Page 81 of A Win-Win Situation
"Yes, I have," I lie, my eyes locked on his.
"Then why are you so nervous?"
He moves closer, and I can feel the heat radiating from his body. I take a step back, but he follows, crowding me against the wall. His eyes are intense as he leans in, his lips just inches from mine.
"I’m not nervous. Why would I be nervous? We’re friends," I manage to whisper, my heart quickening with both fear and desire. He pauses, his gaze flickering.
"Yeah," he says, finally taking a step back and running a hand through his hair. "Of course we are . . .Friends."
I let out a breath and try to steady myself, the tension between us almost unbearable.
We stare at each other for a few more heartbeats before he breaks the connection. "I’m gonna go brush my teeth."
I watch as Lucas walks away, his shirtless figure disappearing into the bathroom. My mind is a whirlwind of conflicting thoughts and emotions. We're friends, and that’s for the best, but at the same time, my body aches with desire for him. I bite my lip as I sink into the bed, feeling the softness of the sheets against my skin. My body is still buzzing with the memory of his proximity, the heat of his breath against my ear. I try to push the thoughts out of my head but my whole body keeps buzzing for his touch.
No, it can’t happen. I’m not putting myself in a situation where I can get rejected. I don’t think I’ll be able to handle that.
I grab a few of the throw pillows and set up a wall between my side and his. Nobody is touching anyone tonight.
As long as he stays on his side, I think we’ll be good.
A few minutes later, Lucas emerges from the bathroom in a pair of sweatpants, looking refreshed and ready for bed. He approaches his side of the bed, and there’s a subtle tug at the corner of his lips, a bemused curiosity in his eyes. "What's with the barricade?"
"Oh, uh, nothing. I just thought it would be more comfortable this way," I stammer, trying to come up with a convincing excuse that isn’t "to keep me from straddling you."Because that is not what you say to your friends.
"I just don't want to accidentally invade your personal space while we sleep."
Lucas just shakes his head. "Sure, Leora. Whatever you say." He takes his place on his side of the bed, making no move to cross the pillow barrier.
"Goodnight, Leora."
"Goodnight, Lucas."
We settle into our respective sides, but my mind is still racing with thoughts of him. I try to push the thoughts out of my head, telling myself that it's better to just stay friends. But the more I try to ignore the feelings, the stronger they become. His scent, his warmth, his touch—everything about him is driving me insane. My body is yearning for his touch, but at the same time, I know it's not a good idea to act on it.
I try to calm my racing heart. Maybe if I just focus on getting some sleep, these feelings will fade away and I’ll wake up fresh tomorrow. I close my eyes and try to drift off, but I can still feel his presence beside me, and I know that it's going to be a long night.
TWENTY-NINE
LEORA
Ishift in my sleep, feeling a warm, hard body pressed against me. My eyes flutter open to see the olive skin I was fantasizing about yesterday. Lucas’s arm is wrapped around me tightly, and I feel the rise and fall of his chest. My head is nestled against his shoulder, and our legs are tangled together under the sheets.
For a moment, I just lay there, taking in his warmth and the comfort of his embrace.
It feels safe.Hemakes me feel safe.
His face looks so at ease and I use my finger to trace his full lips, remembering how they felt on mine yesterday.So soft.
He’s beautiful and looks almost boyish as he sleeps. I can't help but smile at the sight of him, peaceful and content in his slumber. Like all the stress he usually carries on his shoulders has dissipated.
As I move my hand up to brush a strand of hair from his forehead, Lucas begins to stir. His arm tightens around me, pulling me even closer as he lets out a contented sigh. I try to pull away, feeling wrong for enjoying this moment with him while he’s unconscious.
His eyes open, and he looks at me with a sleepy smile. "Good morning," he murmurs huskily.
"Good morning," I reply in a low voice. I'm not sure how we ended up like this but I don't want to move. I just want to stay here with him, in his arms, for as long as I can.
Lucas stretches out his legs, making us both aware of how intertwined we are under the covers. As soon as I get a chance, I untangle from his hold and move away from him.
