Already knowing where I’d find them, I closed my eyes and inhaled, trying to prepare myself for having to actually go in to get them—trying to brace myself to be within touching distance of her naked body and not rip the glass door off the wall to get to her.
“Hey, you’re here,” she greeted as soon as I walked in, almost like she’d been waiting for me. “I left the door open so you could still get ready. I just needed to wash the drive off me.”
“Thank you. I just need to brush my teeth, and I’ll finish getting ready in the room.”
“‘Kay.”
Then as if I wasn’t already barely clinging to my self-control, she cracked the door and popped her head out. Drops of water slid down her neck to hidden places behind the edge of the glass, and I desperately wanted to chase it with my tongue.
“Hopefully, Dad didn’t bother you.”
I swallowed, forcing my attention to putting toothpaste along my brush. “Nah. He just asked how my project meeting went,” I lied. I didn’t want Rae to think I was only there because I was paid. I meant what I told Kenneth—I was there for Rae. I didn’t need any incentives.
“Good.” She thankfully closed the door and went back to showering. “How was the meeting, by the way?”
“Successful,” I answered once I rinsed my mouth.
“Of course. You’re so damn talented, how could it be anything else.”
Her confidence hit me in my chest, and this time when I looked at her silhouette in the mirror, the warmth wasn’t sexual but pride. King always gave me shit about the silly things I did for Rae, like taking pictures and rescuing her from sticky situations, but she did so much for me too. She believed in my art and shoved confidence down my throat. I had no choice but to believe her and have the same confidence in myself. She gave up parts of herself to build others up.
“Thanks,” I said softly.
“Just being honest.”
With a smile in place, I left the room, making sure to shut the door behind me.
My mind swirled with thoughts of Rae as I got ready. Emotions mixed, fighting for dominance. Warmth from her compliment. Love for my friend. Heat when I remembered the naked shape of each curve. Desire for how much I wanted to taste every inch.
I rarely let myself think of Rae in a sexual way. I loved her, but I could convince myself that that love was purely for my friend if I didn’t think of her sexually. It mostly worked.
I fought it as much as possible, but there were times when my barriers were down, and I lost myself in my lust, growing unbearably hard until I worried I’d snap if I didn’t relieve it. Only in those moments did I imagine pushing inside her heat as I stroked myself. Only then did I allow myself the pleasure of fantasizing about her skin beneath my touch until I came with her name on my lips.
By the time she came out, I’d gotten myself under control and ready for dinner.
“You look nice,” she complimented my cream pants and light blue shirt.
“I’d tell you the same, but that’s nothing new. You always look amazing.”
She smiled and preened, spinning in a circle to show off every angle. The dress wasn’t even revealing, covering her from her full cleavage to the top of her knees. But the buttons all the way down the front allowed room for illicit thoughts.
“Stunning,” I breathed.
“Thank you.” She brushed her long wavy hair behind her ear, smiling at my compliment. “Will you take a picture?”
On cue, I rolled my eyes and groaned. “I guess.”
“Ugh. Such a baby,” she joked, slapping my shoulder on the way to the balcony.
I found comfort in the role of taking photos as she moved fluidly from pose to pose. The past week, I’d struggled with the fracture in our friendship, unsure if the foundation would hold long enough for us to repair. But complaining about having to take pictures we both knew I didn’t mind taking, making funny faces behind the camera to make her laugh, and letting her pull me into a selfie slid a missing piece in place, healing what was broken.
“Should we take a serious one together?” she asked me. “You know, as a married couple.”
“Sure.” My heart skipped a beat, stumbling over the mere idea of it. As if it wanted to take flight and soar.
“It would be good for my dad’s brand if everyone thought this was real.”
And just like that, the stumble quickly turned to falling back to reality. Of course, it was just for show—at least for her.
Before she could stage the pose, I remembered the package my grandma sent me. “Hang on one second.” I rummaged through my bag and pulled out the velvet box hidden away. Despite the reminder of it all being a ruse, my palms still sweat as I made my way back out. The sun shined on her brown hair like a halo, casting a glow over her smiling face. When I held out the box on my palm, her smile slipped, and her eyes bounced between me and the box as if it was a possible bomb.