Page 112 of Whispered Promises

“Okay, thank you for hearing me out. I’m sorry to be such a mess; it’s probably a downer after what we…did.”

“Rosy, your feelings are never a turn off. Promise me you’ll never stop talking to me about how you feel?” His demand pushes against me, making me want to nod and agree to everything.

“I promise.”

“Good, but I think we both need to get some sleep.” He chuckles, and my answering smile’s warm and indulgent.

“I am feeling sleepy now. Goodnight. Thank you for…”

“The orgasm? Still struggling to say it?” He laughs louder this time, and I huff.

“I can say it. I just don’t need to right now. Goodnight, Noah.”

“Okay, if you say so,” he teases. “Goodnight, Rosy.”

FORTY-FIVE

MAX

I’d felt shit for not going to the farm with Rosy last week. Not just because I’d let her down, but because I missed being around her.

Making it clear I only wanted to be friends should’ve made it easier, not harder.

So today I’m back to help, and it’s going to be okay. No awkward moments. Everything will be great.

Well, it might have felt a bit awkward when she opened the door this morning, and I’d been unable to stop myself from telling her how cute she’d looked. Which she had, cosied up in her fleece, eyes all pretty and cheeks pink.

Then, when we got into her car, an audiobook automatically started playing…and it was smutty. She squeaked loudly and shut it off before I could hear enough. But the male narrator was “licking a trail up her…”, and it was up to my imagination to fill in the blanks. And it did. But it wasn’t a random female character I imagined it with, but my friend sitting next to me.

“So, do you⁠—”

“Nope! I’m not talking about it with you,” Rosy cuts me off, still avoiding looking directly at me.

I tried to probe more in the car, but she put the music on loud enough that neither of us could hear each other without yelling. Now, other than giving me brief instructions on what to do, we’ve barely talked for the few hours we’ve been at the farm and I’ve been able to feel the bristling embarrassment radiating from her the entire time.

It’s kind of adorable, really. She’s dating my three best friends but clams up when I find out about her smutty book secret. Not sure her avoidance is helping me drop it, though. My interest has only increased. Because just what is she actually listening to?

But I drop it.

Well, for another hour, maybe.

As we sit to eat one of Bry’s homemade lunches—a fucking amazing sweet chilli chicken wrap for me and tacos for Rosy—I let out some of the building curiosity.

“Knee?”

She sighs, rolling her eyes as I try another guess at the body part he was licking.

“Neck? Underboob?”

“Can’t you just give up?” She laughs, her shoulder nudging me this time.

She finds it easier being around me when I can make her laugh. I’ve felt a little off my game recently, with more jokes landing wrong than right, but to feel her laugh for me… It makes me desperate to have her smile all her smiles for me.

“Ear? Good erogenous zone.” I wink.

“No. Stop.” She giggles, and her hand grazes mine.

The touch sends goosebumps up my arm, and I have to fight back the groan that wants to break free. Since Rosy came into our lives, I’ve not been with another woman. Even if nothing could happen since I friend-zoned myself. But I can’t imagine having anyone else’s touch on me, and it’s making me feel starved. Fucking cruel that I’ve been rewired to only tolerate her touch. How am I supposed to figure that out when she’s not an option for me?