“Great,” I muttered as I placed the pizza and breadsticks on the table.
A rumble of thunder accented the sound of the rain hitting the windowpane. Lightening flashed, lighting up the living room and kitchen area.
Candles!
If the power was out, I needed to find candles. I knew I had at least two in a crate. I headed down the hallway.
Maybe Jay is napping.
The rain started coming down harder and the thunder roared even louder than before. I quickly stripped out of my wet clothes and put on a pink satin camisole with the matching shorts. I headed to the bathroom where my robe was hanging. The minute I approached the closed bathroom door, it swung open.
I screamed.
“Shit, Brooklyn!” Jay yelled, water droplets hitting me as he reeled.
“Oh my God, I’m sorry! I didn’t know you were in there.” I put my hand to my chest. “You scared me!”
“I scared you? You scared the shit out of me!” He held his white towel in place as he passed me. “Why would you scream like that? Who else would be here?”
I threw up my hands and I followed him. “I don’t know. It’s dark and I thought I was alone.” I took a breath. “I’m sorry. I need to talk to you though.”
He turned around as he was about to shut the door, but I was on his heels. “Hold on.”
The door was cracked, but I couldn’t see him. I waited outside the room as I heard a drawer open and then close. Seconds later, he pulled the door open.
“What’s up?” he asked, standing in front of me with just a pair of basketball shorts hanging low on his hips.
The hallway was dark, but in the dusky light of the bedroom, I could see him well. My eyes swept up his body and I really took him in.
I licked my lips. “Um”—I averted my gaze, hoping he didn’t notice I was checking him out— “I need to talk to you.”
As he took a seat on the edge of his bed, I couldn’t decide if I was going to start with what happened with Kim or what happened with Aiden.
“Yeah, I knew it was coming.” He nodded as I stepped into the room. “Our sleeping arrangement…” He looked like was he struggling to find the words to complete his thought.
I opened my mouth to ask him if he wanted me to start sleeping in the other room. The words were right there. But what spilled out of my mouth was something else entirely. “You don’t want to sleep with me anymore?”
His eyebrows flew up. I didn’t even realize what I’d said for a few seconds.
“Oh!” I shook my head. “I meant, do you want to sleep in the same bed with me or do you want me to sleep on the futon?” I stammered and stumbled over my words so fast that he couldn’t help to let out a little chuckle.
“I can only imagine what you were just thinking,” I giggled nervously.
His tongue ran from one side of his mouth to the other as he scanned my body. When he met my gaze, I felt my insides twist uncomfortably.
“Last night…” He exhaled audibly.
I became still. Wait, what?
My stomach did somersaults, and I instantly felt flushed. I must’ve looked as panicked as I felt because Jay’s eyebrows rose.
“We crossed the line last night,” I blurted out. “There’s been a lot going on and we crossed the line.”
His eyes pinged over my face. I watched the information processing behind his eyes. “If you say so.”
I shifted from one foot to the other. “What do you mean?”
“Come on, Brook… there’s something going on here. Things have been different between us.”
Taking a deep breath, I lifted my arms and let them fall. “Okay, fine. Fuck it. I don’t know what’s going on. I’ve always thought you were attractive. But I guess, lately…”—I cleared my throat— “I have found myself… attracted to you or something.”
“Or something?” His eyebrows furrowed. “Either you’re attracted to me or you’re not.”
I folded my arms over my chest, realizing I wasn’t wearing a bra. “I’m attracted to you.”
He cocked his head to the side. “That’s it? That’s all it is?”
“Of course,” I said, hoping he didn’t hear my voice falter.
It was easier for me to admit that there was a physical connection between us, than to acknowledge any deeper feelings between us.
He stared at me like he was reading my thoughts. “Well, for me, it’s more than that,” he clarified. “And I think it’s more than that for you, too.”
The knot in my belly grew. “We’re best friends.”
“Yeah. We are. But last night—”
“Last night was us getting caught up in the moment,” I interrupted. “There’s been a lot going on and we’ve been sleeping in the same bed, cuddling every night. We just lost Carter. Our emotions are everywhere with that. And I can’t speak for you, but I’m in a hypersexual space.” I paused, letting my arms fall at my sides. “I’m horny as hell. And with the way you kept looking at me and touching me and how supportive and caring you are, it warped my view of you. So instead of just looking at you as James Williams, best friend. I’ve been seeing you as…” My sentence trailed off as I took in his handsome face and sexy body. I gestured wildly to him. “This! I’ve been seeing you as this and it caused a reaction.”
My face heated as the silence settled around us. I’d always told Jay everything. I wasn’t going to let a brief moment of flirting and making out diminish our bond.
