Chapter 5
We’re Definitely Just Friends
Eddie
We settle onto the couch with our drinks and a tray of cookies balanced between us.
Kiki holds up the remote with a grin. “I have Finding Nemo queued up, but I’m guessing you don’t want to watch that.”
Laughter floats up from my throat. “I’ve seen it about five hundred times, so that’s gonna be a hard no.”
She snorts and holds out the remote. “Do you want to pick something?”
I shake my head, leaning back into the cushions. “Nope. I trust you.”
“Famous last words,” she mutters, already scrolling. “Don’t complain when you hate it.”
“Just pick a movie, woman.”
I stretch my legs out, shifting a little to get comfortable, and she immediately gestures toward the coffee table. “Go ahead. Put your feet up.”
“You’re not gonna give me crap about that?”
She shakes her head. “It’s old furniture. It’s meant to be lived on. You told me to be comfortable. Now I’m telling you the same.”
“In that case, who am I to say no?”
Her gaze drags down the length of my body, a smirk dancing on her mouth. “You’re all legs, aren’t you?”
“No, I’ve got a few other body parts in there too.”
Shit. Did not mean to say that.
But before I can backtrack, Kiki collapses into giggles. “Maybe us adults aren’t very good at playing together—” She freezes mid-sentence, clamping her hand over her mouth. “Oh my God, I did not mean it like that.”
“Uh-huh.” I shake my head, grinning like an idiot. “Find a movie before this turns into something seriously not G-rated.”
Kiki returns to scrolling through movies, but there’s no hiding the playfulness in her expression, or the teasing way she nibbles her fingertip as she searches.
As for me, I can’t take my eyes off her. I know it, she knows it, and neither of us is doing a damn thing to stop it.
She tucks a loose strand of hair behind her ear, and I have this sudden, ridiculous urge to push her against the cushion and claim that gorgeous mouth.
Goddamn that perfect, pouty lower lip. It’s going to be the death of me.
I’ve never felt like this before. Oh, I’ve felt lust and desire plenty of times, but not this strange cocktail of nerves and giddiness, like a teenager with his first crush.
Christ, I’ve never even kissed the woman, which only makes it worse because I know once I do that’s it.
I’m completely and utterly done for.
Kiki leans over, tapping her hand lightly against my leg. “Is this movie okay?”
But I can’t answer, because I’m too busy staring at her hand. The way her fingers rest against my jeans, barely making contact.
It’s not like it means anything. It’s casual. Easy. And turning me on my fucking head.
My blood fizzes in my veins and everything feels brighter, sharper, like there’s a fine sheen of glitter over everything.
My brain screeches to a halt.
Glitter? What the fuck, Eddie? Jesus Christ. I need to go watch a hockey game and do a keg stand or something.
“Hello? I’m guessing this is not a good choice for movie night.”
I blink out of my stupor and drag my gaze back to her face, realizing I’ve been silent way too long.
Too busy hosting my own glitter party. God.
She motions to the screen. “It’s an old movie from the fifties. Sabrina. You’ve probably never heard of it.”
“Audrey Hepburn. Humphrey Bogart.”
Surprise slips into her smile. “I can’t believe you know it.”
I shrug, tucking my hands behind my head. “There’s a lot you don’t know about me.”
“Well… what I do know is fabulous.” She captures her lower lip between her teeth and once again, I have to fight the urge to reach for her.
The opening ads start, the soft glow of the television filling the room.
After a few minutes, Kiki shivers, rubbing her hands over her arms.
“You want me to throw another log on the stove? Those things are temperamental. They’re either this side of Fargo or this side of hell.”
She shakes her head, snatching a blanket from the side chair. “I’ve got this bad boy. He and I have spent a lot of time together lately.” She pulls the blanket around her before looking up at me. “Do you want to… come under the blanket?”
Even in the low light, I see the redness climbing her cheeks and bite back a grin. Do I love that I fluster her? Damn right I do.
“Okay, that came out wrong. What I mean is, do you want some of the blanket?” She holds up a corner in offering. “We don’t have to—snuggle or anything. That’s not—” She groans and buries her face halfway into the blanket. “Oh my God. Shoot me.”
Yeah, she made that way harder than it needed to be.
And yeah… I absolutely want to be closer to her, which is a whole separate problem.
My brain is already pumping the brakes, reminding me this is not the moment. The rest of me? Not nearly as interested in playing it safe.
Still, when a gorgeous woman offers half her blanket, you don’t argue.
I lift my arm, motioning for her to scoot down. “Come here. I have it on good authority that I’m an excellent snuggler.”
“I might need to take you on a trial run.”
“Well, get in here then.”
A second later, she settles against me, every inch of her molding against me like she was made to fit.
A second after that, my brain rattles off a barrage of questions, simultaneously meant to be helpful and driving me insane.
Do I maintain a loose grip? Tighten my arm? Stop overthinking every little thing?
I choose the third option.
Draping my arm around her, I press a soft kiss to her hair. “Are you comfortable?”
“For the first time in a long time, I am totally comfortable.” She looks up at me, the flames from the stove flickering in her eyes as she searches my face. “Are you?”
“Absolutely.” My fingers glide along her neck, her skin so smooth and soft beneath my calloused hands.
The seconds stretch out, our gazes holding, our breath catching.
I could kiss her. She’s right there.
