Page 88 of The Last Goodbye

I wanted him so bad that I didn’t care about the ramifications.

But would one time really be enough? I’d tried everything in my power not to think about that kiss, yet it was all I’d thought about since the night it happened.

I’d missed him when he was in New York, and I’d missed him when he’d gone to Texas.

Gracie and Tatum had begged me to go with them to Fort Worth, and Cannon had insisted I join the group on the trip, but I’d felt like it would make things awkward with Bass if I started crashing his friend group trips, especially after we’d just kissed a few nights earlier.

And now we’d just crossed another line, one that was likely lined with caution tape.

Would it be awkward to act like nothing had happened now?

I had no idea how any of this worked. How do you just pretend that nothing happened?

“Are you okay?” he asked as he slid back into bed, a tenderness in his dark blue gaze.

“Sorry. I’m overthinking.”

“Are you having regrets?” he asked, not hiding the concern in his voice.

“No. Not at all. I wanted this,” I said, shaking my head.

“But,” he asked. “I know there’s a ‘but.’”

“No, there’s no ‘but,’ per se.”

“Briar, I can tell there’s something going through that head of yours. Come on, tell me.”

“It’s dumb and embarrassing.” I shrugged, and he just held my stare as he raised a brow, as if he wasn’t going to move on until I’d told him. “This is my first actual one-night stand.”

He grinned. “It’s late morning—not sure that constitutes a one-night stand.”

“You know what I mean.”

“Is that what this is?”

“I don’t know. I mean, we’ve agreed it’s not going anywhere, and I’m okay with that, I really am. I just—I’m cautious when it comes to letting people in, you know?”

“I get that more than you know.” He stroked my hair away from my face. “This doesn’t have to actually be a one and done. You’re here for a few months. We could just set some boundaries so we don’t get carried away. Because I’m guessing we’re going to want to do that again real soon.”

Damn. This sexy smile settled on his handsome face, and I nodded.

“I think doing this again could make things complicated for me,” I admitted. “I have a thing with goodbyes. I sort of dread them. So the less complicated this is, the easier it will be for me when I leave.”

I’d been forced to say goodbye to the two people I loved most in the world. I was careful about getting close to people, about who I let in—especially those I knew wouldn’t be sticking around.

And everything about Bass Bennett was temporary.

Saying goodbye now would be sad, but I’d survive.

Letting this go any further would be a terrible idea.

“I get that,” he said, his voice quiet and sleepy, and he wrapped his arms around me as my cheek rested on his chest. “Let’s just sit here with this for now, okay?”

“Okay.”

My eyes were heavy as I listened to the sound of his heartbeat, and I let myself rest right here for just a little bit.

“Holy shit!” Bass shifted me from where we were lying on the bed as he reached for his phone. “We fell asleep. I need to be at the restaurant in twenty minutes.”