Just Friends

by Jennifer Sucevic

  My eyes skim over the thin wisp of fabric that reveals far more than it conceals. There’s no way I can strut around in front of Reed wearing that. What she’s holding is something you buy for a boyfriend. Not a friend who’s doing you a favor.

  “I don’t know,” I mutter, shaking my head. I glance at the shop door wondering if there’s any way I can make a run for it. Probably not. Brin is surprisingly speedy. I wouldn’t put it past her to tackle me to the ground and drag me back inside kicking and screaming. I think I’ll save myself the humiliation.

  “You’re right,” she agrees unexpectedly.

  I huff out a breath, relieved that an argument has been averted.

  Awesome. Now we can get out of here.

  Just as I swing around and take a step toward the door, she says, “With your dark looks and virginal state, you need something pure and innocent.” She shoves the hanger back in place and rifles through the rack. “It needs to be a statement piece. Something that screams—I’m ready to be defiled!”

  “No,” I groan, massaging my temples. “It should say nothing of the sort.”

  “Of course, it should. That’s the whole point of this little expedition, right?” With a determined look on her face, Brinley gets to work, pulling out several more pieces of lingerie, holding them up, contemplating them, before ultimately stuffing each one back where they came from.

  Five minutes later, Brin triumphantly holds up a light pink babydoll. “Now this will have Reed losing his freaking mind.”

  At no point did I say anything about wanting Reed to lose his mind. Brinley needs to get it through her thick skull that this is strictly about sex. End of story. Can you even imagine how awkward it would be if I show up in lingerie?

  She shoves the flimsy garment at my chest. “Go try it on. I’m dying to see what you look like.”

  “Come on, Brin,” I whine. “Let’s just—”

  She shakes her head and stabs a finger toward the changing rooms. “Get going, girl.”

  “But—”

  When I don’t budge, she folds her arms across her chest and cocks a hip. “Go ahead and take your time, I’ve got all day.”

  Grrrr.

  Grumbling under my breath about pigheaded friends who can’t take no for an answer, I reluctantly head to the dressing rooms.

  “I heard that!” Brin yells at my retreating backside.

  “You were meant to,” I shout, not bothering to turn.

  Once I reach the back of the store, a saleswoman unlocks one of the changing room doors as she eyes up the garment clutched tightly in my hand.

  “That’s a very pretty piece,” she says with a friendly smile. “With your complexion, it’ll look amazing.”

  Doubtful. I’m not the fancy underwear type. I’m most comfortable kicking around in a pair of old jeans and a well-worn T-shirt.

  Once I’m closed inside the small room, I hang up the babydoll and strip down to my panties. Then I carefully lift the delicate material from the hanger and pull it over my head before smoothing it down.

  There is no way this is going to look—

  As soon as my gaze lands on my reflection, I suck in a surprised breath. The gauzy pink fabric floats around my body like a cloud, accentuating my curves. The cups are sheer, showing off the rosiness of my nipples. Instead of appearing raunchy, it’s sexy. The rest of the translucent material drapes from my breasts to my upper thighs. A tiny thong completes the ensemble.

  I twist and turn so I can check out my backside from all angles. I can’t believe I’m going to admit this, but I feel transformed in something so feminine and beautiful.

  There’s a brief knock on the dressing room door before Brinley turns the handle. Since it’s locked, she doesn’t get far. “Come on, girl, I want to see the goods.”

  I shake my head in exasperation and flip the handle so the door is unlocked. Brin doesn’t take more than a step inside before her eyes rove over my body. I’m tempted to cover myself with my arms. Instead, I keep them firmly pressed to my sides. I may be a virgin, but that doesn’t mean I have to act like a prude. Brin was a swimmer up until college. She has no problem getting naked in front of other people. Then again, maybe that has more to do with her mindset. Brinley has an amazing body. She enjoys stripping down and showing it off.

  “You look fucking hot!” she squeals, clapping her hands together and bouncing on the tips of her toes.

  I suppress a smile as my gaze meanders to the mirror.

