Love You Better (Better Love 1)

Kelley is the first to look away, reaching into the bag and producing the most mouth-watering and perfect looking muffin.

“I got you a cranberry orange,” he says as he hands it to me.

“Thank you.”

“And this one is for you,” he adds, passing over one of the coffees.

I take a sip, and my eyes fall shut as the flavors burst on my tongue. I give myself a second to savor it, to imagine the caffeine flooding my bloodstream, and then my eyes fly open with a shocking realization.

“This is a cinnamon dolce latte,” I say, blinking at him in awe. He nods and grins.

“With oat milk and an extra shot.”

“How did you know this was my new order? You’ve only been out for coffee with me, what? Once? Since I switched.”

I’m pretty sure I’m gaping. I don’t mean to come off accusingly, but I’m just so...shocked? Confused? I’m definitely something.

Kelley shrugs sheepishly under my questioning. That’s twice in thirty-six hours I’ve made him turn shy, and it’s so adorable that I can’t bring myself to feel remorseful. Kelley is never rattled; he’s always so confident and sure of himself. I kind of like this bit of vulnerability. I like that I’m the one bringing it out of him. It’s been years since I’ve seen it.

“I pay attention. I’ve always paid attention.” His eyes lock on mine, and the heat from them, the thoughts I swear I can read, leave me covered in goose bumps and fighting a blush.

“Well, thanks, Kelley Pierce,” I rush out, trying to diffuse the tension. The sexual tension. “You’re a good friend.” I grimace a little at my accidental drop of the F-word. Kelley quirks his eyebrow and cocks his head to the side with a smirk.

“Friend?” My body relaxes a bit at his playful tone.

“Are we not friends?” My tone matches his, and ohmigosh we’re flirting.

Holy moley, I’m flirting with my best friend.

Wait, why is this so surprising? Last night I was dry humping him like a sex-starved lunatic. Jeesh.

“I was kinda thinkin’ maybe we were a little more than friends now.”

“Thinking?”

He takes a step toward me, his stare smoldering. “Hoping.”

Oh man. Okay. His voice is sex and promise and dang it, I’m warm and tingling again. If he’s trying to disarm me, it’s working. I am never disarmed. I am unshakable. I am an impenetrable freaking arsenal of arms.

Get a grip, Ivy Jean Rivenbark. Where’s your fierce inner mountain lion? Deep breaths. Two can play at this game

“Oh yeah?” I set my coffee and muffin on the island behind me and take a step closer to him. I drag my eyes down his torso and back up, biting my lip slightly when they reach his once more. “And why is that?”

His eyes flare as they drop to my mouth. I run my fingers lightly along my clavicle, and he follows the movement without blinking. I trace them down the collar of my shirt and send a thank you to Last Night Me for putting on a loose V-neck instead of my oversized t-shirt with One Direction on it. His breathing picks up as I reach the top swell of my breasts. I’m not showing any cleavage, but I’d bet he’s getting hard anyway. I resist the urge to look.

This is a bad idea, the practical part of my brain whispers, but I shush it. I’ll think about that later.

When I bring my hand back up and tuck a strand of hair behind my ear, I peek my tongue out just a bit, making my lower lip glisten, and his breath hitches on a quiet groan.

Take that, Kelley Pierce. I’m totally going to win this seduction game.

But then after a moment, he grins, it’s salacious and wicked, and his eyes dance with something daring. Oh shoot. He pops a brow and I try to brace my body for whatever he’s going to say.

“Do you usually spend Saturday nights grinding on your friend’s dick?”

I can’t help it. I wasn’t expecting that, and I break with a loud laugh, my eyes wide and my jaw hanging open in shock. Kelley looks so dang smug, and at his loud laughter, I huff and stomp my foot.

“Kelley Allen Pierce!” I shriek out. “You stop that! That’s not fair. You were grinding just as much,” I protest. My cheeks hurt from smiling. “You were probably even more into it than I was!”