Maybe she’s waiting. Maybe I am. Maybe neither of us knows what the hell we’re waiting for.
The opening credits roll, as the studio music breaks through the silence and pulls our attention toward the screen.
Another moment we let pass, and maybe it’s for the best. At least for now.
Like I said, I think she’s feeling something, too, but that something might be called loneliness.
As for me? I’m not sure what I’m feeling where Kiki is concerned.
I lean forward and grab my beer, taking a swallow before sinking back into the couch.
Without a word, she snuggles close, her head resting on my chest. “I’m glad you’re here.”
Me too, beautiful. Me too.
About halfway through the movie, I realize Kiki’s asleep.
Soft breaths move in and out of her, and all signs of worry and doubt are gone from her face.
Guess I make her feel safe, which proves I’m doing something right.
She murmurs under her breath, but the words are garbled and I don’t pay it any mind. Just random dream talk.
Until a low moan escapes her lips, but it isn’t the kind you make when you’re in pain. No, this is something else. Something far more interesting.
Another moan follows, softer this time, with a breathy sigh at the end.
Is she messing with me? But when I glance down at her face in the low light, she’s out. Completely out.
When a satisfied purr slips past her lips, I realize I’m on the precipice of making a decision that will irrevocably change the course of our friendship.
Because fuck it, I want to wake her up and kiss her. See if she’s making those moans while dreaming about me. See if I can draw out more sounds when she’s awake.
Right before I jump off that cliff, her eyes blink open. “Oh, did I fall asleep?”
“You did.”
She purses her lips, as if still clinging to the last fragments of her dream. “Did I… um… say anything?”
Now, I could let it slide. Pretend I didn’t hear a damn thing. Be a gentleman. Keep this easy for her.
That is absolutely an option for me.
Do I take said option? No, I do not.
I shrug, turning my face to the screen. “Nothing I could make out.”
She leans her head back and blows out a relieved breath. “Thank God. Sometimes I have vivid dreams and I… talk.”
“Not much talking, but there were some seriously sexy moans happening.”
Kiki bolts upright, her face turning a deep pink, all the way to the tips of her ears. “No, I didn’t, did I?”
“You did, and I need all the details. Who were you dreaming about?”
But Kiki has zero intention of sharing a single detail as she scrambles to her feet and tosses the blanket onto the chair. “Wow, look at the time. So late. You’d better go.”
I wish she could see herself right now. All hot and bothered.
I throw my booted leg over my knee, enjoying the hell out of this show. “Are you seriously kicking me out so you don’t have to tell me about your dream?”
Kiki pauses, but the nerves are written all over her. She’s practically vibrating. “Of course not, but you have to work early in the morning, remember?”
Lies. All lies.
I slick a hand over the back of my neck. “I never said what time I had to be at work.”
She tosses up her hands and motions to the television. “Okay, do you want to watch another movie? Have another beer?”
She doesn’t wait for my answer. No, she’s too busy pacing, pivoting, picking things up, putting them back down. Avoiding eye contact like her life depends on it.
I’ve never seen a woman so unhinged. She’s adorable.
I lean forward, elbows on my thighs, chin resting on my hands, watching her. “Now I really want to know what you were dreaming about.”
“Well, I’m really not going to tell you,” she mutters, planting her hands on her hips.
I can keep pushing, keep her teetering on the edge of embarrassment, but I think she’s had enough for this round. Me? I could stay here all night.
Pushing slowly to my feet, I work the kinks out of my neck. “As much as I would love another beer right now, I probably shouldn’t. Because then I might force you to tell me what your dream was about.”
Once again, her face lights up like a neon sign.
So worth it.
I grab my jacket and shrug it on, before turning to press a soft kiss to her cheek. “Because it sounded so fucking good.”
Kiki buries her face in her hands, a small strangled noise rising up from her throat.
“Goodnight, Kiki.”
“Wait.”
I halt and for one second, one stupid, hopeful second, I think she’s going to tell me everything. Tell me the dream is about me.
We’ll figure out the rest as we go.
But she rushes past me to the kitchen, grabs a container and shoves it into my hands. “Don’t want to forget Theo’s food.”
My heart sinks as reality settles in. Message received.
I lift the tin, forcing a smile. “We appreciate it.”
“I appreciate you. Both of you.”
She means it, too, but at least now I know we’re destined to be friends.
Just friends.
Never hated an idea so much in my life.
Kiki rests a hand on my arm, her brows furrowing. “Will you text me when you get home? I worry.”
“Of course.”
She steps in and hugs me around the waist. I fold her into my arms, but one thought remains.
Friendship, Eddie. Just friendship.
Once I’m safely within the confines of my truck, I drag a hand over my face and release a low groan. “Fucking hell,” I mutter. “This is only going to get harder. Still not stopping, though. No way I can quit her.”
As soon as I arrive home, I send out a quick text.
Me: I’m home.
Her reply comes almost instantly.
Kiki: Good. I was wondering. I had a really good time tonight.
Me: Me too.
See? Simple. Friendly.
But then…
Kiki: You’re exactly what I needed tonight. What I need every night.
I stare at the phone. “What the fuck does that mean?”
Too bad the phone doesn’t have a clue, either.
Before I can fumble out a response, Kiki texts again.
Kiki: Sleep well. Talk soon.
Huffing out a breath, I strip off my shirt and head for a cold shower. I’m not sleeping at all tonight.