  “You have to buy it, Em! It makes you look damn near edible. And I don’t even swing that way.” She gives me a wink along with a smile. “Usually.”

  As much as I hate to admit it, she’s right. The little scrap of material looks amazing and more importantly, it makes me feel sexy. Something I’ve never experienced before. I’m going to buy the babydoll, but that doesn’t mean I’m going to wear it this weekend. The last thing I want is to confuse or complicate matters with Reed.

  But I won’t be telling Brin that. I’m in no mood for another battle of wills. Decision made, I shoo her from the dressing room so I can change into my clothes.

  “I’m going to run across the street and grab a coffee while you pay for that,” she says, stepping from the room.

  “Sounds good. I’ll meet you over there.”

  A couple of minutes later, I’m at the cash register and purchasing my first piece of lingerie. This feels like a momentous occasion. Sort of. The saleswoman rings up my order before handing over the pink striped bag with my purchase. Then I push through the glass door into the bright sunshine. Squinting, I grab my sunglasses from my purse and slip them over my face, before glancing across the street.

  As if on cue, Brinley rushes from the shop. I’m about to lift my hand and call her name when someone quickly follows her out.

  Recognition slams through me.

  Colton.

  Talk about a strange coincidence.

  I’ve known Colton since freshman year. So has Brinley. Sometimes, when we’re all hanging out together, I pick up on a vibe between them. Whenever I mention him, she’s quick to brush me off, appearing uninterested before changing the subject.

  Neither of them have caught sight of me yet and I’m not sure why I hesitate to make my presence known. What’s odd is that she doesn’t have a drink in hand. I’ve been friends with Brinley long enough to know that she would never suck down her coffee in one thirsty swig. She enjoys savoring the experience, drawing out as much satisfaction as she can.

  Stranger still is the scowl marring my best friend’s face. It can’t have anything to do with Colton. As far as I’m aware, they don’t know each other well enough for him to piss her off.

  I nip my lower lip between my teeth and worry it. Maybe I should intervene before Brinley explodes, because that’s the way this looks to be headed. As I open my mouth to shout her name, Colton grabs Brinley’s arm and swings her around toward him.

  Even from this distance, I’m aware of the thunderclouds gathering on Brin’s face. When she tries to shake off Colton’s grip, he yanks her closer. Brin tilts her head and glares as his lips crash down on hers.

  My mouth falls open.

  Holy shit!

  Colton’s arms slip around Brin before he backs her up against the brick wall of the building. Her arms slip around his neck and pull him closer.

  Colton and Brinley?

  No freaking way!

  What a sneaky little bitch! She hasn’t mentioned one damn word about him. And by the looks of that kiss, I’m guessing this isn’t the first one they’ve shared.

  Not wanting to stand here and gawk while they go at it like a pair of cats in heat, I spin around and step inside the store. My brain whirls with this new information as I browse through a couple of racks before deciding to head outside again. As I push through the door, Brinley is waiting on the other side.

  I glance across the street at the coffeehouse, but there’s no sign of Colton. It’s like he was never there.

  “Hey,
” she says as if she wasn’t just making out with Colton Hayes in broad daylight. “What took you so long?”

  I blink. Her nonchalant attitude almost has me questioning what I saw.

  “Oh, um…” Do I mention the kiss? A beat passes. Then two. Before I can make a decision, the moment slips away and I hear myself improvising. “The computers were down so the transaction took a little longer.”

  She nods but says nothing.

  I clear my throat. “What happened to your coffee run?”

  Irritation gathers in her eyes as her lips flatten. “There was too long of a line so I decided to skip it.” She huffs out a breath and makes a concerted effort to smooth out her features before shrugging. “No big deal.”

  “Huh.”

  Too long of a line my ass.

  With a frown, her gaze darts up and down the street. “Are you ready to get out of here?”

  “Yup.”

  For whatever reason, Brin doesn’t want me to know about Colton. And right now, as curious as I am, I’m not going to push the issue. I’ve got enough to focus on. Once I return from Chicago, I’ll pin her down and force the truth out of her.

