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"I just wanted to make sure you were okay," I stammer, my voice coming out more gruffly than intended. "I thought I should check your temperature, see if the fever's gone down."
Marissa blinks up at me, her gaze searching mine for something I can't quite name. "Thank you, Bryce," she says softly. "That's very sweet of you."
I swallow hard, my heart pounding in my chest as I struggle to contain the whirlwind of emotions swirling inside me.
This is ridiculous. She's just the girl next door, my sister's best friend. She's off-limits, untouchable, and I've already rejected her once before.
But even though I’ve been putting in my best efforts to push her away, to keep her at arm's length, I can't deny the pull she has over me—the way she seems to worm her way into every corner of my mind and refuse to let go.
As we sit there in silence, the tension between us is thick and palpable. I’m longing to touch and feel her soft skin against mine. I want to reach out to her, to take her in my arms and never let her go, but I know I can't.
Not now, not ever.
She’s Cindy’s friend, and I’m not the type of guy who has these weird feelings. None of this should be happening.
So instead, I do the only thing I can think of. I stand up abruptly, my chair scraping against the hardwood floor as I push it back with unnecessary force.
"I, uh, I should go," I mutter, my voice thick with emotion. "I'll, uh, I'll see you later, Marissa."
With that, I turn on my heel and practically flee from the room, leaving Marissa behind with a sense of confusion and longing that I can't quite shake.
She’s getting to me, and I’m starting to realize that I'm not as immune to her charms as I thought.
Chapter 21
Marissa
I stand in front of my closet, staring blankly at the rows of clothes hanging before me. My heart sinks as I realize that I have nothing to wear for Bryce's parents' dinner party. How did I not plan this better? I groan in frustration, chewing on my nails as I try to come up with a solution.
"Bryce, we need to go shopping," I call out, walking to the living room where I find him lounging on the couch, engrossed in his phone.
Bryce looks up at me, an incredulous expression crossing his face. "Shopping? Are you serious?"
I roll my eyes, my agitation mounting by the second. "Yes, I'm serious. I can't show up to your parents' dinner party looking like a slob."
Bryce snorts, a smirk playing at the corners of his lips. "You could wear a potato sack and still look better than anyone else there."
I scowl at him, not in the mood for his jokes. "Very funny."
Bryce sighs, setting his phone aside and standing up from the couch. "Fine, fine, let's go shopping," he says, his voice resigned. "But only because I know you won't shut up about it otherwise."
I raise an eyebrow, a smirk playing at the corners of my lips. "Gee, thanks for the vote of confidence," I say dryly, grabbing my purse and heading for the door.
Bryce follows me out of the apartment, grumbling under his breath the whole way. "I can't believe I'm doing this."
I shoot him a playful glare, unable to resist poking fun at his reluctance. "Oh, come on, Bryce, I promise to make it worth your while."
Bryce rolls his eyes, but there's a hint of a smile in his gaze as he follows me into the car. "Yeah, yeah, whatever you say."
We arrive at the shopping mall and spend the afternoon browsing through racks of clothes, trying on outfit after outfit in search of the perfect ensemble for the dinner party. Bryce grumbles and complains the whole time, but I can tell he's secretly enjoying himself, even if he won't admit it.
I catch sight of a particularly stylish dress hanging on a nearby rack. "Oh, Bryce, look at this!" I exclaim, tugging on his arm to get his attention.
Bryce turns to look at me, an amused grin playing at the corners of his lips. "What is it now?"
I hold up the dress for him to see, my eyes shining with glee. "Isn't it gorgeous?" I gush, running a hand over the silky fabric. "I think it would look perfect on me."
Bryce raises an eyebrow, a naughty gleam in his eye. "Oh, I don't know. I think you should try on something a little more ... daring."