My Best Friend's Ex (Edited)

Part 33 (edited)

Emma

I feel weird.

Not the kind of weird where I ate something wrong and not the kind of weird where I drank too much.

No, I feel a different kind of weird. A nervous, fluttery kind of weird. The kind of weird you get when an attractive man keeps smiling at you, making you laugh, and stealing touches when he can. The kind of weird you get when your friend is starting to make you feel things you know you shouldn't feel.

And I'm not talking about Logan . . .

It's all Colby. Colby freaking Brock and his sexy side smile. Colby Brock and his deep, rumbly laugh. Colby Brock and his innocent, friendly touches that make me melt on the spot. To him, those touches are free of any kind of commitment, but to me, they feel like so much more. I want to ask him to stop because I'm worried my mind will get confused. I'm worried that I will fall for my best friend's ex-boyfriend, her former everything and that terrifies me.

No wonder every girl our age fawned over the man; he's magnetic. There's no use denying the pull, because all you want to do when around him is cling to his side. And I'm having a hell of a time trying to detach myself.

Plates cleaned, drinks consumed, I've watched how effortlessly he's engaged both Sam, his friend Jake and Logan into conversation, never allowing a dull moment. And the whole time, all I could think of was how different he is from the boy I grew up with. He's a man now, a confident man with experience under his belt, an addicting man you want to surround yourself with. It's confusing. He confuses me.

For so long, I've been on the other side of the fence, listening to Sadie and her side of the relationship. It's been so long since I've spent time with Colby, that I've forgotten who he truly is. He was never Sadie's shadow per SE, but he was so connected to her, that I wonder if I ever met Colby the individual. My image has been clouded from the past, but after last night, after tonight, the clouds are parting and I think I'm meeting Colby Brock the man for the first time. An effervescent man with a sexy smirk, ovary-splitting laugh, and killer eyes.

"Isn't that right, Emma?" Funnily enough, around company, Colby has referred to me as Emma, not babe.

"Ehh, what?"

"Sixth grade, your first kiss was with a guy who worshiped the black Power Ranger."

"Daniel? Yeah, he was a bit obsessed. But despite his obsession, he tongued me up real nice."

The table erupts. Well, apart from Colby who gives me a pointed look that causes me to laugh. He wanted me to let loose. This is Emma let loose. She's a little loose on the lips.

"Daniel sounds like a real winner." Logan tips his bottle in my direction and takes a sip. I'm surprised with how much he's been fitting in with the guys, especially since I hadn't thought they would mesh well together. Colby, Sam and Jake are rugged, men's men, where as Logan runs the line of more sensitive.

"Oh shit, I could use a good tonguing, especially after sitting on this piece of trash seat all night." Sam shifts and whacks Colby on the arm. "Dude, splurge a bit and get a fucking couch. What is wrong with you?"

Colby smiles over his glass, looking more at ease than he has in the last couple days. "I have everything I need in my bedroom."

"I would say let's take this up to your bedroom, but that would quickly divert this little gathering into a glorified sword fight, and I'm not drunk enough to start whipping my willy about."

Jake turns to Sam and asks, "Would you ever be drunk enough?"

Sam takes a moment to think about it and then shakes his head. "No, but for the right price, I would smack someone with my dick."

Colby shakes his head. "There is something seriously wrong with you."

"Hey, I'll take money anyway I can get."

"Let's play a game," I say, interrupting the little battle of whit between Colby and Sam.

"Yeah?" Colby asks. "What did you have in mind?"

I hold up my finger and stand up, feeling a little shaky in my legs. Thank you, alcohol. "One second please." Quickly, I run to my room, grab a deck of cards and my makeup case along with a little mirror. When I come back into the dining room, all four men give me confused looks.

Sitting back in his chair, arms crossed over his expansive chest, Colby says, "No, we're not playing that stupid game."

I set my stuff on the table and take a seat. "Come on. I haven't played in so long."

"No." Colby stands his ground.

I jut out my bottom lip. "Please. It will be so much fun."