  One way or another.

  Chapter Twenty-Five

  Reed

  “Wow,” Emerson says, voice filled with awe, as we check out our digs for the weekend. “This place is seriously spectacular!”

  She’s right. I can’t help but be impressed by our accommodations.

  This isn’t just a nice room at a mid-level hotel on the outskirts of Chicago. Nope, the Blackhawks put me up in the penthouse of a high-end hotel on the Magnificent Mile. The first floor is comprised of a living room, dining room, study, and kitchen. There’s an ocean of shiny hardwoods throughout the main level along with a staircase that leads to the second floor where the master suite and two guestrooms are located. The penthouse is made up of floor-to-ceiling windows that showcase million-dollar views of Lake Michigan.

  Emerson gravitates to the bank of windows as she silently studies the sprawling city beneath us. Bright sunlight pours over her dark head. I can’t help but stop and stare while she’s preoccupied with the view.

  The first time I caught a glimpse of Emerson when she was fourteen years old, I thought she was beautiful. Instead of acting on that attraction, I buried it down deep where I couldn’t dwell on it. But continuing to do so has become impossible now that I’ve sampled her lips and stroked my hands over her body. There’s no more lying in bed at night and wondering what she feels like. I’ve played with her breasts and sucked her sweet cherry tipped nipples into my mouth. I’ve buried my fingers in her pussy. I’ve watched her face as I stroked her to orgasm. I swallowed her soft moans of pleasure as she came. There’s no way I can walk back from that and pretend it never happened.

  This weekend is all about Emerson, but I’d be lying through my teeth if I didn’t admit I’m impatient to get my hands on her again. She’s all I’ve been able to think about. And that’s a problem considering I’m in Chicago to meet with an organization who’s interested in adding me to the team roster.

  Shoving that thought from my head, I walk to the window and settle my hands on her shoulders. As soon as I do, Em stiffens beneath my touch.

  I hate the skittishness I now sense in her. We’ve always been physically affectionate with one another. I couldn’t begin to count how many times I’ve slung my arm across her shoulders while walking across campus or cuddled with her on the couch while watching a movie. I’ve pressed my lips against her forehead hundreds of times.

  And not once has she ever tensed up.

  The thought of her no longer being comfortable with me is like a knife through the heart. I don’t want to damage our relationship. The physical intimacy between us will be fleeting, our friendship isn’t. I don’t want to trade one for the other.

  “If you’re not ready, we don’t have to go through with this,” I remind her softly, needing to put her at ease.

  She sucks in a deep breath and holds it captive. The anxiousness radiating off her in suffocating waves makes me want to scoop her up and hold her tight. But I can’t do that. I can’t do anything that will have her pulling further away from me.

  “You can change your mind at any time,” I add. “This isn’t a done deal. There are plenty of other things we can do this weekend. Museums and shopping. We can check out Navy Pier. There’s a huge Ferris wheel. You’ll love it. No matter what you decide,” I assure her, “we’ll have a great time.”

  The pent-up breath she had been holding slowly escapes from her lungs before she twists in my arms. Her lips curve into a grateful smile, but tension still vibrates around her.

  “Thank you for saying that, but I’m not going to back out. I want this.” She hesitates before admitting, “I’m just nervous.”

  I wrap my arms loosely around her, but don’t draw her near. “Everything will be fine. There’s no pressure.”

  She jerks her head into a tight nod and presses her lips together until they turn bloodless.

  “Just remember, you’re the one calling the shots, not me. We’ll go at your pace, no matter what that is.”

  “Okay.” Her shoulders loosen so that they’re no longer up around her ears.

  Now that we’ve got that out of the way, I glance at the clock on the microwave in the kitchen. “The team is sending a car to pick me up in about fifteen minutes. I’m not sure how long I’ll be gone, but let’s plan on grabbing dinner when I get back and then we can walk around for a bit. Sound good?” I don’t mention what else is on the agenda for tonight because I don’t want to jack her up any more than she already is.

