My Best Friend’s Boyfriend

by Brent, Amy

  Just as I slid the biscuits into the oven, I heard my bedroom door open.

  “Mmm, something smells good.”

  Ava’s voice hit my ears as I turned to take her all in. She looked phenomenal, and my cock throbbed when I saw her wearing my button-down shirt again. Her hair was mussed and tangled at the crown of her head—a point of pride for me considering the impromptu romance we had experienced the night before. My eyes ran down her bare legs, and I couldn't tell if she had on panties or not. The idea of her not having any on made my cock leak for her.

  “Take a seat. It should be ready in about ten more minutes,” I said.

  “You know, I never would’ve taken you for the kind to cook so much.”

  “I love to cook, always have. I did it a lot for my mother once she finally left my father.”

  “Did your father cook or something?” she asked.

  “No. My mother did all that for us. But things were rough there for a while with her mental disposition, so I took as much of the burden off her as I could.”

  I pulled the biscuits out of the oven and started taking everything over to the table. Ava’s gaze was on me, and her eyes seemed delicate, almost possessed, but not in a bad way. She had them hooked on me as I moved from the table to the counter, stacking everything in front of us so we could eat. The coffee pot. The carafe of orange juice. Plates of food and silverware and the biscuits. All the while, Ava held me in her beautiful gaze.

  “What’s rolling through that mind of yours?” I asked as I handed her a napkin. I sat down next to her, watching as she spread the napkin over her bare thighs.

  “You’re just—incredible,” she said.

  “I’m really not.”

  “Yes, you are, Logan.”

  It was the tone of her voice that forced my eyes to connect with hers.

  “The things you’ve done for those you love, they’re outstanding. You have such a kind heart. A big heart, Logan. I’m glad to have found that out about you.”

  A soft grin overtook my cheeks as she picked up her fork.

  “I’m also glad to have found out that you cook. I’ve always wanted a man who could cook,” she said.

  “Why? You like being cooked for?” I asked.

  “Well that, and I can’t cook for shit.”

  We laughed before she took the first bite of her omelet.

  “Oh, my gosh,” she moaned.

  I drew in a deep breath as a shiver worked its way up my spine. “Good?” I asked.

  “Logan, this thing is sickeningly good.”

  “I’ll take that as a compliment then.”

  “You really should, because it is, truly.”

  “If you want another, let me know. It doesn’t take long to make.”

  “I think I’ll be okay with one omelet, but thank you,” she said. She tossed me a playful wink and it sent my heart fluttering.

  “So, how did you sleep?” I asked.

  “Your bed is very comfortable.”

  “What about the person in that bed?”

  “I don’t know. Am I comfortable?” she asked. She giggled, her eyes lighting up. “You're very comfortable, too,” she said.

  “I’m glad you slept well.”

  “How did you sleep?”

  “Like a baby.”

  “So, you were up every hour on the hour?” she asked.

  I snickered and shook my head as I took a bite of my biscuit. “You really do have a sense of humor,” I said.

  “I’m just silly. There’s a difference.”

  “Not to me there isn’t. I like your brand of silly.”

  “Good. I’m glad, because I don’t have any other brand to try on if you don’t like this kind.”

  “I wouldn't want you to change a thing about yourself,” I said.

  Her eyes fluttered up to mine, and she held my gaze. Something dripped over her vision, but I couldn't decipher what it was. It seemed like a mixture of confusion and awe, but confusion didn’t make sense. Had I said something she didn’t understand? Or maybe something that didn’t make sense?

  She took a sip of her coffee before her eyes fell back to her plate. “That’s very kind of you to say. Thank you,” Ava said.

  “Nothing kind about it. I enjoy you. I like you. So, why would I want you to change?” I asked.

  “I don't know. But it’s nice to know you don’t want me to.”

  “Has someone wanted you to change in the past?”

  Her eyes fell on the wall before she sagged in her seat.

  “There was this guy I dated back in college.”

