Everett Holden had sworn to live the rest of his life a single man, but his plans are disrupted when he finds himself sharing an apartment with his best friend's ex - the one woman he detests with every fiber of his being yet simultaneously desires...
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LIAM: SAW THIS at a shop here downtown and thought of you! Should I send it as a late Christmas present?
I smile at the picture of a homemade leather bracelet staring back at me. It's got beads and different charms hanging off the ends, much similar to the ones I used to make for him during the years of our relationship. It wasn't necessarily our thing since I made bracelets for many of my friends growing up, but I appreciate that something as small as this could make him think of me.
But at the same time, I don't want him to be reminded of me while he goes shopping. We never spoke about getting back together after our break-up, and sometimes I have a hard time determining if he misses me as a friend or something more.
Texts like these make me lean toward the latter.
Me: You don't have to buy me anything! We stopped getting each other gifts a while ago, and I didn't get you a gift :(
Liam: I didn't expect you to buy me anything. And this is a (friend) gift, Emery, nothing more.
Me: In that case... I think the bracelet is beautiful!!!
Liam: Say less :) Buying it now.
With a sigh, I shove my phone into the back pocket of a new pair of jeans Everett supplied me with. They're soft and form-fitting, a sure sign of an expensive material of cotton that's more pliable than others. They feel like damn silk, and as much as I tried not to wear what he bought me, as much as I knew I should return it all, the clothes were incredible, and my little fashion heart couldn't resist them.
"Who was that?" Lana points to my phone, now tucked away in the new jeans, arching a brow.
"Liam," I mutter. "Sometimes I feel like I shouldn't be talking to him as frequently as I do, you know? Am I leading him on?"
We truck across campus to our last class of the day, the cold air whipping against our cheeks. I hug my jacket tighter as she says, "Has he said he wants to get back together?"
"Not officially, but he always texts me, and I guess I've been nervous to ask because I don't want to hurt his feelings. Getting back together isn't something I want, and I..." I've been fucking his best friend, and I think I might be in deep shit now that I've started to peel back Everett's layers. "When we ended things, it felt right. Like it was supposed to happen way before we decided to call it quits."
Lana hums thoughtfully, weaving our way through heaps of students. "Or this could have something to do with his insanely hot and brooding best friend living under the same roof as you."
I groan as images of Everett buried inside me flood my head. We've both been busy with school the past couple of days and haven't had much time to talk to each other since I've worked late shifts. Plus, I didn't know what to say after he purchased those movies for me. Things feel like they're shifting into an area we both aren't ready for, but I can't give up what we already started. I don't think my body would let me stop the incredible countless orgasms he gives me.
"It's complicated," I decide to reply. "We're not dating. We wouldn't do that to Liam."
"But you're..."
My cheeks burn. "Yeah. Many times."
Lana squeals with excitement. "Oh my god, wait until I tell Sam he was right. He's going to die of jealousy. Is Everett as good as he looks?"
We stop outside our favorite coffee cart, waiting in line to place our order. "Way too good at it, Lana. My body is protesting not having an orgasm for four days by him. It's been too long, but I've had to work late the past few nights and haven't seen him."
"Don't you live under the same roof? Just knock on his damn door, Emery. You're too polite." She shakes her wavy red hair from side to side. "I would climb that man like a tree."
I smack her across the chest. "You have a boyfriend, Lana."
"So? That doesn't mean I'm blind, and Everett is fine as hell. All I'm saying is I'm sure he wouldn't mind if you climbed into his bed to relieve you of your orgasm drought."
"You're probably right," a deep, familiar voice says behind us. My body stills as my cheeks are practically on fire now. Everett stands behind us in line, and I swear, I'll die of embarrassment.
The line moves forward, and Lana steps up next, reassuringly squeezing my arm. "I'll let you two hash this out. See you in class."
Leaving us in our own bubble, I can hardly look at Everett in his icy blue eyes. He's got a cocky grin on his face with one hand in the pocket of his light-wash jeans. His favorite oversized Balenciaga hoodie looks adorable on him, and those piercings. Those damn piercings.
Yeah, it's definitely been too long.
"So, a drought?" He asks.
"Not my words," I reply. "Lana can be...blunt."
"But also truthful, I assume. She's right, you know. I wouldn't mind if you climbed into my bed at night to get what you want, Em. I've been in a drought, too. Desperate for rain, actually."
"Now you just sound ridiculous," I say with a laugh. "It's only been four days. I think we can hold out for a day or two more."
"And there's that pridefulness I missed. Glad to know that personality trait of yours is still flourishing."
Letting out a huff of disbelief, I step up to order my coffee, the same order Everett just made fun of the other morning in bed, but then I feel his tall figure step up behind me, all of the hairs on my neck standing on end from the closeness. He braces his large hands on either side of the coffee cart counter, caging me in, leaning down to my ear to whisper, "Just so you're aware, be careful driving home tonight. Pretty sure it's supposed to rain."
"Hmm?" I can hardly speak, desperate for those lips to hit that spot on my neck I love so much.
"Yeah. Flash flood warning, to be exact."
Oh, god.
Then, when the barista steps up to take my order, Everett recites it by heart, adding a black coffee of his own in typical brooding fashion before he hands over his card to pay. My heart is racing, my palms are sweating, and I inhale a deep breath to try to clear the smell of his cologne from my nose, but it seems to be stuck there for good.
"I'll see you tonight," he says, grabbing his coffee off the counter. "And if I'm asleep, wake me up so we can weather the storm together."
Author's Note:
I BET YOU GUYS WANT THE NEXT CHAPTER, HUH?
GET THIS CHAPTER TO 220 VOTES AND 300 COMMENTS AND I'LL RELEASE IT IMMEDIATELY :)
