Adore Me (Austin Singles 3)

Morgan: I think it’s better this way. No awkward moment at my door. I’ve got an early morning appointment, so I had to leave early. I’m at my office now. I’ll see you around, Blake. M

“What the fuck? She blew me off.”

Laughing, I pushed my fingers through my hair and shook my head. There was no fucking way I would believe last night was just a onetime thing. That she hadn’t felt what I felt. I stared down at her text.

Then a sinking feeling hit me. Maybe it was. Morgan got what she wanted and now she was moving on. I ignored the way it felt like my lungs were constricting, making it difficult to breathe. I stood and took in a deep inhale, then slowly let it out.

Making my way to the bathroom, I jumped into the shower and turned the knob all the way to cold. I needed to try to forget about everything from last night. For my sake and for Morgan’s.

An hour later I was walking into my office. I came to a stop when I saw Tucker sitting in the chair.

“Tucker, hey, to what do I owe this honor?”

My heart raced as I tried to act normal.

He knew. Damn it, he somehow found out. Maybe someone from Tucker’s bar was at the club.

Shit. Shit. Shit.

“I stopped by to invite you over to a dinner party Charlie is hosting for Kaelynn and Nash. To celebrate their engagement and the baby.”

I dropped my briefcase onto my desk and sat. “Damn, I can’t believe they’re having a baby. You don’t think they’re moving too fast?”

Tucker shrugged. “They both seem happy. When love hits you, you sort of know.”

My eyes jerked up to his, and I don’t know which one of us was more stunned by what came out of my mouth next. “What does it feel like?”

Tucker grinned. “Love? Hell, like your entire world has been turned upside down, but in the most beautiful way. You can’t breathe with them near you, or when they’re away from you. You’d do anything to hear them laugh, see them smile. Holding them in your arms will erase all the day’s bullshit. It’s a crazy feeling.”

His description was almost the same as Butch’s.

Butch. Dear God.

If he knew what I had done with Morgan, he would probably have me killed.

“How did you know you were in love with Charlie?”

His head tilted to the side. “Why are you asking this, Blake?”

Acting casual, I answered, “I’m honestly just curious.”

He grinned again. “I think I felt it in my chest first. A weird, warming, squeezing sensation. Or sometimes I felt it right in the center of my gut. Like someone had tied my stomach in knots. Sort of like being back in school, when we used to have finals or big projects due.”

I nodded.

“You ever feel that way about a woman?”

Laughing, I lied. “No.” He didn’t need to know that was exactly how I felt around Morgan.

Tucker smirked. “What did you do about Morgan?”

Trying not to look guilty, I replied, “Nothing.”

“You’re just going to push your feelings for her aside?”

I stared at him, not wanting to get into this conversation. I was beginning to regret telling him how I felt about Morgan.

“When is the dinner party?”