  I set my fork down and crossed my leg over my knee.

  “His name was Michael, and, uh—I mean, he was a good first boyfriend, I guess. I didn’t really know what I was doing, so I sort of just went with the flow.”

  Her eyes flickered over to me as I sat there, listening as closely as I could.

  “He was a sexual man, and I wasn’t. You know, I hadn’t had sex at that point, and he knew that. Our entire fleeting relationship was nothing but this tug-of-war dynamic. He wanted to have sex, I didn’t. He thought I was being a prude, I wasn’t comfortable giving myself to him.”

  “And that was your decision, not anyone else’s,” I said.

  “Yeah, but he didn’t think that, Logan.”

  “What do you mean?”

  “He thought he was entitled to it.”

  “He what now?”

  “Yeah,” she said.

  “Ava, did he—?” I couldn't even bring myself to say it.

  “No, he didn’t. I mean, he didn’t fully do—that.”

  “Define fully please.”

  She sighed and closed her eyes, and I reached out to take her hand.

  “You don’t have to tell me anything you aren’t comfortable with,” I said.

  “It’s stupid, right? Like, our fights went from ‘when are we going to have sex’ to ‘we should have sex because we’re together.’ It was like he owned that part of me simply because he was my boyfriend. He really felt like he owned me, like I was supposed to bend to his every whim and do whatever he wanted because that was my role as his girlfriend. One night we were at this party, having a couple drinks, and I went to go sit down—”

  I squeezed her hand as anger rushed through my veins.

  “He just—groped me. You know? He squeezed my breasts so hard he left bruises behind. And when I kicked him off me and ran out of the party, two things happened.”

  “Was one of them killing Michael?” I asked.

  She snickered and shook her head as her watery gaze panned over to meet mine.

  “Two things happened. One, I took the longest shower of my life. Two, I convinced myself that if sex was really supposed to feel anything like that, then I wanted no part of it.”

  I reached up and brushed a tear away from her cheek before it tainted her skin too far down her face.

  “That’s why you contacted Save the Date,” I said.

  “I wanted to lose my virginity on my own time, in my own way, under my own control. They gave me that. They gave me the ability to set the tone, the place, the type of person I wanted to be with. They gave me full control over that moment in my life, which was something Michael had tried to take from me.”

  I wrapped my hand around hers and brought her knuckles to my lips to kiss.

  “I’m glad it was me, Ava.”

  “I’m glad it was you, too, Logan.”

  “The idea of any man doing that to you—it makes me sick with anger. But I’m glad I could give you that, give you the control and the comfort you sought for such a monumental milestone in your life.”

  She smiled at me. “Camilla’s an idiot,” she said.

  “Camilla’s many things, but it’s not about her any more. I know you’re hurting because the two of you are fighting, but I’m glad you’re here with me.”

  “I’m glad I’m here, too. I enjoy spending time with you, Logan.”

  “Well, in that case, what are you
doing tonight?”

  “I mean, I’ve got some work to do this afternoon, but tonight I should be free. Why?” she asked.

  “I’d like to take you out again.”

  “After taking me out last night?”

  “Why not?” I asked.

  “Aren’t you sick of me?”

  I stood up and guided her to her feet, then slipped my arm around her waist. I pulled her close to me, reveled in the way her hands came down on my chest. I slid my hand up her waist, up her arm, around her shoulder until I cupped the back of her neck. I twisted my fingers into her hair and slowly tilted her gaze up to mine, guiding her without controlling her. I gazed into her lovely stare, reminiscing in the blatant passion we had experienced last night.

  Her lips parted slightly, but she wouldn’t have to wait long for what she wanted.

  “I could never be sick of you,” I said.

  I brought my lips down on hers, tasting her morning breath and the mixture of coffee and butter on the tip of her tongue. She melted into me, her knees giving way as I wrapped my arm tightly around her waist. I held her to me, felt her fist my shirt as she kept herself upright. I captured her lips in a searing kiss that shivered my soul and breathed an entirely new outlook on life into my body.

