It was well into the wee hours of the morning, and she was tucked into my side, looking as if she might pass out at any moment. I leaned my head on hers and sucked in a deep breath, taking in her incredible fragrance. She cuddled deeper into me, and it felt so intimate and perfect. When she glanced up at me, her eyes hooded and lips looking way too damn good not to be kissed, I slowly lowered my head. Her eyes widened, and she quickly turned her head.
Talk about a solid slap to the face.
Cold water on my dick.
I decided, from that moment on, I would never try anything again. Truth is, I know we’d be great together, but I won’t put myself out there like that a second time. It was a hard pill to swallow. How in the world could we be so good and get along so well together but not take it to the next level? Years have passed, and I’ve settled for her as my best friend. Sometimes, though, I’m aware I put her in front of everyone I’ve dated. I thought Jasmine was the one because she loved Ally and didn’t really complain when I was on the phone with her. Little did I know, she wanted Ally in our bed.
Again, tough pill to swallow.
When Ally smiles, it pulls me from my thoughts. “Probably, but I think you’ll marry before me. You’ll be the one with the three marriages.”
I scoff. “Probably. I can’t seem to keep a woman, huh?”
“Nope, you might suck at relationships.”
We share a grin. It’s a running joke that she picks the shit guys, and I chase off the girls. “You’re staying with your parents?”
I nod. “Unfortunately. We’ll see how long I last.”
She giggles. “A week, tops. The girls will drive you out.”
“I wonder if Aiden sold his condo?”
She shrugs. “I don’t think so. He’s holding it for future Assassins.”
I groan. “Do you have to go to that fitting Saturday?”
She nods. “Yes, I’m in the wedding, but I’m also stand-in for Posey this week while she’s on a road trip with the Assassins. Want me to deflect for you?”
“Please do,” I practically beg. “If Shelli comes at me with that stupid book one more time, I might scream. Aiden is so wrapped around her finger.”
“It’s sweet,” she insists. “They are so in love. I love it. It’s such a cute story. She’s loved him her whole life, and she got him. Be honest, that’s adorable.”
“It is,” I say as I shrug. “But that book is the devil.”
Her laughter tickles my gut. The waitress returns, setting down our rolls, and I quickly mix soy sauce with wasabi as Ally says, “It is. You know Posey calls it the Wedding Book from Hell?”
“I do,” I say through my laughter. “She isn’t wrong.”
“Sure isn’t,” she says, popping a piece into her mouth. Around it, she says, “But it’s gonna be one incredible wedding.”
“Oh, for sure, like a damn Jonas brother wedding. Which one is it who had, like, nine?”
She gives me a deadpan look. I love teasing her about her Jonas Brothers obsession. “It was two weddings, and yeah, this one might be bigger than both of his put together.”
“Aiden said Shea isn’t handling it well,” I say, speaking of Shelli and Posey’s dad.
Ally’s eyes widen as she shakes her head. “He’s one angina fit from a heart attack. I’m pretty sure when he finds out Posey is dating, he’ll end up in the hospital with a self-induced heart attack.”
I laugh. “Cracks me up. If only he knew the things those girls used to do.”
Ally laughs with me. We had some wild times, and it was worse when we would go visit Shelli in New York while she was doing her stint on Broadway. Now she’s helping run the Assassins. “Exactly! But we love him and don’t want him to keel over.”
“This is true,” I agree as I throw another piece in my mouth. “You have classes tomorrow?”
She gives me a frustrated sigh. “Yes, not everyone graduates early like you.”
I grin. “Well, not everyone takes a year off before college to go play volleyball in Spain and travel through Europe.”
She shrugs. “It was a blast. But yeah, I have a game tomorrow.”
“I’ll be there.”
She beams. “Good, maybe you can meet Angie—since she’s obsessed with you.”
I make a face. “Who’s she?”
She holds up her hand, speaking with it as she explains, “My mom’s sister, Reese’s, stepdaughter, I guess… You remember Claire? It’s her husband’s sister’s daughter. Lucy? She’s married to Benji.”
I blink. “Why the hell is the Assassins family so convoluted?”
“No clue. But that’s who she is.”
“And she likes me?”
“Yup, thinks you’re dreamy, even with the Harry Potter specs.”
I chuckle as I watch her throw another piece in her mouth. I love how her hair falls on her shoulders, and shit, I can’t believe how much I’ve missed her. Kind of sucks that she doesn’t think I’m dreamy, but why would I want to chance ruining the best relationship I’ve ever had by taking it to the next level?
Chapter Four
Ally
My mom leans on the dryer as I stuff the washer with my clothes from the week. I have no afternoon classes on Wednesday, so it’s my laundry day. I have a phobia of washing my clothes with other people’s, so I’ve always come home to do laundry. People are nasty. My mom always takes the day off from the photo studio she owns so she can hang with me. It’s nice mother-daughter time. We may fight like cats and dogs, but she is one of my favorite people.
“Elli thinks Posey is dating.”
I grin as I put some detergent in the washer. “She is.”
Mom smiles. She and Elli, Posey’s mom, have been best friends since they were kids. They had dolls growing up named Allison and Posey that we are named after. I figured that meant Posey and I were supposed to be close. Good thing we like each other. “I’m not telling you who, though. You have a big mouth.”
She laughs, smacking my ass as I walk past with my laundry basket. “So do you!”
“I do not,” I throw back at her as we go into the kitchen. My brother, Journey, sits at the bar on his computer. He has the flu and is unable to go to school, but he doesn’t skip his schoolwork. He’s grown so much over the last couple weeks. He’s taller than me now but still really skinny. My dad wants to beef him up, but Journey is more concerned with the human body. I think he’s going to be a doctor. Not sure what kind, but he’s obsessed. I’ve always thought he is adorable with his long brown hair that comes to his chin. My dad hates it and wants him to cut it, but I think it fits him. He has dark green eyes and takes after my dad with sharp lines to his face, very handsome. But he hasn’t had a girlfriend yet. Doesn’t talk about girls, but he doesn’t talk about boys either. We’re really confused about what he wants. Mom jokes that he is going to be alone forever with a lizard.
We’ll see.
“Ew! Get out of here. I can’t get sick,” I call to him, and he shoots me a dirty look as only a sibling can give.