“Hey,” I say, sliding up to her. She looks at me with relieved eyes. “Got your drink.”
“Oh, hey, Bennett.” Eli nods, taking a pull off his beer, then wiping his mouth with the back of his hand. “Was just telling your friend here about our latest project.”
“The one she already knows all about?” I lift my brow. “My friend is also my roommate. She’s probably more aware of what our project entails than you are some days.”
Caroline covers her laugh with her glass, taking a sip from her drink. I try hard not to bash my co-workers because we all have our faults, but she’s more than aware of how much Eli irritates the living piss out of me.
Eli’s eyes dart between us. “I didn’t realize you two were living together.”
“Yep. Since when, Care? Freshman year of college?”
“The summer before then,” she corrects.
“Right. The summer before.”
“I didn’t realize you weren’t living at home anymore, Bennett. Thought for sure one of your mommies still made you lunch.”
I don’t miss the inflection in his voice, and I narrow my eyes at him.
If he thinks making jokes about the fact that I have two mothers is the way to go about getting Caroline’s affection, he’s an even bigger idiot than I thought.
There are many days I think my moms love my best friend more than me. She’s practically a daughter to them, and Caroline will defend their relationship with everything she has if she needs to.
“Oh, man.” Caroline practically moans. “I wish Momma Bennett made you lunch. I’d have her make tuna salad at least three times a week.”
“I hate tuna salad.”
“I know, but I love it. This isn’t about you, Coop. Keep up.”
“You’d seriously request that my mother make a meal I hate just because you like it? Do you think she loves you more than me?”
“Yes. We both know I’m Momma B’s favorite, just like we both know you’re Momma Kira’s favorite. She always wanted a boy.”
“That’s messed up. They picked me from the adoption agency. They both wanted me.”
“They picked you because they felt bad for you. You were so ugly that nobody else wanted you. I’ve seen your baby pictures.” She shrugs. “You were a pity adoption.”
I scowl at her. “Brat.”
She sticks her tongue out playfully, then takes another sip of her drink.
Eli glances between us again, his brows pinched tightly together.
I’m sure he’s realizing now how bored Caroline was with their conversation and how, in the few minutes I’ve been standing here, she’s turned into a different person.
Which means he’s probably realizing he has absolutely no fucking chance with her.
I pierce him with a stare that says, Move along, jackass.
“You know, I think I heard Matt call for me,” he says, taking the hint. “It was nice meeting you, Caroline.”
“You too, Eli.”
He walks away, and I lean down to her. “When I told you to mingle, I didn’t mean with him.”
“I couldn’t run away fast enough when he told me his name. I recognized it instantly. I know how you feel about him.”
“I’m sure he’s not a completely bad guy, but fuck does he drive me mad at work.”
“He’s caused you to break at least two keyboards. That’s enough for me to stay far away from him.” She presses up on her tiptoes. “See? I’m a good friend too.”
Someone bumps into her from behind and she stumbles into me.
On instinct, I wrap my arm around her waist, catching her.
“Hey! Watch it!” I yell at the guy.
He ignores me.
“Fucking jackass,” I spit at him, glowering at his back.
“Uh, Coop?”
“Huh?” I pull my gaze to Caroline. “What?”
I realize my arm is still wrapped around her waist and I’m holding her close.
Too close.
I can feel the beat of the music through her body kind of close.
Can feel her hot breath seeping through my shirt.
The curve of her waist that’s biting into my fingertips.
If I keep her here for much longer, she’ll be able to feel me—all of me—too.
I clear my throat, setting her back onto her feet and putting some space between us.
What is with me tonight? Am I really that deprived of human contact?
With a headshake, I down the full contents of my glass.
I need more.
“Gonna grab another. You good?”
She nods as she studies me with curious eyes.
“Good.”
I stalk away before she can study me too much more.
Shayla sees me approaching, and I shake my glass at her.
She sets to work making my usual and I scan the crowd again, this time putting my full concentration on every female who isn’t my best friend.
There’s a brunette sitting a few tables away who catches my eye.
She smiles, then lifts a daiquiri to her lips. Ugh. No. She’ll taste like sugar after drinking that.
I give her a tight smile and then move on.
There’s a redhead toward the end of the bar, her fingers playing with the straw in her drink as she stares out at the crowd.
She’s hot, her bright yellow top making her hair stand out, and I can see a bit of ink poking out on her back where shirt and jeans don’t quite meet.
Well, hello there.
I grab my drink from Shayla and take a step toward her. I don’t make it a whole foot before a girl slides up next to her, placing a kiss on her cheek. They embrace, then start making out hardcore in the middle of the bar.
Aaand never mind.
I return to my perch, moving on through the crowd.
Too available. Too not available.
Too drunk. Too loud. Crying.
Nobody is standing out…until red catches my gaze.
Caroline.
Color me fucking shocked.
She’s out on the dance floor…and she’s not alone.
There’s a guy with his hand on her waist in a way that seems proper but somehow feels way too fucking intimate all at the same time.
He dips his head toward her and says something in her ear, and she tosses her head back, laughing at whatever he says.
A surge of anger rushes through me seeing her laugh like that.
I hate myself for it instantly.
I don’t understand what my problem is. She’s my best friend. That’s it.
I do not and never have harbored feelings for her, because that one week during the summer between our freshman and sophomore year of high school doesn’t count.
Am I really going to let one absurd and not-likely-to-ever-happen-again incident like her seeing me naked change our entire friendship?
No.
That’d be dumb.
But…I did like the way she looked at me.
And I can’t stop thinking about how much I want her to look at me like that again.
Not just some girl either.
Her.
I want my best friend to look at me like she wants me.
Because…fuck me.
I think I want her.
6
Caroline
I now understand how Cooper felt last night when I got a full look at him in the hallway.