  “Come out with me tonight,” I murmured into her lips.

  She nodded as we kissed.

  Ava

  I smoothed my hands over my dress as I smiled at myself in the mirror. I was going to go broke buying new dresses for every single time Logan and I went out on a date. The morning with him had been fabulous. After breakfast, we settled on his couch and watched a movie. Just before lunch, he kissed me good-bye and I came back to my apartment to work. Concentrating was hard, but I was able to get through all of it and even had a couple hours to spare. So, I put on my makeup, added a couple well-placed pieces of jewelry, and set my sights on getting a new dress for the night.

  Now I was ready. All I had to do was slip on my high heels and head to the club.

  Logan wanted to take me dancing. He also wanted me to try meeting Hunter again. I hadn’t been a fan of Hunter’s the first time I had met him. He’d struck me as a playboy all the way, and he’d had no issues openly flirting with Camilla while Logan was standing right there. But, he was Logan’s best friend, and I knew how powerful of a force that could be in someone’s life.

  Well, I used to, when I had a best friend.

  I put a few key items into my clutch purse, then set my sights on my car. Dancing the night away with Logan sounded like the perfect ending to a great day. The only thing that would have made it better was if I could have curled up next to Logan while completing some of my weekend work tasks. Goals for the future, I guessed.

  Slipping into my car, I plugged the name of the nightclub into my GPS. I’d never been a big club person, though Camilla had dragged me out to a few of them. For me, they were too loud, too smoky. Sometimes the men were a little too hands-on. But I was comfortable doing something like this with Logan. Plus, it gave me an excuse to get closer to him, both emotionally and physically.

  “Ava!”

  I heard my name the second I walked into the club and turned to see the most handsome man I’d ever known walking toward me. Logan stood tall, his dark-washed jeans held up by a leather belt and his shoes shining in the lights of the club. He had on a button-down shirt that clung to his body, showcasing the chiseled chest I knew was underneath the fabric. His sleeves were rolled up and his forearms were on display. His veins popped and beckoned to my fingertips. He came up and wrapped his arms around me, bringing his lips down on mine for an intoxicating kiss.

  “Mmm, you taste divine,” he murmured.

  “That’s probably my vanilla lip gloss,” I said, giggling.

  “Then give me a little more of it.”

  I smiled as he kissed me again, and for a moment I was lost in a sea of passion. His arms cloaked my back as his leg slid between mine, and he swayed me to the best of the music while our lips interlocked. It felt like we were in our own little world. My forehead connected with his and I smiled, my eyes finding his as I swayed against his body.

  “Is this a new dress?” he asked, grinning.

  “Yeah. I’m going to go broke buying them. I’ve never needed them until I met you,” I said.

  “Ava, you could’ve shown up in your pajamas and I still would have kissed you like we had no tomorrow.”

  “Don’t listen to him. Pajamas are for lounging around. You buy all the dresses you want.”

  “Hello, Hunter,” I said as I rolled my eyes.

  “Nice to see you again, Ava.”

  I pulled away from Logan and shook Hunter’s hand. He brought mine to his lips to kiss. I rolled my eyes up to Logan, and he shook his head, grinning at his best friend. Hunter brought me in for a hug, and I patted his back, not wanting the embrace to last too long.

  “Listen, I know we didn’t get off on the right foot the last time we met, so I want to try to change your opinion of me,” Hunter said.

  “Oh, really? And what did you have in mind?” I asked.

  “First, a drink. What can I get you?”

  My eyebrows rose, and I looked at Logan. He nodded his approval, and a giggle fell from my lips. I had known I’d have to try to butter up Hunter all night, but I hadn’t thought he’d try to do the same with me.

  “Do they have wine here?” I asked.

  “Red or white?” Hunter asked.

  “White would be nice.”

  “Coming right up,” he said.

  “Is that the same Hunter I met a few months ago?” I asked as he walked away.

