Marrying My Best Friend's BFF: A Friends to Lovers, Accidental Baby Romance (Love You Forever Book 2)

by Alexis Winter

  “I’m sick. I’m sorry, but I can’t go out with you tonight. I had a sandwich off the cart in the office today and I think I got food poisoning.”

  “Oh, man. Don’t worry about going out tonight. You sound horrible. Do you need anything? Have you tried to eat?”

  “I don’t even want to think about food. I left the office around 1 p.m. and have been asleep on the couch ever since. I think I’m just going to crash.”

  “Okay, well, let me know if you need anything.”

  “I will. Thanks.” I hang up the phone and lay my head back down, falling asleep immediately.

  A little while later, I hear a knock at the door and groan as I force myself to get up and turn on the lamp beside the couch. I slowly make my way to the door and peek out the peep hole. Preston is on the other side. I quickly debate whether I should answer the door or not. I look horrible. I don’t want him to see me this way.

  “I know you’re there, Riley. Open up. I brought you some soup and a few movies.”

  I try to smile at his sweetness, but I’m too sick. I unlock the door and open it. He’s standing on the other side with a brown paper bag and an armful of movies. I step back and he walks inside, following me to the couch. I lie back down and watch as he moves around the room.

  He puts in a movie then goes to the kitchen. I hear the rattling of dishes before he’s back a few minutes later with a spoon and a glass of water. He sits at my side and opens the bag, pulling out a Styrofoam bowl full of soup.

  “It’s just chicken noodle, so nothing fancy.” He opens the lid and the smell hits my nose. It makes my stomach flip.

  I cover my mouth and nose and he turns to feed me a bite but stops when he sees my face.

  “Come on, just try it. It might make you feel a little better.”

  “I can do it myself.” I hold out my hands and he shrugs while passing me the bowl and spoon. I hold the bowl close to my chest and look down at the yellow broth. There are thin noodles in the soup, along with carrots and celery. I put a little broth in the spoon and slurp it up. It feels nice going down my sore throat, and I must admit the heat is soothing. It doesn’t make my stomach flop again, so I take another small bite as the movie starts playing.

  “What are you doing here?” I ask when he sits back to get comfortable.

  “You sounded like you needed someone to take care of you. I figured I’d bring you some soup and we could watch a couple movies. I wanted to ensure you didn’t die in your sleep or dehydrate.”

  I offer up the small smile I can muster. “Thanks.”

  A little while later, the soup is gone and I’m back to lying on the couch. The soup didn’t help my stomach much, but it didn’t hurt it either. I’m back to just feeling lifeless and tired. The room is dark—lit only by the TV. My eyes are closing and fluttering open when I catch myself drifting off to sleep. They close again and I feel Preston move to lie down behind me. He turns off the TV then pulls up the blanket so it covers both of us as he slides his arm beneath my pillow. My back is pressed to his chest and he rests his left hand on my hip. His heat sinks into me and warms me in ways I didn’t know I needed. His heavy breathing is soothing and calming, and the way it blows against my neck is teasing. It makes my muscles tighten despite how gross I feel.

  Before I know it, I’m drifting off to sleep, feeling warm and safe.

  I wake in the morning and feel better. My stomach isn’t rumbling and my head isn’t dizzy. I feel rested and back to my normal self. I stretch and feel something move beside me. I open my eyes quickly and find Preston. I almost forgot he was here last night. The night comes flooding back into my mind. I remember falling asleep with him behind me, but I must’ve rolled over in my sleep, because now we’re face-to-face. He has one arm under my neck and the other is wrapped around me. He’s holding me close to his chest with his chin resting just above my head. His body is hard but relaxed as he sleeps.

  I can’t help but remember what Piper said. She said he wasn’t the type to cuddle on the couch to watch a movie without expecting sex. She was also certain he wasn’t the kind of guy who’d care for you when you were sick. But that’s not the case. At least not with me. Maybe she was wrong about him. Maybe he just needed to find the right person in order to change his ways. Maybe I’m the right person. In the middle of my overthinking, Preston wakes up and his eyes lock on mine. There’s a sleepy smile on his lips.

