Total pages in book: 59
Estimated words: 56885 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 284(@200wpm)___ 228(@250wpm)___ 190(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 56885 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 284(@200wpm)___ 228(@250wpm)___ 190(@300wpm)
“You don’t need to worr—”
“I don’t need to worry about my boyfriend? Are you kidding?”
It’s reckless, dangerous, and insane, even, what I do next. I lean forward and wrap my arm around her waist, leaning down so that my lips touch hers. But it doesn’t feel like a mistake when she makes that gorgeous moaning noise.
It feels like our first kiss. It feels like waking up.
CHAPTER 16
PIPER
“It was the most beautiful thing anybody has ever said to me,” I tell Ruby, sitting cross-legged on her bed. She’s on her computer chair, shifting from side to side. “He said he’d been asleep all his life until me, us, the kiss. The whole time, I wished Elliot wasn’t my brother or they weren’t best friends. Logan only survived his childhood because of Elliot, and vice versa. It’s such a mess, Rubes.”
Ruby chews on her lips.
“Is something wrong?” I ask.
“I just want you to be happy,” she says.
“Okay, so let’s say we tell Elliot. He loses his best friend and his sister in one big, ugly mess. Is that going to make anyone happy?” After a pause, I say, “Are you sure it’s okay if I stay?”
“Huh?” She looks at me like I’ve lost it. “You don’t have to ask me that.”
“Sorry. You seem a little distracted. Logan said he was almost certain they wouldn’t come after me. I think he’s just worried. He wanted me out of the apartment. I think he’s a little paranoid.”
“He’s not paranoid. He’s in love.”
I roll my eyes. “I wouldn’t go that far, Rubes.”
“Well, I would. I think he fell in love with you the moment he kissed you. And I think you’ve loved him for just as long.”
I shake my head. “You’re being silly now…”
“Maybe. Maybe not. But anyway, I’m not worried about them.”
“But you’re worried about something.”
“Uh, no…” She presses the lever on the computer chair, causing it to lower in level. My gaze naturally follows the movement. That’s when I spot it resting on the floor.
Elliot’s vape pen. I know it’s his because of the Do It All sticker—unless Ruby happens to have the same one.
“Uh, Rubes, why is Elliot’s vape pen here?”
Ruby looks at the floor, looks at me, then bursts into tears. She buries her face in her hands, her shoulders trembling as she sobs loudly.
I walk across the room, putting my hand on her arm. “Hey, talk to me.”
When she keeps crying, I kneel, taking her hands in mine and lowering my gaze until she’s looking at me. She stares with red eyes, her lip trembling as she tries to hold back another round of tears.
“Ruby,” I say, massaging her arm and hoping I’m offering at least some small measure of comfort. “I mean it. We can talk about this. You don’t have to suffer on your own. You don’t have to keep this locked inside. Tell me what happened.”
“Why aren’t you storming out of here?”
“Because I want to learn about… whatever this is. I’m not going to rush to judgment. You’re my friend, and, newsflash, you’re a good person. Don’t assume I’ll hate you just because you’ve been with my brother.”
She looks at me with pure shock on her face. “Seriously?”
“I want him to be happy. I want you to be happy. So…”
She rubs her cheeks, sitting up. I sit on the edge of the bed and offer her my hand. She wheels the computer chair closer and takes my hand. I squeeze her supportively.
“It started about a year ago,” she murmurs, looking down at the floor, then risking a glance at me as if she’s waiting for me to blow up.
“Go on…”
“I didn’t plan it. I went to his apartment to pick up that book, remember?”
I nod. “When I was at college. Yeah, I said you could swing by and get it.”
“Elliot was there, and we started talking about books and business and…” She smiles, then wipes it away like she’s guilty of something horrible. “A bunch of stuff. Nothing, everything. It was easy. It was weird how easy it was. It just sort of happened. He asked if I wanted to stay for dinner. He said it like it was the most natural thing in the world.”
“Was that how it felt for you?” I ask.
“Yes,” she murmurs. “The whole time, I was trying to get myself to stop. I knew it was wrong.”
“Why?”
She laughs in disbelief. “What do you mean, why?”
“Why was it wrong?” I challenge.
“Because I’m your best friend.”
“On paper, fine. Maybe it should be wrong. But now that I’m hearing it, I can’t find it in me to be angry. I’m not angry. That’s the truth. Not if you’re happy.”
“Are you serious?”
“Yes,” I say, then laugh. “I’m shocking myself, actually. I should be angry, shouldn’t I?”
Her smile is shaky and nervous. It’s like she thinks there’s an explosion coming. It’s just a matter of time. “Well, yeah, you should,” she murmurs. “You should hate me.”