  “He really isn’t such a bad guy. He’s just not ready to settle down with anyone yet,” Logan said.

  “He was openly flirting with Camilla while the two of you were together,” I said.

  “And looking back on it now, I’m not too sure Camilla wasn’t giving him a reason not to,” he said.

  I went up on my toes and kissed his cheek as I slid my hand into his. Our fingers interlocked, and Logan brought the back of my hand up to his cheek. Then a grin slid back across his face.

  “Come on. Let’s dance,” he said.

  He dragged me out onto the dance floor, and I lost myself in him, in the way his leg pressed between mine and the way his hands splayed across my lower back. I wrapped my arms around his neck and followed his lead, swiveling my hips and moving with his motions.

  “It’s kind of like having sex,” I said.

  Logan’s eyes darkened before he pressed his lips to my ear.

  “Then show me what you’ve got,” he murmured.

  Hunter pressed a plastic glass of wine into my hand, but I wasn’t paying attention to anything. Logan’s lips came down on my neck, and I lost myself in the feel, warmth, and intoxicating scent of him. I rolled my hips as his hands moved me, guiding me against his hardened cock as we took up the small space around us. His hands slid up my spine, shivering me to my core as heat began to pool between my legs. My lips teased his cheek, inching toward his mouth before I pulled away and giggled.

  “I don’t know if we’ll be here very long if you keep that up,” Logan said.

  “I’m not sure if that means you want me to keep going or stop,” I said, smiling.

  I gazed into his eyes as one song bled into the next. Everything was a blur except the beat of the bass and the beauty of his smile. I sipped on my cup of wine and swayed against Logan’s strong form, allowing myself to cave fully to him in the moment.

  But, as always, nature interrupted things.

  “Is there a bathroom around here?” I asked.

  “Back in the corner. I’ll lead you over,” Logan said.

  “No, no. It’s fine. We’ve kinda been ignoring Hunter. Go spend some time with your friend. There’s probably a line, so I’ll be a little bit.”

  He wrapped his arm around me and brought me in for a heated kiss. It left me breathless and shot stars all along my vision. He released me, and I
teetered on my heels, my eyes half-hooded with speechless intent. He cupped my cheek before he grazed his thumb over my skin, and the whole of me came alive at his touch.

  “I’ll be waiting for you at the bar, okay?” he asked.

  I nodded, then forced myself to pull away from him so I could get to the bathroom.

  The line wasn’t as long as I had thought it would be, and after relieving myself, I stood at the mirror to patch myself up a bit. A little more mascara, some touch-up eyeliner, and more of that lip gloss he enjoyed. I pinched my cheeks to force a healthy glow into them, and just when I’d prepared myself to pack up and leave, a familiar voice raked against my eardrums.

  “I wondered if you were here.”

  Camilla appeared in the mirror behind me, and my eyes connected with hers in the reflection.

  “I saw Logan at the bar with Hunter and figured you might not be far behind,” she said.

  “Hi, Camilla.”

  “Hi, Ava,” she mocked.

  “Mature. It really suits you,” I said.

  “I see you still aren’t respecting girl code.”

  “No girl code when I don’t have a girl to respect.”

  She snickered and shook her head as I closed my purse.

  “You know, you really are something else,” Camilla said.

  “So are you, actually. After all the years I’ve known you, I never would have believed you could be so cold-hearted if I hadn’t seen it myself.”

  “At least I wasn’t cold-hearted enough to fuck around with Michael after the two of you broke up.”

  “I wouldn’t have cared. Michael didn’t mean anything to me.”

  “And Logan didn’t mean anything to me.”

  “Then you shouldn’t have an issue with it,” I said.

  “Like I said, it’s the principle of the thing.”

  “Then you can take your principle and go be with your boyfriend, and I’ll go back to enjoying my night with Logan.”

  “You mean my ex.”

  “No. I mean the man who owns his own business and has a set moral code I agree with.”

  “You think that makes him a man?”