Page 73 of That Friendzone Feeling

“Don’tyou see?”Sheholds her palms to the ceiling. “Igave in to the thingIknow is a bad idea, and nowI’mlate.Andno,I’mnot changing the flight.”

Thefierce, headstrong look she had last night is back. “Chasehas made plans for us, andI’mnot going to risk pissing him off and ruining our chances.Becausethenwe’d be fucked.AllbecauseIwas dumb enough to do somethingIknewIshouldn’t.”

Oh, shit.Imight have gone to sleep next toSmuttyEmily, butI’vewoken up next to her pissed-off twin,Sensible.Myheart sinks.She’sgot morning-after remorse again, just like on the island.

Standingup,Iadjust my crotch. “Dumbenough to sleep with me?”Ipick up her case, stand it on end, and extend the wheelie handle. “I’mflattered.”

Shesnatches a pink sweater from the closet, leaving the hanger swinging.

“IfI’dbeen in my own bed, sleeping next to my phone on my nightstand, everything would be fine right now.”

Sheyanks the sweater over her head, shoves her arms into the sleeves as if she’s trying to punch someone, and pulls it down until her flushed face pops out.

Mystomach tightens.Wecan’t have come as far as this, and had a night like we had last night, just to walk away from it.Shecan’t go like this.Ihave to fix it before she leaves, or fuck knows what will happen when she’s out there alone withChaseon his turf.

“Hey, listen to me for a second.”Ireach around to pull her hair out of the neck of the sweater, but she pushes me away and pulls it out herself.

Idrop my hands to her waist, panic starting to rise inside me.Ihave to keep her here whileItry to save this. “Justone second.Please.”

Shelooks up at me, brown eyes full of fire, but doesn’t move this time.

Theclock’s ticking here, soIneed to get to the point pretty damn quickly.Hell,Ijust need to go all out and lay everythingI’vegot on the line.

“I’mcrazy about you.Thismight be it.Youand me.”

Shecloses her eyes as if it might block out whatI’msaying.

“Maybeyou don’t even need to go on this trip,”Itell her. “WhoneedsChaseCooper?”Isure as hell hope that after last night she doesn’t.

Shebacks off out of my grip. “WeneedChaseCooper.That’swho needs him.That’sthe whole point of this,Walker.Remember?”Shelooks up at me and jabs a finger at her head. “Orhas your brain crawled into your crotch and died there?”

Therehas to be a way to keep the business alive andEmilyin my bed.Shejust needs to see that both things are possible at the same time.

“Maybewe could get a bank loan or something.Wedidn’t even try that.SterlingpulledChaseout of a hat and we just ran with it.”

Shesnaps her purse shut and pulls it over her head so it sits across her body, the strap falling between her breasts, emphasizing their curves. “Abank loan won’t mentionToastedTomatoon a red carpet.Abank loan won’t getToastedTomatoknown in other countries where the bank’s famous.Anda bank loan won’t get your beer photographed in the hands of its celebrity friends.”

“Anda bank loan doesn’t want to sleep with you.”

Fuck.

Ishould not have said that.

Judgingby how wideEmily’seyes are expanding and how red her face is flushing,Ishould very definitely not have said that.

“Iam a grown woman who’s perfectly capab—”

Herphone pings, saving me from whatever thoroughly deserved tongue lashingIwas about to receive. “Mycar’s here.”

Shegrabs the handle of her suitcase and trundles past me, her sweater brushing my bare arm.

Shepauses in the doorway and looks at me over her pink shoulder. “SensibleEmilywas always right.There’sno planet on which you andIare a good idea.”

Mychest tightens, my stomach churns, andIwishIwere wearing clothes.Thisis a difficult enough conversation to have, never mind to have with someone who’s running late for a date with a hot movie star.Butto have it while nearly naked isn’t exactly making me feel my most confident.

Butgoddamn it, she needs some home truths too, whetherI’mdressed or not.Ican’t let her go without knowing she’s heard some things she needs to hear.

“Whydo you always do this?”Iask.