Page 65 of Irresistibly Us
Kissing one’s best friend is not something to undertake on a whim. I need to think. I need to breathe. Yes, breathing is good. I should definitely breathe. Except when I inhale deeply, it’s instant regret, because instead of breathing in clarity, I breathe in Tyler, and that’s the opposite of helpful.
Fuckity fuck.
Tyler’s quiet laugh yanks me out of my head.
“What?” I ask warily, looking at his smug, stupid, gorgeous face.
The grin he flashes should be illegal. “Looks like you were thinking some big thoughts over there, Sal. Want to share with the class?”
I pin him with a glare. “What is happening right now?”
He shrugs casually, spreading his ridiculously well-muscled arms over the back of the couch. “I have no idea what you mean. I’m just sitting here, scrolling through my mental recipe box, trying to decide what grilled cheese to make for our late-night snack.”
That’s not at all what he’s doing and I really, really need some answers, but my brain catches ongrilled cheeseand suddenly I’m ravenous. “It’s two in the morning.”
This time Tyler lets out a full-blown laugh. “When has that ever stopped us? It’s Friday night and we danced and sang our asses off for hours, subsisting only on Shirley Temples and the worst fucking french fries I’ve ever had.”
I blow out a breath. “They were pretty bad, weren’t they?”
Tyler shakes his head sadly. “You know, I’ve always been solidly in the camp that believed even terrible french fries were good because, french fries. Tonight proved me wrong. So wrong, in fact, I think I need to make my own to erase that travesty from my brain.”
“Your own french fries?” I ask, wondering if I’m in an alternate universe where one minute Tyler looks at me like he wants to eat me alive and the next minute he’s carrying on about the injustice of terrible french fries.
His face lights up. “One hundred percent yes. That’s exactly what I’m going to do.”
“Now?”
He jumps up from the couch and smacks a kiss on my cheek, beaming at me. “Of course. Now is the best time because it’s now. The algorithm gods were on my side this week and servedme a video of a grilled cheese with bourbon caramelized onions and french fries on the sandwich.On the sandwich, Sal. Can you even think of anything more amazing? It’s going to be the best thing either of us has ever eaten, and we’re eating it tonight.”
Laughing a little helplessly because what even is this night, I shake my head. “Okay, make us late-night french fry grilled cheese. But first I’m going upstairs to change. There better be an icy Dr Pepper waiting for me when I come down.”
“Duh.” Tyler grins, and in a move I don’t see coming, he wraps me in a tight hug, his arms around my shoulders and his head leaning against mine. “Hug me, Soph,” he says with amusement, and it’s only then I realize I’ve been frozen, absorbing the feel of his body against mine. I wind my arms around his waist, and he gives a happy little sigh into my ear, like all he needs is this, and I’m in a fuckton of trouble, because this is all I need too. I am so dangerously close to spilling my feelings all over this living room, I have to bite my cheek to keep the words in.
“This is my favorite night,” he says quietly, pressing a kiss to the side of my head. “Every night with you is my favorite, but I think I like this one most of all. I’m glad you’re here, Soph. Really, really fucking glad.”
I swallow hard as I absorb his words, feeling the truth of them, because every night with him is my favorite too, and here is the only place I want to be.
Stepping back from Tyler, I expect to see that same heat and intensity from before on his face, and when it’s not that, but a soft smile and the happiest eyes instead, it throws my insides into chaos.
I need to take a beat.
“Pajamas,” I manage. “Be right back.” Without another word, I turn and flee towards the stairs, Tyler’s low chuckle following me all the way to my room. The second I close the door, I whip out my phone, throwing myself face down on the bed.
Time to call in some reinforcements.
Smart Bitches
Me
SO fucking S. Someone better be awake.
Sarah
Literally always. Pharmacology is going to end me.
Maddy
I wasn’t up half an hour ago, but I am now. You just caught me.
