Page 56 of The Deal Breaker
Cheers sounded from the television, but he ignored the players skating back and forth.
Dash never meant to kiss her on the lips. One hundred percent true, he’d been going for her cheek—the way friends did.
Or at least Henry did.
Dash hadn’t expected she’d turn her head toward him at the right—or rather, wrong—time. No one could have anticipated that. It was his luck.
Both good and bad.
The brush of his lips against her soft ones had been, in a word, awesome, and he’d wanted nothing more than to kiss her longer, but he pulled away because he hadn’t asked if he could kiss her.
A buzzer sounded.
He startled.
A glance at the television showed players leaving the ice. The period must be over. So much for the game distracting him.
The kiss had lasted maybe a second, but Dash couldn’t stop thinking about it or her. He couldn’t decide if she was surprised or upset. The way she’d bolted upstairs reminded him of a thoroughbred in the Kentucky Derby on the final straightaway.
If Iris had stayed, would she have told him what she was thinking? If she wanted another kiss?
Dash did, because one taste, barely a hint, made him want more. But how would that work when they were friends?
Friends.
He mulled over the word.
It had only been one week, but he felt closer to Iris than he had to Raina or any girlfriend before her. Okay, he’d known Iris for over fifteen years. They’d lived together, either in the same apartment or on the same property for the past six. Other friends joked the reason he hadn’t been interested in marriage was he already had a wife—Iris—just without all the other…benefits.
If that were true, he’d been a horrible husband, taking her for granted and ignoring her needs. Not even married and he was following in his parents’ footsteps.
He half laughed.
Only it wasn’t funny.
Dash slouched.
Once Iris moved out, things would change. He tried to imagine what that would look like. Going out to dinner. Watching a movie. Hanging out.
None of that seemed…enough…after tonight. But what did that mean in real life—friends to best friends to…girlfriend and boyfriend?
That would be…
Wonderful.
No, risky.
Too much?
Iris wanted a happily ever after. The only thing he believed in was happy for now, and that was on a good day.
Was a compromise even possible?
Dash had more questions than answers. He hadn’t been willing to try being more than friends when they were younger. How was their situation different now? If anything, their friendship was in a worse position, nowhere as strong as it had been in the past.
His fault, completely. He’d been stupid and selfish. He didn’t deserve another chance, but Iris was giving him one. Focusing on rebuilding their friendship should be the only thing on his mind, not where they might go in the future. He didn’t want to ruin things between them again. Had he already?
Dash dragged his hand through his hair. He’d apologized for the mis-aimed kiss earlier, but was that enough?
