Page 33 of Accidentally Falling For My Best Friend (Chicago Awakenings #2)

PARKER

November

I ’m trying to focus on this meeting

Not on how hot Oakley looks in his suit. I swear, every time we hook up it’s like it unlocks a new level of attraction I didn’t know was possible. I’m officially obsessed with my best friend, and I don’t want to ever go back.

We’re meeting with the event coordinator that we’ve hired to plan all of the weddings and parties at the Bora Bora resort, as well as the general manager, one last time before they officially move there after the holidays.

“I was thinking we also need to offer more fitness classes,” Oakley suggests.

He is full of new ideas for things we should provide for the guests.

Just in today’s meeting, he’s suggested expanding the menu, the spa treatments available, and now the group exercise options.

And that’s only what Bella, the manager, has to worry about.

“Oh, Theo.” He shifts his attention to the highly recommended events specialist, Theodore Tyler, before our manager can even respond. “I was watching a wedding video today where they had different performers in each space. How many live music options do we offer?”

He’s also questioned the number of linen and plate varieties there are, the different uplighting, projectors, and flower options.

They’re both excitedly agreeing with everything that he says, but throwing me anxious glances when he looks away.

They know how expensive every item he lists off is and that I’m the one they’ll have to talk to about it.

It’ll be fine.

Working with my best friend has never been a problem.

Despite what some of the board members like to whisper about, I’ve never let our friendship compromise my ability to do my job well.

If anything, it motivates me to do even better, because I know I have to prove myself.

I know I’m the right person for this position I’ve been training half of my life for, some people just need convincing.

Making Oak happy is just a bonus. If he did something irresponsible or was pushing for something that didn’t make sense, I wouldn’t hesitate to shut it down.

In fact, I’m growing quite fond of putting Oakley in his place when we’re alone.

I know our new dynamic won’t change any of that at work, though. Oakley and I have always motivated each other to be better, and hooking up doesn’t mean I’ll suddenly start bending over backwards to give into all of his demands. Even if I’m happy to bend over at home.

I also know this won’t last forever either, so not having to publicly defend our situation will make everything a whole lot easier.

When the time comes that Oakley decides he’s bored with me sexually and wants to go back to being just friends, we can do so without anyone else’s concern.

I know we won’t let anything come between our friendship.

But other people would assume it would affect our jobs.

Since I met him, Oak’s always been the most important person in my life, and that’s never going to change. Maybe there’s always been something more between us, at least to me, and I just never recognized it as attraction because we never acted on it.

I’m trying not to dwell on my feelings for him.

We’ve always loved each other as best friends.

No need to start wondering if he could ever be in love with me when it wouldn’t change anything.

He’s going to move on once he’s comfortable physically being with a man.

No use thinking about my own feelings and if I’m in love with him either.

I should focus on the fact that I get to feel sexual desire and connection in a way that I never have before.

“So, when can we visit again?” Oakley asks them, drawing my attention back to our meeting.

“Well, we won’t be moving in until the second week of January, and we have some time set aside to get settled. By the end of January, all of the construction should be completed, and we’ll move into the design phase,” Bella says.

“I’ve already scheduled all of the shipments for that first week of February for our event staples that we had previously agreed on.

But, keep in mind, the larger selection we offer, the more storage we’ll need for when they’re not in use, and we’re working with limited space,” Theo reminds Oak gently.

“True. Okay, I trust your judgement. If you’re happy with the selection then I’m sure it’s fine,” Oakley agrees, and Theo’s smile relaxes.

“Sorry, I’m just excited. I love weddings so much and I want this resort to be the perfect venue,” Oakley says for probably the fifth time today.

It really is sweet how invested he is. “I don’t want to get in anyone's way, but I know I’ll be way too hyped to wait until the soft launch with our family and friends to arrive with them all.

Parker and I will probably come out a week early if you don’t need us before then. ”

“That sounds perfect,” Bella says, sharing a relieved look with Theo, who nods his agreement .

“Well, unless you have anything else to address, I think we’ll say goodbye and safe travels,” I say as I stand. We all shake hands and wish them luck with their moves, leaving Oakley and I alone in my office.

“Was there anything else you wanted to do before we head out?” I ask.

“Nope, let’s go. I have somewhere for us to stop on our way home!” he says, sounding far too excited.

“New restaurant?” I guess.

“Better than food,” he assures me. Except it has the opposite effect. Because I have no idea what would have him so excited that he’s practically jogging down the hall ahead of me.

“What’s better than food?” I finally ask when we’re alone in the elevator.

“Sex, duh,” he answers, flashing me a huge grin that brings butterflies to life in my stomach.

“You want to stop somewhere…to have sex?” I clarify, and he laughs in response.

