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“Former professor. You know what you’ll like more?”
“What?”
But Jamie didn’t answer. Instead, his gaze moved over Lucy’s shoulder. When she turned her head, she saw his friend Ryan dancing with a pretty blonde with the bluest eyes Lucy had ever seen. They weren’t dancing like strangers, but they weren’t dancing like lovers, either. It was easy enough to see from Ryan’s expression that he wished that wasn’t the case.
“Another case of unrequited love?” she said softly as she turned back to Jamie.
“Can one unrequite a love one doesn’t know exists?” he asked in return.
“He hasn’t told her?”
“She’s his best friend, and he has it in his head that if she knows how he feels, he’ll lose that.”
She nodded. “Sex can mess up a friendship.” She bit her lip. “I—I don’t want it to mess up ours.”
He squeezed her. “Stop it.”
“No. Because you are my friend, Jamie, and I don’t want that to end. I hope—I hope even after all of this, after you’re done with me—”
He let her go suddenly. “You mean after you’re done with me.”
“What?”
“I’m not the one who’s made it impossible for us to be together, Lucy.”
She looked around, afraid that others would hear them. “Jamie…”
He pulled her back in his arms. “Jesus, I’m sorry. Forget I said that. I just…Looking at Ryan and Annie made me lose my head for a second. It’s okay, Lucy. I know what we have …and what we don’t have. I hope we can remain friends, too.” He leaned down and kissed her. “For a while longer I’m hoping we can remain friends with benefits,” he joked, but his voice was strained.
She didn’t know what to say. What to do. His implication that they could have something special…maybe something permanent…but for her own cowardice made her heart clench. As she always did when she didn’t know what to do, Lucy faked it. “That sounds good to me. More than good.” She stopped dancing and grabbed his hand. “Come on, let’s go.”
“Where are we going?”
“I’m thirsty. Let’s go get a drink.” She started to pull him off the dance floor, but Jamie pulled her back in.
“Wait, haven’t you forgotten something?”
“What?”
“I can’t walk across the floor like this. It looks like a huge snake got loose in my pants.”
Lucy laughed, then glanced down at the distinct bulge in his pants and murmured, “Huge, huh?”
“What? You don’t think it looks like one of those thirty-foot pythons?”
“I—”
“Jamie! Lucy!”
Lucy turned to see Brianne rushing toward them. Gabe was close on her heels. From behind her, Jamie said, “Well, if that’s not enough to put a giant python to sleep, I don’t know what is.”
Snorting, she elbowed him. “Quiet.”
“Nice dancing, you two,” Brianne said. “You’re good for my brother, Lucy. Can I steal him for one dance while you dance with Gabe?”
Lucy smiled even as Gabe frowned and Brianne looked at her with pleading, desperate eyes.
Just then, another romantic song perfect for slow dancing came on.
