Chasing Fate (Dark Love 5)

“Are you upset?” I question, trying to understan

d.

“No,” Kate admits quickly. “Maybe jealous because you’re having all the great sex, and I’m not.”

My lips curve upward, grinning at her response. “We can have all the great sex if you want. Promise I’ll get it up this time. It’s warm in this bed, and truth be told, your tits have been teasing me all night, so yeah…”

Kate’s laughter breaks the tension between us. “Explains why you’ve knocked into me with your pecker a number of times.”

“Can you use a more appropriate word besides pecker? It makes it sound small and that, my gorgeous lady, is far from the truth.”

“Schlong,” she chuckles.

“Perfect.”

Kate begins to tell me a story about a time she went to a gay club with Eric. Somewhere through it, we both yawn, and my eyes begin to droop. Unable to hold back any longer, I drift off to sleep.

***

My eyes open cautiously, darkness still surrounding me. As I strain to open them wide, I see a small gap in the drapes where the sun barely peeks through. Kate is nestled into my arm, and careful not to wake her, I notice the time on her clock. It’s just after six in the evening.

Beside me, she begins to stir. “Hey, you’re still here.”

“I’d never just leave you,” I tell her.

Opening her eyes, she struggles, much like me. Letting out a yawn, she shuffles to sit up, rubbing her eyes.

“You should go, though,” she suggests, touching my hair so effortlessly. “I’ll be okay, Noah.”

Allowing her to touch me, there’s something which lingers in her stare. I don’t want to leave her, wanting desperately to stay and just be like this. Yet back home, I have responsibilities, and, of course, Morgan.

I run my finger down her cheek, stopping at her chin. “You’ll be okay.”

“Just admit it, you only came here to get into bed with me,” she jokes.

“To quote Ducky… ‘This is an incredibly romantic moment, and you’re ruining it for me!’”

Kate tilts her head back, laughter consuming her until she gets into a coughing fit, forcing her to slow down. When she’s got a handle on herself, she fixates on me once again. The gaze, the same as the one only moments ago, sends this unknown feeling throughout me.

“You and I don’t do romance,” she reminds me.

She’s right, we do many things, but romance isn’t one of them.

“I’m here, Kate. Always.”

“I know, Noah.” She lowers her head, a shift in her expression as her eyes distance themselves from me. “Go back home. I’ll be just fine.”

I move forward, planting my lips on her forehead. As I slowly pull away, inches away from her, the beat of her chest knocks into mine. Something makes me linger, craving her in a way which blurs the lines between us.

We’ve been down this road that night at the beach. And we both agreed we were perfect as friends.

One wrong move, and I could ruin everything between us.

Pulling back, I graze my thumb against her lip, offering a smile and pushing aside the confusion within me.

“Noah,” she whispers. My name suddenly sounds so different. “Take care, okay?”

There’s a ray of finality in her words. Almost as if this will be the last time she sees me. Nothing will change between us. I have always promised her that.