to do something is an invitation to have him do it? Do they not teach you girls these things?"
"Of course I do," she whispered seductively and got up, walking to the counter as if to check on Casey.
I leaned back against the bench seat and watched her as my body hardened. One night. Just one night was all I needed to convince her that maybe we could be a bit more than friends.
Wait. All you want is friends.
Right.
Chapter 13
Vivian
"I just wanted to check on my friend." I glanced up at the nurse at the front desk of the minute clinic as she scowled at me.
"She'll be out any minute. Have a seat, miss."
I figured as much, but needed a reason to break away from Easton. A large part of me wanted to crawl into his lap and forget that we were in public. It was a damn good thing that we were. His kisses were capable of breaking down my reserve fast.
Butterflies danced in my stomach as I turned and let my eyes move across him. The thick swell of his chest and stomach were beyond delicious. The bulge at the front of his shorts was bigger than it had been back at the beach, but after making out for the last few minutes, he'd better be turned on.
"You don't have to stay here. I'll be good just waiting on Casey myself." I stood in front of him.
He rose to his feet and ran his hands over my shoulders and down my arms. "I don't mind. Let's grab her and get her back to the hotel, then I can go back out to get our stuff."
"My room key was in the pocket of my shorts. I don't have an id or anything to get back to my room with." I tried not to enjoy the warmth of just having his hands on me.
"I'm well-known at the hotel, which should work in my favor today. We'll have them get you a new key, or you can just stay with me while I get your stuff." He squeezed my shoulders and looked past me. "There she is."
I smiled and turned, moving to wrap an arm around Casey as she hobbled toward us.
"How freaking embarrassing." She shook her head and turned to look up at me. "I'm sorry."
"About what? I would have done the same thing, but worse. I'd probably have asked Easton to pee on it for me." I gave her a goofy grin and she smiled in return.
"And I'd have done it too." He wagged his eyebrows playfully.
"Let's get you back to the hotel." I rolled my eyes at the sexy dark-haired man that was soon to steal my heart if I wasn't careful.
"That sounds good. The ointment should help a little with the burn. The doctor said I would be fine later tonight. It just stings like hell, but whatever." She shrugged and moved out of the clinic with my help. We took our time getting back to the hotel, making sure that Casey wasn't in any sort of pain.
Easton offered ten times to carry her, but she wouldn't have any of it. She was independent and wanted to prove it to both of us. The girl had more spirit than anyone else I knew. She would be back on her feet and ready to have a good time within hours.
"Let me go grab a key from the front desk and we'll get you settled." He moved away from us as I turned to Casey.
"You really okay? I'm worried about you." I held onto her narrow shoulders and searched her face for the truth.
"I'm good. It just burns, but no big deal. I'll get over it." She glanced toward the front desk. "I like him. He would be really good for you. Really."
"I know." I followed her line of sight and let my eyes move across his thick muscular back as my body ached for more of him. "I'm just scared. We just met him. If I could assure myself that nothing but a friendship could come of it, I would be okay. I just don't think that's the case."
"I understand that, but wouldn't you rather limp your way across the finish line of life having loved a million times and lost than to never have really experienced the exhilaration of being in love at all?" She gave me a soft smile.
"Yeah, I think so, but this guy...he's different." I turned my attention back to her. "I don't want to focus on men right now, Case. I want to focus on me. My career is about to start, and I don't want to miss out on any of the moments coming up because I'm heartbroken from the latest bullshit some dude wants to put me through."
"Viv."
"No, I'm serious. A night with him would be magical, a week – heaven." I shrugged. "Anything more, and I'm sure he'd soon discover what Jackson figured out."