Seduce Me (Austin Singles 1)

“Did you have to go to Sedotto today? I was thinking maybe we could spend the day together.”

My head jerked over to her. I moaned as the room spun a little. “Excuse me?”

Her face scrunched up and I wanted to think it looked cute, but I felt nothing toward Noelle anymore. Nothing at all.

“I thought maybe we could hang out.”

“Sorry, Noelle, I’m not interested in … hanging out … or anything else.”

Her smile faded. I caught the look of disappointment in her eyes before I turned and poured myself a cup of the coffee she had made.

After a few awkward minutes in silence, she broke it. “Do you still like her?”

“By her, do you mean Charlie?”

“Yes,” she said softly. I turned and leaned against the counter opposite of her.

“I love her.”

Her eyes dropped, and I couldn’t help but notice how her shoulders sagged. It only took her a heartbeat to look at me again.

“She was with another guy last night. They left together. It looks to me like she’s moved on. You should too.”

A sickness rolled through my body as I thought about it. I needed to talk to Charlie, and not when I was drunk out of my mind.

I pushed off of the counter and held up the coffee mug. “Thank you for making this, bringing me home, and making sure all was good. I’ll get dressed so I can take you back to your car.”

/> Disappointment washed over her face.

“I’ll meet you back out here in a few minutes,” I called over my shoulder.

She nodded. As I walked down the hallway to my bedroom, the doorbell rang.

“I’ll get it!” Noelle said as I kept walking. I didn’t give two fucks who was at my door. I knew it wasn’t Charlie, so no one else mattered.

As I walked into my bedroom, I heard my phone going off. It was on top of my dresser. A text from Lily.

Lily: Charlie called me. Said she tried to call you this morning. Are you home? She’s headed that way.

Fear instantly hit me. Holy shit.

Racing out of my room, I ran down the hall, through my living room and to the front door.

I sighed when I saw Nash at the door. He looked at Noelle and then to me.

“Are you fucking crazy?” he shouted, pushing past Noelle.

“Nothing happened. She drove me home last night because I was drunk. Since she didn’t have her car, she stayed in the guest room.”

My best friend stood there, his hands balled up in fists.

Leaning in closer to me, he asked, “Are you sure nothing happened?”

“Positive. I woke up fully clothed. Even my boots were still on.”

He looked relieved and then pissed again. “You’re lucky it was me who showed up here this morning. Charlie was on her way over here.”

The rock in my stomach grew heavier. “What the fuck do you mean ‘was’? Why?”