  “Hey, how you feeling?” he asks, voice thick and full of sleep.

  I offer up a small smile of my own and nod. “Much better. Thank you for taking care of me.”

  He shrugs one shoulder. “It was nothing.”

  I feel that pull between us begin to tug again. I have to fight against it even though I’m not sure why at this point. I sit up and put my feet on the floor. Slowly, I stand to check my balance. Now that I’m off the couch, Preston sits up and rests his elbows on his knees as he rubs his hands over his head and face. He lets out a groan. “Damn, my back is stiff.”

  I let out a little giggle as I bend over to start cleaning up the coffee table. “Mine too. I could really use a shower.”

  Preston stands up and takes the bowl of soup from my hands. “You go get cleaned up. I’ll put this stuff away.”

  My mouth drops open. “Are . . . are you sure?”

  He nods and smiles. “Go . . . before I change my mind.”

  “Thanks,” I say quietly before heading into the bathroom. Once inside, I strip out of my robe and turn on the water. I can’t believe I’m only now realizing I slept next to him all night wearing nothing but a robe. It would have been so easy for him to push it back and find me naked beneath, but he didn’t. He was a complete gentleman. The Preston I’ve seen these last few days is nothing like the Preston I’ve heard so much about. I wonder why he’s so different with me . . . or if this is all just an act. Is he purposely doing things out of character to get me to fall for him—even after we talked about it and decided to remain friends? Or is this the real him? I’m the one person who doesn’t look at him with expectations. Piper has known him her whole life, so when she looks at him, she knows what he’s thinking, and the things he’ll say and do. Am I the only person he just gets to be himself around—his real self, without having to live up to others’ expectations?

  I shower quickly and step back out. I pull a brush through my long, dark hair and wrap a towel around my body. When I step back out into the living room to go to my bedroom, Preston is just stepping out of the kitchen. He stops dead in his tracks when he sees me. My eyes lock on him, watching as he looks me up and down—painfully slowly. The electric current that was zapping between us this morning has only gotten stronger. I can feel the tug in my stomach. I think he can feel it too by the way his jaw is flexed and his back is straight like he’s trying to fight against it. His eyes soften and he wets his lips. In the blink of an eye, he’s across the floor and pulling me against him. My chest presses against his and our lips connect.

  I know I shouldn’t, but I can’t stop myself. He feels too good. I kiss him. I wrap my arms around his neck and pull him closer as our tongues dance. His hands land on my hips and start working their way up my back, tangling into my hair. He pulls it lightly. Not hard, but just enough to let me know how badly he needs me. The next thing I know, I’m pinned to the wall and his strong chest is pressed against mine. I’m breathless with my heart racing in my chest. He breaks our kiss, but instead of pulling away, he trails his lips across my jaw and down my neck.

  Right now, I can’t do anything but enjoy the feeling of having him against me. I can’t remember the reasons to stay away. I don’t want to keep my distance anymore. It’s only been a week and already, I’m tired of fighting. I just want to want what I want and take what I need without having to think of anyone else. Why can’t I do that? Why do I push him away when it’s clear I want him just as much as he wants me?

  Piper. Calvin. The baby. That’s why. This is about more than just him and me. This is about his family,
and they’ve been kind enough to welcome me into it.

  I place my hand on his chest and push him back, breaking the moment between us. He pulls back and looks into my eyes. His are hooded with lust and passion. He lets out a breath because he knows we went too far. He hangs his head, resting his forehead against mine.

  “I’m sorry, Riley,” he breathes out, “but I’m tired of fighting.”

  I nod, understanding. I’m tired of fighting too.

  “Don’t you see how good we could be together? Don’t we owe it to ourselves to find out?”

  I wet my suddenly-dry lips and look up at him, but he’s not looking back at me. His eyes are closed, like he knows that if he sees me, he won’t be able to stop himself.

  I nod, too afraid to speak—fearing my voice will betray me. Emotion is growing thick in my throat.

