Junkie(57)

I grimaced. “Maybe we could keep that little adventure between us,” I whispered conspiratorially.

“It’s a shame,” she mused and turned away.

I caught her arm, my brow furrowing. “What is?”

She glanced down to where my hand held her and back up. Her eyes softened a little. “That you’re already taken.”

“Taken?” I felt my nose wrinkle. “I’m not taken.”

She looked a little sad. “Oh, but you are.”

“Honey,” I drawled. “I’m as single as a dollar bill.”

“With lines like that, it’s no wonder.” She laughed and tried to pull away.

I pulled her back, this time a little harder than before. She stumbled against my chest.

“I don’t see any other girls hanging around. Do you?” I rumbled.

Both her palms slid up my chest and stopped just below my collarbone. “Girls? No.”

The way she said that… My head drew back. “What?”

“Nothing,” she murmured and pulled away.

Frustration made me growl. “Uh-uh.” I grabbed her around the waist to push her up against the wall. “Tell me.”

“Kiss me.” It was spoken with clear challenge.

I lifted an eyebrow.

She lifted one in response.

I didn’t ever back down from a challenge.

Without another word, I cupped her jaw in my palm and splayed my fingers across the back of her neck. I watched her as I leaned in, slowly lowering my face, letting her anticipate my arrival.

Just as her tongue jutted out to wet her lower lip, to prepare for my kiss, I jerked forward. I caught her lips and the tip of her tongue in my first touch.

I slid my lips over hers as her tongue drew back, and we kissed softly at an unhurried rate.

It was a good kiss.

More sensual than heated.

And then it was over.

She pulled back, her head going up against the wall. Still holding her face, I searched her eyes.

“That’s what I thought.” She sighed.

I felt my eyebrows shoot up. “Which is?”

She slid out around me and stepped into the room. “For someone so smart, you are incredibly dense.”

“Spit it out already,” I snapped, feeling surly. This was the first time ever a woman didn’t seem completely thrilled with my kiss.

“You’re not interested in me, Drew,” Joey said, blunt. “I think you want to be. But you’re into someone else.”

“Did you hit your head tonight when I wasn’t looking?”

She rolled her eyes. “Don’t be an asshole.”

“All right.” I played along. “Who is it you think I’m into?”

This ought to be good, considering she was the only other person I’d been hanging out with besides Trent.

Realization smacked me in the face. She saw and nodded.

Oh shit.

“Trent and I are just friends,” I stammered. “Best friends.”

“You almost killed us all tonight after seeing him at a gay bar with someone else.”

“He lied to me!” I shot out.

“And who are you lying to, Drew?” she asked softly, her voice a complete contrast to mine.

The question was like an uppercut to my jaw. I felt my head snap back.

“Tell me our kiss made you want more,” she goaded. “You might be able to lie to yourself, but you can’t lie to me. That was lukewarm at best. A kiss between friends.”

I opened my mouth, but nothing came out. She was right. That kiss was nothing I wanted to repeat. But that didn’t meant I was hot for my best friend.

Joey crossed to the door and palmed the handle.

“Kiss him,” she suggested. “Just once. I haven’t been around you two long, but it’s been long enough. One kiss is all it’s going to take. The second you do, you won’t be able to deny what you and I have is friendship, but with Trent?” She pulled open the door. “It’s way more.”

“I’m not gay,” I echoed as I walked numbly out into the hallway. I was oddly shocked by this conversation.

When I glanced back at Joey, she smiled softly. “Neither is Trent.”

The words hung there in the empty hallway long after she’d closed the door.





Trent

Things were changing. Shifting so fast I felt as though I were grasping at smoke. I couldn’t grip the way it used to be, the way I wanted it to be still.

Things were changing.

They would never be the same again.





Drew

He was sitting in the passenger seat when I got back in the Mustang.

I didn’t look at him. He didn’t look at me.

There was all this… stuff between us.

Anger.

Confusion.

Lies.

I drove to my place, thankful for once that everyone was gone for the weekend. I didn’t think I was ready for the conversation we were about to have. But if I waited until I was ready, we would never have it.