  Her mouth curves into a genuine smile and something pings in the pit of my belly. “It sounds great.”

  “All right.” I jerk my head toward the elevator we rode up in that opens directly into the foyer of the penthouse. “I should probably head down to the lobby just in case they show up early.”

  There is so much trust swimming around in her velvety depths. Trust that I would never do anything to break. With unhurried movements, I pull her close until my lips can graze hers. When she doesn’t stiffen or pull away, I sweep my tongue across the seam of her lips. It’s nothing more than a fleeting caress. Her mouth opens and I take that as a sign to proceed cautiously.

  I tilt my head, wanting more access to the sweetness of her mouth. Our tongues mingle and all the need I’ve been careful about tamping down roars back to life again. It’s like a match strike. My arms tighten around her, pulling her flush. My dick is rock hard as it presses against her belly.

  Fuck.

  No girl has ever sent me over the edge like this. I don’t understand why it feels so different with Emerson. It takes everything I have inside not to lift Em into my arms and carry her upstairs to the bedroom. But I can’t start something I won’t be able to finish.

  My intent had been to give her a little taste of what’s instore for her tonight and instead, all I’ve managed to do is give myself a raging boner. Clearly this wasn’t a well thought out plan on my part.

  My tongue delves inside her mouth again before I reluctantly pull away. Emerson stares up at me with glazed eyes. Her breathing comes out in short little pants that somehow make my cock even harder.

  Goddamn, but she’s sexy as hell.

  And she’s mine.

  That’s the only thought pounding through my brain. I’m the one who gets to plunder her sweetness.

  How the hell am I going to switch gears and focus on hockey for the next couple of hours when I know she’s here waiting for me?

  With a groan of frustration, I dip my head and steal another kiss. I don’t give a damn if I’m late getting my ass to the lobby. The only thing that matters is Em and the flushed look filling her cheeks. What I like even more is that I’m the one who put the stain there.

  My phone buzzes with an incoming text message. I don’t have to glance at the screen to know that the car is downstairs waiting for me. I need to get my head on straigh
t and remember why I’m here. This is my chance to impress a team I’ve always wanted to play for.

  When I don’t move, it’s Emerson who untangles herself from me. Heat swirls in her soft, doe-like eyes before her tongue darts out to smudge her lips. “You’d better go.”

  I swear under my breath before hauling her against me. With one final kiss smacked against her lips, I grab my Red Devils hockey bag and head for the elevator. The sooner I get this over with, the quicker I can get back to her.

  I don’t dwell on the fact that I’m more interested in spending time with Em than making a good impression on this team, because if I did, I’d realize that it was all kinds of fucked up.

  Chapter Twenty-Six

  Emerson

  Four hours later, I’m still dwelling on the feel of Reed’s mouth brushing over mine. The slow stroke of his tongue as it swept across my lips before tangling with my own. I’ve done everything possible to distract myself this afternoon. And let me tell you, window shopping on the Magnificent Mile should have done the trick.

  But still, it’s not enough.

  I flatten my hand across my abdomen as the elevator doors open into the penthouse suite. Once again, I’m bowled over by the beauty of the space. It’s more like a trendy downtown apartment with high ceilings, walls of glass that survey the city along with the vast blueness of the lake. I’m not a culinary wizard by any stretch of the imagination, but even I can tell the kitchen is a chef’s wet dream. It’s a modern mix of glass, stainless steel, and stunning white marble countertops. The hardwood floors are shiny and seemingly endless.

  What would it be like to call this place home?

  I can’t even imagine.

  After Reed took off this afternoon, I decided to head out and explore downtown Chicago. I needed something to occupy my mind. This is my first time here and it’s just as incredible as I imagined it would be. There’s an infectious vibrancy to the city that I didn’t expect to find. Traffic fills every corridor. People hustle down the sidewalks with briefcases or shopping bags. Everyone is in a rush to get somewhere. I could walk around for hours soaking up all the sights and sounds. As much as I enjoyed myself, I was never quite able to relax and forget about Reed.