The Fake Girlfriend Rules

“That's a lie if I ever heard one. I mean, look at me. . .” He pauses and holds his arms out, spinning in a slow circle.

Damn, he does look good.

His black t-shirt is tight around his biceps. He flexes his arms, and the fabric thins like it's struggling to stay together. I can see the ripple of muscles in his back and chest, and the hint of his six-pack underneath. His jeans make his ass look amazing, and the light stubble on his sharp jaw is casting a sexy little shadow across his face. His blue eyes pop with his jet-black hair, making them bright as the ocean.

Fuck. The worst part is he knows he looks good.

“Yeah, I see you. Which is why I should go.”

Doug looks down at himself, then flicks his eyes back to me. “You just want to come for the chance to see me naked, don't you?”

I roll my eyes and giggle. “Yes, Doug, that's it, you caught me. Guilty as charged.”

He points at me and grins. “I knew it.”

“Don't get a big head, I'd never want to see you naked. Not ever. Never ever ever.”

His eyes lock on mine, and for a split second I can feel them invade every inch of my body. My heart skips a beat and my belly tightens. A surge of intense heat floods my cheeks, forcing me to look away.

“Wow, someone is in denial.” Doug chuckles as he runs open palms up and down the outside of his thighs. “All right, before you lose control of yourself, I'm going to grab my wallet and we can walk downtown. Sound good?”

The air between us is hot and thick. He can feel it too, I know he can. There are beads of sweat glistening against his hairline, and he nervously runs his hands through his hair, making it even messier. His eyes keep bouncing around my face. They move from my eyes to my lips, then back again.

I swallow hard, feeling the lump as it slowly moves down my throat. “Yeah, that sounds good.” My voice is scratchy as I try to hide the desire laced in the tone. I'm doing my best to shut it off altogether. This desire doesn't belong here. It never has.

Why? Why does it have to be this way? Why can’t we just see where this can go?

I shake the thought away. The feelings are wrong. Lust is normal to feel, and that's exactly what this is. Doug is a great looking man, and just because we're friends doesn't mean I can't acknowledge it.

But I can never act on it. Not ever.

He's my friend. That's the only reason I need to keep this relationship strictly platonic.

Douglas Myers is my best friend. Period.

What would it hurt to see if there's anything real between us?

Doug comes out of his room and stands right next to me. “Would you rather just ride me instead?” he asks as he strokes his jaw.

“Excuse me?”

2

Douglas

“Instead of walking, you can ride on my back. I'd totally give you a piggy-back ride downtown if you'd rather not walk.” I slap my shoulder and give my head a nod toward my back. “You can ride me like a stallion, baby.”

“Um no, I appreciate the offer, but I can walk just fine on my own.” She runs the tips of her fingers around her collar, and pulls it away as if she's suffocating because of the heat.

I love messing with her. I always have. It's fun to bust her balls and get her going. She can take my humor, that's one of the reasons she's so easy to hang out with. Plus, she's easy to read. I know when I've gone too far, or if I've made her mad. She wears her feelings like a bright mask.

Right now, her eyes are glassed over, and I can tell her body is a whirling tsunami of nerves. If I know her like I think I do, her mind is running through every single scenario that she could possibly encounter.

Lyllian is a calculated person. She doesn't jump into anything feet first. It took me almost an entire summer one year to get her to jump off Zeke's Bridge. It had been blocked off by the town, and the cops would drive by routinely to make sure no kids were there.

She was so afraid of getting into trouble that she would never do it. And then finally, after bugging her enough, she gave in. Before then I had never seen her smile so big. I had never seen her really let go, and just enjoy herself without worrying.

It's one risk she never regretted taking. The fact I gave her that makes me happy. I gave her that joy and excitement. It's a day I'll always keep with me, one that makes me smile every time I think about it.