Beyond Friends: Big Flirt Book One Page 3

  “Step one. You need to be kissed. Properly kissed.”

  The previous night had been a mistake. I hadn’t meant to kiss her like that. I wanted our first kiss to be something she’d remember. Something she’d feel for hours after. I collected the liquid from her chin with the pad of my thumb, and sucked the moisture from it.

  Her eyes were on my mouth, exactly where I wanted them when a large shadow covered the table. I looked away from her and saw him step closer, nearly on top of us. Richard was coming for her.

  The smug bastard had some nerve showing his face around me. I should have kissed her to spite him, but I couldn’t do that to her. If I kissed her now, she might never forgive me. Then again, if I didn’t, the opportunity might never come around again.

  Looking back at Arielle, the choice was clear. With her face angled away from him, she had no clue he was so close. Her eyes drifted shut and her lips puckered as she waited for me.

  Not him.

  Me.

  Chapter 4

  ARIELLE

  The romantic backdrop of flowers on the table, water cascading off the rocks and sensual, blue eyes staring at me was too much. The pain from the past few weeks drifted away, and nervous anticipation took its place in my belly. Acting on impulse, I licked my lips and whispered his name.

  My eyes closed tight as his hot breath caressed my cheek. I didn’t pull away. I leaned closer, inviting him to do the same. His response gave me chills.

  The possibility of meeting a stranger, starting over and dating made my skin crawl. The prospect of kissing, touching and being with Dean did the opposite. My lips begged for a taste of his. My skin burned for his touch. I clenched my thighs under the table and knotted my fingers together. If he didn’t kiss me soon, I might go insane. Maybe I was already there.

  The sun was scorching hot, but that’s not why sweat dripped down my back. I was hot for my best friend. Worse. I’d been flirting with him and sending him all sorts of mixed messages since we’d arrived. My intention hadn’t been to invite him on a romantic getaway and get him into bed, but maybe subconsciously I’d hoped something would happen between us. The idea certainly had merit.

  My forehead rested against his. “Dean… wha… what are we doing?”

  I was such a mess. Even my words wouldn’t come out smoothly. Must have swallowed too much salt-water. Or maybe it was all the talk about kissing and men. When he’d asked about my ideal man, I described him to the letter. Dean was a catch. If it weren’t for his inability to commit, he’d be the perfect partner. Countless women had tried and failed to win his heart. After all these years of friendship, I had no idea what his hang-ups were or why he shied away from long-term relationships. It never mattered. I had the love of my life. Dean and I were just friends.

  But did I want more? Could I handle more? Could I stand being another name in his little black book?

  I didn’t have the answers, but I didn’t want to stop whatever we were doing. My breath hitched as his finger grazed my ear. Another shiver rippled through me like a tidal wave, making me dizzy. I placed my hand on his knee for support. The heat spread from my hand to my core instantly.

  “Arielle, say you want me,” he breathed. His voice so low I hardly heard him, but there was no mistaking his words. He wanted permission.

  In the span of an hour, my entire demeanor had changed. Dean had done the impossible. At this moment, I was no longer sad, depressed or lonely. On the verge of kissing my best friend, my pulse raced, and butterflies fluttered around my stomach. My heart was beating too fast, but in a good way. I felt alive.

  I nodded. “Yes. I do.”

  His lips covered mine. Soft and gentle. He cupped the back of my head as I squeezed his knee. He deepened the kiss, fusing our mouths together. His tongue coaxed my lips open. I moaned as I tasted him for the first time.

  Someone coughed nearby as an explosion of citrus and Dean blasted my taste buds. Amazing. I wanted more. He responded with tender suctions and languid licks. I surrendered to the heat of the moment. It was sensory overload as he controlled the kiss. My hand slid along his muscular thigh and under his shorts. As my fingers inched higher, he groaned and kissed me rougher.

  Had I known kissing him would feel this good, I’d have done it ages ago. My body trembled and my gate flooded with desire. I nibbled his lip and moaned for more.

  “If you’re trying to make me jealous Arielle… it’s working.”

