Levi bends and kisses Tessa on the cheek. “What would we do without you?”
“You’re not going to be alive to find out if you don’t get your lips off my girl.”
Levi shrugs and comes to stand in front of me. He bends and kisses me on the cheek as well. I feel nothing but friendship and brotherly love from him. “You too,” he says, rising. In the past, when he would do this, I would look at Cooper to gauge his reaction. Those days have long since passed. I know his jaw is going to be set, and there will be a warning glare in those brown eyes. I also know that it’s for his best friend. No matter how badly I want it to be more, it’s not.
“Me too.” Dustin shoves a donut in his mouth and stands.
“I’m going to head home, get a few more hours of sleep. I’ll be back later,” I tell anyone who’s listening.
“Just go back upstairs and sleep,” Tessa says.
My eyes scan to Cooper. “I don’t want to cramp your style today.”
“Never.” He, too, rinses out his glass and holds his hand out for me. “Come on, drunk girl.”
I stick my tongue out at him, and he laughs. Placing my hand in his, I let him lead me upstairs to his room. Once inside, I go to his bed and burrow under the covers. It’s a dreary fall day, and sleeping in is just what the doctor ordered to help cure this hangover. Cooper pulls the curtains closed, and I shut my eyes, assuming he’s going back downstairs. A few minutes later, I feel the bed dip, and his body moves in settling next to mine.
“You good, Reese? Can I get you anything?”
“I’m fine.” I don’t turn to look at him. I know he’s close because I can feel the heat of his body.
“Get some rest.” He places his hand on my hip and doesn’t move it. I lie still, waiting to see what happens. Nothing. A few minutes later, his light snores greet me. I relax into the mattress and eventually drift off to sleep, tethered to my best friend. Not just by his hand, but my heart. In more ways than one.Chapter 11CooperI wake with a jolt. My eyes spring open, and I take in my current situation. I’m warm, not unreasonably so, but warmer than usual. I look to the woman lying in my arms and smile.
Reese.
She’s sound asleep, but it’s her ass, her perfect round, gorgeous, now pink-thong-wearing ass that woke me up. It’s currently pressing against my cock. She’s covered, fully dressed in her own clothes, but I now know what lies underneath. I saw it in her bag, and I can now after last night get a clear visual in my mind of how she looks in it. I have a clear image in my head. My arms are around her, holding her close to my chest. We’ve ended up like this a few times; it happens when two people who are as close as we are share a bed. However, this time it’s different. This time all I can think about is stripping her out of her clothes and tracing her curves with my tongue.
I’ve always known that my best friend was gorgeous. Hell, I’ve warned off plenty of assholes—some of which are my closest friends. She has the kind of beauty that’s understated. She’s genuinely a nice person. She very rarely has a bad word to say about anyone, and she’s loyal to a fault. Her green eyes are captivating, only adding to her beauty.
It’s more than just that, though.
She’s easy to talk to and a blast to be around. She’s not full of drama, and she’s one of those people that what you see is what you get. She’s real, and that takes her appeal and hotness factor up about a million points. I’ve always known that, and she deserves a man who notices that about her. Someone who knows she’s one of a kind. I’ll continue to run them off until he shows himself.
Then last night happened.
Last night, I saw all of her. Sure, she was covered in sheer black fabric, but it left nothing to the imagination. No, my mind is clear, and I can pull up the mental images of her pert nipples and perfectly sized tits, and that ass…. They’re all stored away as a moment in life that I will never forget.
I know I should pull away. I’m wide awake. I should slip out of bed and let her sleep, but I can’t do that. I physically can’t make myself pull away from her. Instead, I’m going to lie here with her in my arms, her perfect ass nestled against my cock, and pretend like this is us. That this is the new us. I’m going to soak up this moment for all it’s worth. Then, when it’s gone, I’ll have the memory of what could have been. When I think about my life, there is not a minute of my future that I don’t see Reese in. I need it to stay that way. She’s my rock, and I’d like to think that I’m hers as well. As bad as I want her in this moment, I’m not willing to risk losing her, losing what we have just to get my dick wet. Not saying that’s all she would be. Even I know that sleeping with Reese would change things. The problem is that it’s a risk, one I’m not willing to take. So instead, I’ll lie here and soak up her warmth and the feel of her in my arms. Then later, I’ll take matters into my own hands, at the vision of my best friend. It’s not the first time, and I’m sure it won’t be the last. Not when it comes to Reese.