Deal Breakers (Dealing with Love 1)

RILEY

“I LOVE YOU.”

Fuck. Why did she have to say that? I focus on taking deep, even breaths so she thinks I’m asleep. I even add a little snore when I feel her turn towards me. Yep, I’m a total asshole. But what the fuck am I supposed to do? Sex wasn’t supposed to change things between us. We had a deal! I’ve just had the best night of my entire life and she had to ruin it by dropping the L word. What’s she thinking? I’m freaking the fuck out right now. Okay, so maybe I have…feelings for her too. She’s my best friend. Of course I feel affection for her. But love? That’s insane. I can’t be in love with someone when I’m moving across the country. I’m not a relationship type of guy. Especially not a long distance relationship. There’s no way I could ever be the man she deserved. I don’t do monogamy. Not for more than a few weeks at a time anyway. She knows this. What the fuck was she thinking telling me she loves me? I am clawing at my insides for an answer. What am I supposed to do? The only thing I can think of is pretend I didn’t hear her. That’s the most diplomatic way of handling this, right? I’ll remind her in the morning what this weekend was all about before she has a chance to broach the subject again. Then we’ll go back to being friends and everything’s good. Easy, right?

DEVYN

SUNLIGHT SLICES THROUGH THE room, effectively ending my deep sleep. The absence of heat from Riley’s body clues me in to the fact that he’s missing before I even turn over to confirm it. I listen for any signs of him in the bathroom. I sit up when I realize that I’m the only one in our room. Where the heck is he? He wouldn’t have just left in the middle of the night, right? No, that’s ridiculous.

I look around as my eyes adjust to the brightness and find a note on the nightstand.

I smile at his thoughtfulness. Riley knows I can’t function before having at least one cup of coffee. I decide to take a quick shower to freshen up before he returns. As I exit the bathroom wearing nothing but the hotel-issued robe, I find him leaning against the dresser.

I smile. “Hey.”

“Hey.” He holds up two cups from Starbucks. “I thought you might need some caffeine before heading back to your apartment.”

I grab one and take a healthy sip. “Mmm, you thought right.”

I think he groaned. “Uh…good.”

I cock my head to the side and study him. He looks uncomfortable. “You okay?”

He chokes a little on the sip he was taking. “What? Uh, yeah. Why wouldn’t I be?”

Okay, why is he being so twitchy? Is this normal morning after behavior? Does he regret last night? “You’re acting weird, Riley. What’s going on?”

He clears his throat. “Weird? Huh. I don’t feel weird. I think you’re letting your imagination get the best of you, Dev.”

I put my hand on my hip. “Spill it, Rye. Why are you being so c

agey? Do you regret what happened last night?”

He looks shocked. “What? God, no.” He sets his coffee on the dresser and walks over to me. “Why would you ask that? Do you have regrets?”

I shake my head and make direct eye contact. “Not a single one.”

He smiles. “Well, then we’re in agreement. No regrets.”

RILEY

OKAY, THIS IS IT. I need to cut off any chance of the L word showing its face again. I grab her coffee out of her hand and place it next to mine. I don’t feel like being scalded if this goes downhill. “Last night was fun. A lot of fun.”

“Fun?” she repeats.

I employ the panty-melting grin. “Sure. I had a great time. Didn’t you?”

She scowls. “You could say that…”

I can see her mind working overtime. She’s always been an open book around me. She’s wondering if I heard her last night. She’s wondering if she should bring it up. That would be a hell no. Time to finish this.

I grab my bag, sling it over my shoulder, and place her car keys in her palm. “Here’s your keys. I need to get back to school. There’s been a change of plans. My parents called while I was getting coffee. They’re coming into town a bit early to help me box up all my stuff before graduation.”

Her jaw drops. “You’re leaving? How are you getting home?”

I shrug. “I’m taking the train. They’re going to pick me up from the station in Eugene.”

“Oh,” she says in barely more than a whisper. “So, I guess I’ll see you when I get back tomorrow then?”