  I recognized Richard’s deep voice and froze with my lips still pressed against Dean’s. My ex was the last person I expected to catch me lip locked with my best friend. It couldn’t be him. It had to be someone who just sounded like him and miraculously knew my name. As my eyelids lifted, his pursed lips and furrowed brows greeted me. Shit. It was him and he looked furious.

  “You begged me to come and here I am.” He crossed his pale arms over his chest when I didn’t move or respond.

  My mind and body were in a state of shock. Seeing him confused me. For weeks, I’d wanted a chance to try again. An opportunity to work things out. But he’d refused to take my calls, tossing me aside like yesterday’s garbage with no explanation. I had no closure. One day we were in love and planning to get engaged after my grad. Then he never wanted to see me again. His sudden appearance caught me off guard. I blinked faster, not believing my eyes.

  “I never should have bothered,” he muttered.

  Dean released my hair and pulled away from my mouth. “You’re right. You shouldn’t have.” He caressed my cheek with the tips of his fingers. “Arielle, we can leave. You don’t owe this piece of shit anything. Say the word and I’ll take you anywhere you want to go.”

  “This has nothing to do with you. Go back to greasing cars and keep your mouth shut. Why are you even here?”

  “She invited me.”

  I couldn’t catch my breath as my eyes traveled between the two men. “Both of you stop talking.”

  Blood rushed to my ears, drowning every sound but the thundering of my heart. My head was swimming and my chest ached. I hadn’t seen Richard since he took back his promise ring and told me we were over. He looked the same but different.

  “Rich, I must have called you over a hundred times since… since we broke up. Why didn’t you answer?”

  He spun the plastic chair around, sat and leaned over the back. “I needed space. We never broke up. Not officially. Our social profiles are still linked.”

  Every word of our last night together had etched into my memory. He came to my apartment late and uninvited which was unusual, but a welcomed visit. I’d needed the break from cramming for finals. The second he walked in, I’d pounced on him and we’d made love. After we got redressed, he asked to see my promise ring. I handed it over, he placed it in his pocket and told me we couldn’t see each other anymore. His lips pressed softly against my forehead as he wished me luck with my finals and at graduation. Then he’d left.

  “No. You took my ring and bailed. No reason given, but you walked out on me. You broke my heart. It doesn’t get any more official than that.” I pushed away from the table and stood. For him to imply, I’d somehow misinterpreted his message was baffling. I wanted answers from him. After all our years together, I deserved more.

  Richard and Dean both stood. The two men couldn’t be more different.

  Sweat dripped down the sides of my face. “It’s too hot. I need to get out of here.”

  Dean offered his hand. “Let’s go back to our room.”

  Richard offered his hand. “Come with me and let me explain.”

  I stared at both hands. One was gentle, agile and familiar. From the first time he’d threaded our fingers together, I knew I loved Rich. He was perfect for me or so I’d thought. The pain from his rejection tore through my heart like a fresh cut. I shuffled my feet, taking a step back. Nothing he could say would change his actions and repair the damage he’d caused. He’d left me. I couldn’t count on him. Not like my best friend.

  Dean’s hand was wea
thered, large and strong. The heat from his touch still burned deep inside me. We’d crossed the line with that kiss. If I grabbed his hand, there would be no going back. I knew what I wanted. The rough planes of his palm greeted the tips of my fingers.

  “Go home Richard.”

  My ex moved with lightning speed, tearing my hand from Dean’s. “No, you don’t. I didn’t fly all the way here for you to ignore me. I miss you. We should be together.” He squeezed my hands. “I forgive you for cheating on me.”

  “You what?”

  “I hurt you and you’re trying to hurt me by having a meaningless fling. We’re even. Let’s move on,” Richard proclaimed.

  I ripped my hands from his grasp and stared into his brown eyes. The familiarity did little to ease the mounting rage boiling inside. “Even,” I repeated his word. “Not everything is about you. My kissing Dean has nothing to do with you, and it’s not meaningless.” At least it wasn’t to me.

