Page 28 of Fun Together (Make Romance #1)

Faye

Eli is my friend.

Eli is my friend.

Eli is my friend.

If I say it to myself enough times, I’m hoping I can eradicate the thought that keeps creeping like vines into my brain that Eli is my very hot friend who I made out with, and then dry humped to completion.

He didn’t show up for our usual morning coffee, so I don’t know if he’s even at work today.

I open Slack and check to see if his status has updated, but his name still has a gray circle next to it.

I don’t think he’s missed a day of work since he started—I’m panicking, thinking it’s because of me.

I basically ran him out of my apartment, so maybe he’s decided to leave the Southeastern United States again.

But I felt so vulnerable in that moment, in a way that shocked me.

I was overwhelmed, putting guards up just in case we’d done something we might regret.

For the record, you didn’t hear me complaining, did you?

We’ve been flirtatiously circling each other for weeks now, but I didn’t think anything like that would come of it.

Now, it’s all I can think about. The way his hands moved over me, unhurried and certain.

His mouth on my neck and his beard tickling my cheek.

His strong thighs beneath me while I—yeah, not going there.

The delightful rush I felt when he praised me for not holding back.

And it’s true. For the first time in a very long time, I let myself catch up to a feeling I’ve been chasing for a long time. But still, why couldn’t I have sought out that feeling with someone besides my ex-boyfriend’s best friend?

Since I’m not getting any work done, I decide to take an early lunch and try to call Rett again. I’d really like to get her perspective on the kiss.

I go outside and sit on one of the benches in the courtyard. A few other people are doing the same, taking their lunch breaks in front of the giant fountain. I take off my cardigan and call Rett.

She picks up this time. “Fifteen missed calls. Christ, is everything okay?”

I didn’t realize I’d called that many times. “Sorry! How are things with your grandma? Is everything okay?”

“I’ll tell you later. She’s decided to be a little shit-stirrer, as always.” I’m curious about what kind of drama Grandma Minnie has cooked up this time. “What’s going on?”

“Something happened Friday night. With Eli.”

“Okay, you should have called me thirty times. Tell me everything .”

I tell her about seeing Andrew’s Instagram post, crying in Eli’s arms at the party, and then about the kissing, the dry hump session, and the orgasm confession. I catch my breath, not used to talking so much, or so fast.

“Hold on. He said, ‘You didn’t hear me complaining, did you?’”

“Yes.”

“That’s so hot.”

“I know!” The woman on the bench across from me sends an annoyed glare my way. In a quieter voice I repeat, “I. Know.”

“I knew you wanted him. I knew he wanted you.” She cackles. “It’s all coming together.”

“I was hoping you would tell me it’s a bad idea.”

“Why? You clearly feel comfortable with him. He clearly wants to do stuff with you. I think you’re on your way to checking off another item on your fun list.”

I didn’t even think about my list. Sex with Eli would mean more to me than just crossing off an item, and that’s what’s holding me back.

But would I regret not exploring this thing between us?

I do feel comfortable with him in way that allowed me to completely get out of my head—at least momentarily—and just enjoy myself.

“Maybe you’re right.”

“Don’t overthink it, just go with your gut.”

I finish my break, and as I exit the elevator by the door leading to the main stairwell, Eli steps out—like my thoughts have conjured him out of thin air.

“Hey,” he says, grabbing my arm and pulling me into the stairwell.

“Were you just waiting in here for me to walk by?”

“No, but I’m glad I ran into you. I wanted to talk to you about Friday night.”

It’s stuffy in here and probably doesn’t get a lot of air circulation. I fluff the skirt of my dress out to get some air flow around my legs. “We already talked about it. By deciding not to talk about it, remember?”

“I know we said that, but you and I both know I’m incapable of that.” He paces back and forth, almost like he’s agitated. “I can’t stop thinking about it.”

“Oh.” I feel a little rush of excitement, knowing that he’s been thinking about that night, too. “Where were you this morning?”

He stops pacing, pointing to his cheek, which I’m now noticing is a little swollen. “I was at the dentist with a fucking drill in my mouth, but I didn’t even care because I couldn’t think of anything but the vision of you grinding on top of me.” He starts pacing again.

“I’m . . . sorry?”

“I don’t want to pretend it didn’t happen. In fact, I think it should happen again.”

“I’ve been thinking about it, too,” I admit.

His head snaps up and he looks at me. “You have?” There’s a hopeful tilt in his voice.

“All morning,” I confess. “I still feel a little mortified about it, but it was also . . . good.” Great job, Faye, really nailed it with that one . I feel a nervous awareness of him. It’s not a bad feeling, just the confirmation that he’s no longer the Eli I’ve known, but something more complex.

“I want to help you with that too,” he breathes out in a rush.

“Help with what?”

“The sex stuff.”

“I don’t know. . .” Why am in so much denial over this? Rett says to do it. Eli is making it clear as fucking day he wants to do it. But I can’t seem to stop tossing up barriers. “We got carried away before, right? I don’t know if it’s a good idea for us to take it that far.”

“I’m helping you with everything else on your list. I want to help you with that.”

“Why?”

“Because we have fun together.” He steps closer, and he doesn’t touch me, but the way he’s looking at me feels like he is. “Don’t we?”

I try not to smile. And fail.

“Just imagine how much more fun we could have together.”

Oh, I have imagined it. All night. All weekend. I’m imagining it right now. “Can I think about it?” As if I haven’t done enough of that already.

“Of course,” he says. “Are we still on for your practice interview tomorrow night?”

“Yeah, do you want to come over after work?”

“Sounds good.” He holds the stairwell door open for me, and when I brush past him, he leans over. “See you then.”