Page 55 of That Friendzone Feeling

“That’sthe welcome center,”Itell him. “There’llbe plenty of parking here for guests to pull up and go inside to check in.”

“Canwe take a quick look?” he asks.

Mypulse quickens.It’sthe last placeIwant to see right now. “Well, it’s not really—"

“Ofcourse,”Emilycuts in, leading the way.

Great.

Shepulls the hanging plastic sheets aside to let us in. “Nowindows or doors in here yet, so it’s not watertight.Carefulof the puddles.”

Chasegoes ahead of me, andImake sure my eyes latch firmly ontoEmily’sasIduck under the plastic.Shelooks back at me like she doesn’t understand whatI’mgetting at.

“Thecheck-in team will be at a series of separate workstations over there,” she says, bustling past me.

“Iremember seeing them in the drawings,”Chasesays. “Coolidea.”

“Moreof an intimate greeting than having staff behind one long desk,”Emilysays.

Chasestrides across the room and stops next to the workbench on the far side.Thescene of the crime.

“Thisis where guests will pick up the keys to their room or cottage,”Emilycontinues, like it’s perfectlynormal to be back in the space where, the last time she was here, she had her hands around my cock and was grinding her crotch on my fingers. “Andwhere they’ll also be given a special package.”

Asnort sneaks out of me.Itry to suppress it, but it turns into a strangled cough sound.

Ashurt asIam byEmily’srejection, it’s impossible not to find that funny.Iclear my throat. “Yes, this is the perfect spot for having a special package put in your hand.”

AsChaseturns to look around,Emilyglares at me behind his back.Shecould not be less amused.

“Ican picture it,”Chasesays, leaning ontheworkbench and placing a hand in the sawdust-free spot cleared byEmily’sass. “Andas long as there’s good signage at the entrance, everyone will know this is the right place to come.”

Isuck in my top lip and bite hard to stop another snort-cough from leaking out.

“Anyway,”Emilysays, her cheeks slightly flushed. “Theirwelcome packa…”

Idig my teeth harder into my lip.

Shetakes a breath. “Theirgift box…”

Imight be about to draw blood.

“Theirarrival giftwill include a little wooden voucher they can exchange for a beer tasting.”

Congratulations,Em, for powering through that one.

“Oh, nice touch making that out of wood rather than paper,”Chasesays in his blissful ignorance.

“Walker’sidea,”Emsays.

Ifix my eyes on hers again. “JustoccasionallyIcan be useful for something other than making the amber nectar.”

Emilytakes a breath and looks down. “He’smodest.”Shedraws a line in the sawdust on the floorwith her walking boot. “Thewhole concept of creating a brewery resort and event space was his idea in the first place.”

“Youare obviously an excellent team,”Chasesays.

“Weare,”EmilyandIsay in unison.

There’sa microsecond of awkwardness that you wouldn’t notice unless you were me orEmily.Tome, it’s like the air between us is on fire.