  My gaze drifted to my best friend. His lips formed a thin line and his arms were crossed over his tanned chest. He’d moved away from the table, adding more distance than I liked. He didn’t say anything which made me nervous. Maybe he’d kissed me out of pity. A ploy to cheer me up. Even if that’s all it was, I wanted more.

  “Rich, say what you came to say. Actually, I don’t care. Just tell me why you left.”

  He rubbed his clean-shaven chin. “I won’t air our dirty laundry in front of him. Our affairs are private.”

  Dean refused to meet my eye. “Get your answers. Arielle, I can split.”

  I wasn’t sure why his offer to leave bothered me, but tears rushed to the surface. “Don’t go.” I moved towards him and placed my hand on his forearm. “Please.”

  “I won’t leave you,” he answered, covering my hand with his. His support meant the world to me. He’d been my rock for so long. Our kiss hadn’t ruined everything. Not yet.

  “Thank you,” I mouthed and turned to face my ex. “I deserve to know why you ditched me. You ghosted me like all our years together meant nothing. Give me the truth.”

  “Will you sit?”

  “No.” I inhaled and drew strength from Dean. “I’d prefer to stand. Can’t imagine this will take too long.”

  “The truth is our relationship had become stifling. You were pushing for us to move in together and get married. I tried to shrug it off, but you’d become obsessed.”

  “You were the one who started that conversation,” I protested.

  “Fair enough, but I’d only wanted to gage your response. Nothing more. Then, bridal magazines littered my apartment. Instead of finding your own place, you assumed we’d live together after graduation.”

  “But you didn’t want me to move in?”

  “No. I’d planned this trip as a graduation present. As a way to relax after years of hard work, but you’d turned it into an engagement event. You’d emailed me the rings to buy. Your dad gave me his permission for crying out loud.” He ran his fingers through his dirty blonde hair. The perfectly gelled style barely budged.

  “Because I thought that’s what you wanted.”

  We met when I was a teenager and he was in University. We fell in love and I’d assumed we’d move in together when I started college, but he suggested I get the whole dorm experience. It made sense. But we lived separate lives, and I wanted more. I assumed the feelings were mutual.

  “You got so wrapped up in the possibilities you never waited for me to ask. I’m not interested in marriage; certainly not yet. We’re still young. There’s no rush.” He exhaled and broke eye contact. “The pressure got to me. I needed room to breathe. I’ll admit, I may have handled it poorly.”

  My nails dug into Dean’s arm. “Yeah. Poorly is an understatement. You hurt me. Instead of running, you could have told me how you felt. You’re over-exaggerating my actions, but you’re not wrong about me wanting more. I was ready for the next step in our relationship, but I would have listened to your hesitations. We could have found a compromise.”

  He shrugged his shoulders. “I’m not the type to express my emotions openly, and I didn’t want to attend this trip and give you false hope. But then I worried if I waited any longer, I might lose you.” He reached towards me and touched my cheek.

  I swiped his fingers away and plastered my body against Dean. “If you don’t want to marry me, then why bother coming here. Relationships progress over time. They eventually move past dating. I want to get married, have babies someday and share every day with my partner. You told me you wanted those too.”

  “I agreed in order to keep having sex. You’d have left if I said, hey babe let’s keep what we’re doing forever. I love you. I love our weekly rendezvous. Not everything needs to change and be more.”

  I laughed. “So, you’ve been lying to me for years. Nice.” I’d devoted myself to a selfish prick. I felt duped, like I’d been conned into loving a lie. My hand sliced through the air and connected with Richard’s cheek. “Fuck you.”

  “You okay?” Dean kissed my aching palm and threaded our fingers together.

  “Let’s go,” I replied.

  “If you walk away with him, we’re done. You’ll regret that decision.” Richard’s face turned red, and he shoved his hands in his pockets.

  “We’re already done,” I whispered, shuffling away from my ex.