  “Let’s do it. Let’s go on a date—a real date. Let’s see if we’re as perfect together as we think,” he says.

  “But Piper and Calvin . . .” I whisper, but he shuts me up when he shakes his head.

  “They don’t have to know. This is only about you and me. We owe this to ourselves to see how great we could be. It’ll be our little secret. If things don’t work out,” he opens his eyes and pulls his head away from mine so we can see each other clearly, “then they’ll never have to know. But if it does work out, everything will be perfect. Come on, what do you say?”

  I can’t hold back my smile. “I don’t know, Preston. What if you break my heart and for the rest of my life, I have to go to all those family functions and see a different girl on your arm?”

  He shakes his head. “That will never happen.”

  “How do you know?” I ask, reaching up and fisting my hand in his shirt.

  “Because, Riley, I don’t do this.” He motions between the two of us. “So if I am, it’s because I know we’re meant to be together. I’m sure of it.” He finishes up his little speech with a drop-dead-sexy smirk that has my body tightening with anticipation.

  I roll my eyes but can’t hold back my smile. “Fine. We’ll go on a date. A real date.”

  His smirk turns into a full-blown smile now and he breathes out an excited, “Yes!”

  Five

  Preston

  “I’ll pick you up tonight. We’ll go to that pizza place I was telling you about,” I say, backing away.

  She smiles and nods but starts tightening up her towel. God, I wish she would’ve let our kiss go on just a minute longer. I would’ve had that towel lying on the floor by now. But that’s something the old Preston would’ve done. I’m not that guy anymore. I’m no longer interested in just trying to get laid. I want her. All of her. For the rest of my life. I’m sure of it. I can feel it in my stomach, in my bones. We were made for each other.

  I grab my jacket and give her one last smile before telling her goodbye and leaving her apartment. I feel excited as I’m making my way out of her building. My stomach feels like a million butterflies have been set loose inside it. I’m nervous. I guess deep down, I’m worried this won’t work out the way I’m hoping it will. What if she’s right? What if we do end badly and she’s forced to look at me whenever we’re thrown together? I guess we’ll need to talk a little more about what it is we’re doing, and what we hope to get out of this.

  I get to the house and take a quick shower before dressing and heading to work for the day. Normally, the day passes by rather quickly, but today I have too much to look forward to after work, which results in the day passing unbearably slowly. I check the time at least every hour and my leg stays in constant motion under my desk, never settling.

  I somehow make it through the day, but by the time I’m back in my car and driving home, I feel exhausted. My plan is to take a one-hour nap, shower, then pick up Riley. The nap helps and I wake feeling refreshed and excited for the date. The shower calms my nerves and relaxes me further. I pull on a pair of jeans and a T-shirt. I put on my hat and comb down my beard. With a splash of cologne, I hit the door and am pulling up to her place a little while later.

  I knock on the door and hear her yell from the other side. “Come in!”

  I twist the knob and the door opens inward. I step inside and look around, but she’s nowhere to be found. I close the door behind me and move to sit on the couch. “Hey!” I call out, wanting to let her know it’s me.

  “Hey, sorry. I worked a little late today and now I’m rushing to get ready,” she says from inside her bedroom.

  “No rush. We don’t have reservations or anything.”

  Her door opens and she steps out. I stand up and turn to face her, taking her in. She’s wearing a pair of snug jeans with high-heeled boots. Her top is black and it’s tight, ending just above her belly button. It’s sleeveless, showing off her olive skin and sun-kissed shoulders. Her long, brown hair is sleek and shiny as it hangs past her shoulders in thick waves. Her lips are shimmering and her eyes are lined darkly with a row of thick lashes.

  “You look . . . amazing,” I breathe out.

  She offers up a sexy smile. “Thanks. You too.”

  “No, I mean,” I step toward her, “you look really, really amazing.” I close the space between us and lean in to press my lips to hers. She kisses me softly and slowly, then pulls away. Her cheeks are pink and her lips are turned upward.

  “Preston, I think before we go, we should have a talk.”

  I nod and follow her around the couch to have a seat. “What’s up?”