“No. We’re going to a sex shop,” he explains, basically bouncing off the walls. “Someone promised to buy me all the sex toys I want.” Those butterflies seem to multiply as I remember saying something along those lines after he offered me his ass.

“What if someone sees us?” I whisper, even though it’s still only us on the elevator. I’ve never been to any sort of adult store, and I have no idea what to expect.

“Then they’ll think we’re getting a sex toy. Who cares?”

“What are we actually getting?”

“Lots of lube for sure, butt plugs, and maybe a dildo or two that’s smaller than you so I can practice,” he says casually, like he’s talking about his grocery list and not preparing for me to fuck him.

I let out a surprised laugh although my cock starts to thicken at the thought.

I quickly adjust myself so that I’m not walking out of the elevator with an obvious tent in my pants.

How am I supposed to get through shopping with him?

The adult toy store isn’t at all what I was picturing when Oakley said where we were going.

I have no idea why, but I thought it would be some shady dungeon-type setup where we needed to go down a sketchy alley or into a creepy basement behind some hidden door.

Nope, Ecstasy Emporium is a storefront right on State Street with a large Pride flag in its normal window.

There’s bright lighting, colorful dildos everywhere, and even ads for events and parties.

The friendly staff member who offered to help us out probably took one look at my bright red cheeks and knew I was a sex-toy virgin, but Oakley is acting surprisingly chill here.

“Have you been here before? How are you so fucking calm right now?” I hiss at him under my breath as he admires a shelf of butt plugs in a variety of sizes.

“Ha, no. When would I have come here without you? I’m just excited. I’m glad you think I look calm. I feel like a kid in a candy store right now thinking about everything we could do with this stuff,” he says, smirking at me, and I feel my cheeks grow even hotter.

“Have you ever done anything like this before?” I hesitantly ask, not sure that I really want to know his answer. Thinking about him with anyone else makes my stomach churn.

“I’ve hooked up with a few girls who wanted me to use their toys on them, or had handcuffs, shit like that, and I’m a big fan of spanking, but I’ve never bought anything for myself,” he says with a shrug .

“Fuck, I’ve never even done any of that,” I admit. I never saw the appeal, and none of my previous partners ever brought it up.

“See anything you want to try?” he asks, waggling his eyebrows at me.

“I thought I was buying whatever you wanted?”

“Well, sure, but if you want to try anything, then you should get it too,” he encourages. “I want us both to figure out what we like.”

I think about it as I look around at the various options on display.

There’s a leather section with collars, harnesses, even full outfits.

Lace lingerie, some specifically labeled for men.

A whole bunch of stuff that seems BDSM related that I wouldn’t have the first idea how to use.

Then my gaze focuses back on Oakley, and my anxiety eases.

“I don’t think I need anything,” I say. Getting to be with him is already so much better than anything I had ever dreamed of sexually. I don’t need anything extra.

If he asks me to try something, though, I won’t say no. I’m hoping to keep his interest for as long as possible. If that means we try out every kink under the sun, or buy a toy in every size and color…as long as we’re doing it together, then I know I’ll love it.

“Well, I sure as fuck will. There’s no way I’m taking your monster cock as the first thing in my ass.”

“I think my tongue has that honor,” I remind him, and he smirks, shoving my shoulder. It’s so easy to relax around him, to slip back into our comfortable dynamic that I almost forget where we are and why we’re here.

“You know what I mean. So, which one do you think is the closest to your dick size? I want to get a few that are smaller than it,” he says at a totally normal volume.

And just like that, I’m back to being embarrassed.

I try to be subtle as I point to one that seems about the same width and length as my hard cock, trying not to draw any more attention to us than Oakley already has.

He eagerly picks it out and adds a few smaller dildos and plugs to the baskets he’s carrying.

Then he looks back at them all again and adds another one to the basket.

“I think you need a matching one,” he says, throwing me a wink.

He adds some cleaning supplies for the toys and an obnoxious amount of lube to the basket as well—promising different flavors, temperatures, and toy compatibility. Then he hands me the basket, blinking up at me innocently, saying, “Thanks, Ranger,” with a shit-eating grin.

“Don’t be a brat or we’re not getting anything,” I warn, rolling my eyes.

“So strict,” he teases, but I can’t say I really hate the nickname. It’s ours, something he’s picked out just for me, so I could never hate it. Plus, the implication that I’m in charge of this man—my brilliant, charming, gorgeous best friend—is a rush.

I pay for everything, and thankfully, they put it all in discreet bags so we’re not flashing our plans to the world after we leave.

I can’t imagine running into anyone in our building and being able to keep a straight face if it had Ecstasy Emporium on the packaging.