  The long walk to our suite gave me time to think about my past relationship and where I’d gone wrong. I couldn’t lay all the blame at Rich’s feet because he’d always kept me at arm’s length. We’d been a part-time couple from day one. First it was the age gap with me being in high school. Then it was University. There was always a reason to only be together once a week. Our schedules were hectic, and I never pressed for more. It was enough at the time. Not anymore.

  Dean held my hand as we walked in silence. He probably thought I was an idiot for wanting to marry Richard. I felt like one. When we reached the hall outside our room, Dean released my hand.

  “Do you think I’m a horrible girlfriend for pressuring Richard for more? I mean, I get that I’m inexperienced in relationships. He was my first and only boyfriend, but isn’t dating just the precursor to living together and marriage?” I leaned against the wall.

  “I’m not an expert in relationships.” Dean dug into his pocket and pulled out our keycard. “I’m not the guy to ask about you and Richard.”

  “Sorry. I’m no expert either,” I admitted, staring up at the white ceilings.

  “Do you regret our kiss? Because I don’t. But I understand if you need time to process everything that happened today.”

  His question caught me off guard. I licked my lips and looked into his big, blue eyes. If my ex hadn’t interrupted, I would have never stopped kissing Dean. Thinking about the kiss sent a wave of arousal through me.

  “No regrets. I liked it. A lot.”

  He smiled, moved closer and tucked my hair behind my ears. “Good. We don’t need to rush, but I want to kiss you again.”

  All my assumptions had blown up in my face. I wouldn’t repeat the same mistakes. “Okay.” I swallowed hard and traced the edge of his lips with my thumb. “First, tell me how you feel.”

  He nibbled and sucked the tip into his mouth. A wave of desire rolled from the tip of my thumb down to my toes. Seeing my ex hadn’t tampered my attraction towards Dean in the slightest.

  “I think you’re in a vulnerable place, and I don’t want to take advantage of the situation. Emotions are running high right now.”

  “What if I told you my feelings aren’t conflicted? I’m glad I have closure. It hurts, but I needed to know. Your turn.”

  Birds chirped in the background as he closed his eyes briefly. “Do you want the full truth or a watered-down version?”

  “Truth. All of it.”

  He opened the door and dragged me inside.

  Chapter 5

  DEAN

  The door closed with a thud as I tugged Arielle into the suite. The room was bright and warm with sun
light streaming through the open balcony doors. Our view of the ocean was spectacular but not nearly as beautiful as the woman trailing behind me. Her long hair billowed in the breeze and her huge, brown eyes begged me for answers.

  I broke eye contact and noticed the bedroom door was open. Pink towels had been formed into a heart at the base of the bed. She’d look so amazing with her tanned legs spread wide across the white linens. A quick tug on the strings of her bathing suit and she’d be bared to me. I growled, refraining from tossing her over my shoulder and carrying her to the bed.

  Baby steps, I reminded myself. Just because I already considered her mine, didn’t mean she was ready to get down and dirty with me. Shaking the filthy thoughts from my mind, I guided her towards the couch.

  It was safer for her if we stayed away from the bedroom. At least for now. Holding back for so damn long had tested my perseverance, but she was worth it. I’d come on this trip, with the plan to make her mine. To tell her exactly how deeply I cared. It went beyond friends. Arielle was the woman I wanted by my side and in my bed for the rest of my life.

  I sat on the vibrant patterned couch and pulled her onto my lap. Her heart had been wounded, but I’d help her piece it back together. If she’d let me. There was nothing I wouldn’t do for this woman.

  She swallowed audibly. “Dean…” Her voice trailed off as she searched my eyes. “Things have changed or are changing between us. I mean friends don’t sit like this. They don’t kiss.”

  “Best friends do.”

  I couldn’t resist kissing her. Nothing more than a tease, capturing her lower lip between my teeth and nibbling playfully. The way her body went lax and her eyes fluttered revealed her desires. She wanted more, and I’d give her everything she needed.

  “Tell me what’s inside here.” She placed her hand over my heart.

  The warmth spread like a meteor south. Having her ass pressed against my cock had an instant effect. Made only worse as she wiggled to get comfortable. Every movement tormented and thrilled me.