The Friendship Equation
Page 21
“Only another six months of it.”
“And then I’ll miss it,” Harden plucked the book from between us and set it on the end table.
“Do you think so?” I slid my hands up his thighs to cup his ass.
“Yeah, I really do. I dreaded it, but now it’s such a big part of my life.”
“Oh no,” I said laughing.
“What?”
“You’re turning into a politician like he wanted!” I wasn’t upset about it. I’d seen it coming for months.
“No…” The little crease formed in his brow. The one I loved so much. “More like a pundit.”
“You’re good at it, and you enjoy it.”
“I do.” He searched my face. “Is that a bad thing?”
I kept my smile steady. “No, not at all. I’m glad you enjoy it and that you’re good at it.”
He studied me for a moment, then pulled me into a hug. “I think he’s going to win.”
“I know he’s going to win.”
“I think I might want to work in politics when I graduate.”
“Not in the White House, right?” I stroked my fingers down his back, letting Harden get it out. He’d been building up to saying this for a while. I’d felt it coming.
“No that would be unethical. But I can continue to work for the party. We have three more years of school at least. I don’t have to decide now.” He said it all like he was reassuring himself.
“Whatever you decide, I’ll be here.”
He pressed his forehead to mine and smiled into my lips. “Thank you for forgiving my dad.”
“You love him. I wouldn’t want to come between that.”
“Still, he did a lot of shitty things.”
“People make mistakes. I’m not going to excuse his behavior, but you’re important enough to me that I won’t hold it against him. Besides, I do think he’ll be good for the country. I plan on voting for him.”
Harden laughed, sliding his hands around to cup my face. “Wow, you’re giving him your vote? That is big. I might have voted for his opponent just to spite him.”
“You have a much hotter temper than I do,” I replied easily turning to kiss one palm then the other. “Also, I think his opponent wouldn’t be so good for LGBTQ rights, and as I want to marry my boyfriend at some point—"
He cut me off with a gasp. “What was that?”
“You never think about it?” I tried hard to hide a smile, but it didn’t work.
“Yes.”
“There is no one else for me, Harden. I’ve known it since the laundry room when you told me you were in love with me.”
His smile mirrored mine, stretching across his face. “That long?”
“Yes.” So simple I didn’t need to say more.
“Does this mean we're engaged?” he asked ruefully.
Playfully, I smacked his ass. “No. One of us is getting down on a knee, and I want a ring.”
“One of us?” he asked. “You mean me?”
I lifted my shoulders, being a little coy about it. “If you want to.”
“Maybe I want you to.”
“I guess we’ll have to see who does it first.” I laughed, kissing him again.
He eyed me. “If you make this a competition, I’m going to win.”
“I know. Easy way to get what I want.”
He laughed with me. “You know me too well.”
“Not too well.”
He reached between us, flipping open the button on my jeans. “If I’m not going to see you all weekend, I’m going to need to make sure you’re thoroughly taken care of.”
“Me?” I asked, watching him pull me out.
“My intentions might be slightly selfish.” He stroked his fingers up my length. “But I think you’ll enjoy it too.”
“Will I?” I gasped as he squeezed my head.
“You don’t?” He released me.
“Don’t stop,” I panted.
“Beg me.”
Thank you so much for reading The Friendship Equation, if you loved Vance and Harden’s relationship preorder the first book in my new series Pretty Obsessed.
Preorder Now
Pretty Obsessed is an out-for-you romance, with a dirty-talking, obsessive rockstar who falls for a cinnamon roll writer. This is book one in The Pretty Broken Series. All books follow a different couple.
Blurb:
Easton Walker
Who makes out with a random guy at a club while someone else is giving him head? Not me—that's who. I'd never even hooked up with a stranger. Welp, now I had. If you could call what I'd done hooking up. But it was so much more intimate than a hook-up. I'd tasted his lips as someone else made him come. He'd gasped into my mouth.
Now I was sitting in front of him and he was asking me to kiss him again.
River Wade
We became famous overnight.
One day I was a twenty-four-year-old dummer slinging pizzas to make ends meet and the next, I was a member of the most popular alternative band ever.
Despite being world-famous, there was no connection in it. I'd lost touch with reality. With intimacy. I couldn't find a place to be normal. I'd lived my entire life straight-edged while watching obsession destroy my best friend.
Obsession terrified me.
That is until I met him.
The first taste left me intoxicated.
The rockstar obsessed with the writer—rather funny if you think about it.
After a night with him, he vanishes into thin air, and all the money in the world can't help me find him.
I have to track him down and convince him there might be millions of people who would do anything to get a chance to sleep with me, but I only had eyes for him.
Convince this beautiful boy I'm pretty obsessed.
Preorder Now
If you want something you can sink your teeth into now try Secret Daddy. A sexy, small town romance with lots of heart and tons of funny!
Read Secret Daddy Now
For more things J.R. Gray and a FREE book join my mailing list: https://landing.mailerlite.com/webforms/landing/u0h7i0
Also by J.R. Gray
Arrowood Series
Secret Daddy
Lost Love
Crossed Hearts
Unscripted Series
Unscripted
Rewritten
Unwritten
Bound Series
Legally Bound
Breach of Contract
Illicit Activity
Damages Incurred
Capital Offence
Inferno Series
Clouded Hell
Oasis
Standalone Titles
Burn That Bridge
Veil of Scars
Ever So Madly
The Auction
Say Yes
Forsaken
King Consort
Speak No Evil
Co-Authored Works
JR Gray & Kate Hawthorne
May The Best Man Win
Acknowledgments
Kerry Heavens always my first reader and puts so much time and effort into helping me get a book from a pile of rubbish to what you read today. I couldn’t do this without her. She does my covers and really anything and everything I need. It’s an immense act of love dealing with me.
Ella I couldn’t do this without you. Thank you for sprinting with me and honestly helping me with whatever I ask.
I want to thank my editor Charlie Knight and proofreaders Victoria and Kelly for polishing this book and making it the quality it is.
Thank you to my publicist Candi for working her magic. She makes sure my words get seen.
Thank you to Monica for your amazing beta reading and for being a constant friend and support.
Thank you to all the bloggers and reviewers who take time out of their busy lives to compose beautiful reviews and encourage others to read my work. We writers are forever indebted to you.
To the wonderful supporters of my Pat
reon who support me so much. I couldn’t do what I do with out them. Especially: Kelly Renae, Sandra and Whitley.
And to my readers and the Gray Pack. You are the best readers a writer could ask for, and why I keep doing this. I am lucky as fuck to have such amazing readers and friends.
About J.R. Gray
Gray is a cynical Chicago native, who drinks coffee all day, barely sleeps, and is a little too fashion obsessed. He writes romance sprinkled with kink, and hot as hell, dark and angsty characters because everyone deserves a happily ever after.
J.R. Gray is Gender Queer and prefers He/Him/His pronouns.
Connect with J.R. Gray online:
Website
Instagram
Twitter - Personal
Twitter - Books
Facebook
Facebook Group
Tumblr
Newsletter
Amazon Author Page
Book Bub
Patreon