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“Yeah, in a good way. I fancied you from the minute I saw you, but getting to know you, watching you help people, help me?” He kissed her nose and hovered over her lips. “That did me in. I was a goner. You’re beautiful inside and out.”

“So, why the big friend speech at the diner?”

“I felt like I had to draw a line because you loved Josh—or I thought you did. I would’ve eaten my words if I’d known about your breakup. Why didn’t you stop me and tell me you were single?”

“You kinda sold the whole friends thing like a done deal. I thought if I said something, I’d just embarrass myself. I know what it’s like when someone likes you and you don’t feel the same way. It happened to me in high school and ruined the friendship. I didn’t want to ruin our friendship.” Her fingers stroked his hip.

He exhaled a heavy breath. “You know, the minute you told me about dumping him, I had to fight the urge to grab you for a kiss right there! But—and now this feels stupid—I didn’t know if you were into me. Then once we were up on that rock and I found out about your mom, it didn’t seem right to crack on to you. I reckoned you needed a friend more than…well, this”—he waved his hand back and forth—“especially with everything you had going on. I almost kissed you on my birthday, but…” He shrugged. “I panicked. Then, I kicked myself for letting the moment go. I hoped if you did like me, you’d find a way to tell me, and lucky for me, you did!”

How ’bout a reminder? Riley’s hand slid off his hip to where he waited, hard and ready.

“Oh, yes…please.” He growled as she kissed his neck. “Keep telling me, again and again.” His eyes fluttered closed and his mouth covered Riley’s, kissing her deeply.

CLICK! The door flung open.

They broke apart and Ben yanked the covers up to their necks.

“Rye, your phone’s off, so I got breakfast burritos—” Piper spotted Ben’s green and red candy cane socks on the floor and her eyes shot to the bed. “Holy FUCK!” She burst out in a bellyaching laugh, spitting out her gum. “Christmas came and…so did you!”

“Pip!” Riley hid her reddening face in Ben’s neck. “Why are you back so early?”

“Hiya, Pip.” Ben raised a sheepish hand.

“Cicely’s grandma took her for brunch—she’s trying to see Cice as much as she can before she leaves for London. Her grandmother’s vegan so—yuck. Besides, I didn’t think this”—her eyes scanned the discarded mess of clothes, the condom wrappers, and the balled-up throw on the floor—“would be going down!”

“I hope you bought enough for three.” Ben smirked.

“Jeez, it’s about fucking time, you guys!” Piper dumped the takeout bag on the floor and climbed the ladder, ducking around the strings of fairy lights to raise her hand for two embarrassed high fives.

Forty-Six

Two weeks later

Summer had taken New York City by the throat, and the second Friday in July was a t-shirt-soaking scorcher. Heat radiated off the pavement, everyone moved slower, and overworked air conditioners groaned across the city, their fight against the relentless humidity a losing battle.

LaGuardia Place in Greenwich Village sizzled in the early afternoon sun, but Ben and Riley had found one of the few shaded spots—a bench underneath the bubblegum pink awning of DŌ. They sat thigh to thigh, devouring their treats—a loaded brownie bar for Ben and a single scoop of Nuts for Nuts cookie dough jammed with Reese’s Cups and Pieces for Riley.

Riley and sweets—I’ve never seen someone so happy. Ben watched behind his sunglasses, her spoon about to dig in again. Two weeks in and she’s still here. I’m still here, haven’t bolted or ghosted—that’s a first. Riles, what have you done to me? Leaning in, Ben kissed her forehead. “Who’d have thought, eh? A fortnight of dirty sex and getting sozzled.”

A wistfulness tainted her grin. “I wish! I’ve missed you, Ben.”

Taking in her sundress and her long hair tied in a loose ponytail, his smile wilted. “Work’s a bugger for keeping us apart, and so are our flatmates for being home. Two quickies in two weeks?”

“I know.” She sighed. “I’m frustrated, too.”

“If only one of us had a bedroom…or a car, somewhere private.”

Riley kissed him and laid her head on his shoulder, his Duran Duran t-shirt slightly damp. “There’s always public restrooms…”

Wha—really? “Riles…?”

The rise in Ben’s voice made Riley lift her head. “Well, needs must, right?” She sucked on her spoon. “And it checks dirty sex off that list—”

“I’m always up for that!”

“I bet you are!” Riley laughed, catching his naughty grin. “Oh! You’re not joking? You’ve had restroom sex?”

“Ohhh yeah—several times.” His eyes curved into cheeky crescents. “Haven’t you?”