  “I love that we’re finally doing this. I agree, we owe it to ourselves to see what this could become, but we also need to be careful. I don’t want to move fast. In fact, I want to move so slowly that no one even knows we’re moving. We’ve been working on our friendship and I think that needs to continue now that we’re dating.”

  I nod in agreement. “Absolutely, Riley. I completely agree. And if tonight doesn’t go well, then I’ll back off. I’ll accept that it wasn’t meant to be and we’ll go back to just hanging out. I don’t want this to come between us—or our relationship with Piper. We can be adults about this. If it works out, great. If not, then we’ll know and move on.”

  She smiles widely now that she sees we’re both thinking the same thing. “Good. I’m glad we’re on the same page. I just didn’t want you thinking that you were getting any tonight. In fact, I won’t be sleeping with you anytime soon.”

  My mouth drops open. I’m speechless.

  “Normally, I’m not so cautious, but I think this calls for something different. I just feel like if sex is thrown into the equation too soon, it will tear us apart. I want to know that things will work out before we ever sleep together.”

  I nod, still unable to process words. Was I taking her out tonight to get laid? No, but I didn’t realize it was completely off the table. Does that change my mind about her in the slightest? No. I’ve never had to work for a woman before. She’ll be the first and I already know she’ll be worth it.

  “Okay, now that that’s out of the way, let’s go. I’m starving.” She stands up and grabs her jacket and purse. I follow along behind her to the door. I stand in the hallway as she locks the door behind us. On our walk to the elevator, I take her hand in mine and she doesn’t object. Even if sex is off the table tonight, at least I can touch her without having to find an excuse.

  A little while later, we’re walking into my favorite pizza restaurant. The tables are covered in red-and-white-checkered tablecloths, and there’s a low-hanging light above each one. We’re taken to a table in the back and we slide into the booth so we’re facing each other. The waitress hands us two menus. I watch as Riley picks hers up, but I know exactly what to order, so I don’t bother with mine.

  “What are your favorite pizza toppings?” she asks, looking over the selections.

  “I like everything. You?”

  She nods. “Same. But I must demand we get some breadsticks.”

  I laugh. “Oh, I’m going to order breadsticks and hot wings. They have the best wings here.
The sauce they use is spicy, but it also has an Italian kick to it. It’s topped with cheese and bacon. The salads here are good too, if you’re into that sort of thing.”

  She wrinkles her nose. “I’m not a big salad girl. I’ll stick with the pizza, bread, and hot wings. Oh, and beer. We can’t forget the beer.”

  “My kind of woman,” I say just as the waitress returns.

  She looks down at me. “Preston, the usual?”

  I nod. “You know it.”

  “And what would you like, ma’am?” she says to Riley.

  “Oh, I’m going to enjoy the Preston usual,” Riley replies.

  She nods and walks off, leaving Riley with a smile.

  “You must eat here a lot if the workers know you by name.”

  “I eat lunch here most days. Everything is good. Their salads, sandwiches, pizza. You’ll love it.”

  She looks over my shoulder and then back to me. “That waitress is trying to burn me with her eyes. Did you guys date?”

  Fuck. I nod. “We went out a couple of times. Biggest lesson of my life.”

  She draws her brows together but smiles. “How so?”

  “Well, you know how they say you shouldn’t get involved with someone you work with?”

  She nods.

  “The same goes for places you eat at a lot.”

  She rolls her eyes and shakes her head slightly. “I have to hear this.”

  “I found this place just after I took my job. Every time I came in here, she was my waitress. I found her good-looking and she always flirted with me, so I asked her out. We went out and a few times, but back then, I wasn’t exactly looking for anything serious. So when I stopped calling her, she freaked out. She started stalking me at the office. She found my apartment and would just show up out of nowhere. She tracked me down at a few bars I went to. I stopped coming in here for a long time.”

  “So what happened?”

  The owner is big into baseball—a massive Cubs fan—and he would often give our office free pizza. Well, he came to drop some off one day and saw me and asked why I hadn’t been in. I told him everything, and it turns out, the crazy waitress is his daughter.”