"Ah-ha," Cassie exclaimed as she pointed at my face. "You scrunched! You just lied." She drew out the last word, making it last several seconds as she laughed. "I knew it! You're into him."
"I am not into him. Is he gorgeous, funny, and one of my best friends? Yes. Have I ever wondered what he's like in bed? Yes, fine, I'll admit I have. But that's it. I don't have time for a boyfriend anyway. Plus he and I would never work out. We're friends, that's it. Nothing more."
"Hmmph," she said after taking a sip of her drink. "I don't believe it. There's more there between the two of you. Maybe you're just not realizing it yet, but I'm sure of it."
"Trust me, if there was, I would tell you. You know I can't keep secrets," I said. "Anyway, I baked brownies. Do you want one?"
As Cassie nodded, my cell phone vibrated in my pocket. I set it down on the counter near the brownie pan, hoping she wouldn't notice while I read my text. The last thing I needed was to give her more ammunition.
Gideon: Text me if you want to do something later.
Becca: I thought you were going out with your college buddies.
Gideon: Yeah, but you're more fun.
The corners of my mouth tugged up into a smile.
Stop it! Cassie is getting into your head. It means nothing. You're just friends. Nothing more, remember? I chided myself.
Just as I was about to reply, Cassie shifted in her seat to face me. I casually slipped my phone back into my pocket and tried to hide the smile that spread across my face.
* * *
After Cassie left, I headed straight to my bedroom and climbed into bed. As I lay in the dark, my phone lit the room with a new text. I didn't have to look to know it was Gideon.
Gideon: Still up?
Becca: Cassie just left.
Gideon: Oh? Have fun?
Becca: It was nice, talked about a bunch of stuff.
Gideon: Anyone I need to worry about?
Becca: What do you mean?
Gideon: Never mind.
I shook my head while I re-read his texts. It wasn't like him to say things like that. Not that Gideon didn't flirt with me, but that was just how he was. He rarely said anything that sounded serious.
Becca: Are you home?
Gideon: Not yet. On the way.
Becca: You're texting and driving?
Gideon: No, Navarro is driving.
Becca: Navarro?
Gideon: Yeah, Grayson Navarro. One of my best buds from college.
Becca: Where's your car?
Gideon: He's driving it. Don't ask.
Gideon never let anyone drive his car. He had a red Bugatti that I called his girlfriend. The only reason I could think for him letting his friend drive was because he was drunk. Why else would he let Navarro drive?
Becca: Let me know when you get home.
Gideon: I will, Mom.
Becca: Shut up.
An hour later, I was sitting at the kitchen table nursing a hot chocolate. I couldn't sleep. I was too worried about Gideon getting home safely.
He should have texted by now, I thought.
I chewed my bottom lip as I wrapped my fingers around the warm mug. It was late. Why hadn't he texted?
Maybe he didn't want to wake me.
Maybe they got into an accident.
Why does my brain always go to the worst-case scenario?
I grabbed my phone and checked if any new texts had come through. Nothing. I rebooted my phone and waited to see if that would fix the possibly missing texts. Nope, nothing. I had to find out if he was alright.
Becca: Did you get home okay? Don't make me stalk you.
I waited a few minutes for Gideon to reply, but he didn't. I finished my hot chocolate and then opened my laptop. As I glanced over the entertainment news, I tried to get my mind off him, but it didn't work. Before I realized what I was doing, I started searching for 'Canyon Cove accident tonight.'
Nothing recent came up, but it didn't calm my morbid thoughts. As I thought of other searches I could do to find out if Gideon and Navarro were wrapped around a tree or had fallen off a cliff, my phone finally buzzed to life again.
Gideon: Don't do that. I'm home, I'm just not in the right frame of mind.
Becca: Did something happen?
Gideon: Yeah, I'm an idiot.
It wasn't like Gideon to feel sorry for himself. He was usually too confident and cocky for that.
This must be what drunk Gideon is like, I thought.
Becca: You just need to sleep it off.
Gideon: Stop that.
Becca: Stop what?
Gideon: Being so sweet. You need to stop or I'm going to seduce you.
Becca: LOL! Good to see you still have your sense of humor.
Gideon: I'm serious.
Becca: Yeah, right.
Gideon: You can't tell me you've never thought about it.
What is going on tonight?
I stared at my phone, waiting for an 'lol' or 'just kidding' from Gideon, but nothing came. He couldn't be serious, could he?
Gideon: It's okay, you don't have to answer.
I didn't reply. I slid the phone across the table, pushing it with my fingertips until it was out of my reach.
He's drunk. He doesn't know what he's saying.
I repeated that to myself over and over as I cleaned up the kitchen and went to bed.
Continue reading BETTER AS FRIENDS.
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The Billionaire’s Whim Series
Formerly Canyon Cove Billionaires
Billionaire Romance
My Boss’s Whim
Playing the Game
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Won’t Fall Again
Love to Hate You
Better As Friends
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Unexpected Plans - Billionaire Second Chance Romance
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Made Man Trilogy
Mafia Romance
Soldier (FREE!)
Capo
Boss
Dante (Boxed Set)
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Forbidden Romance
Standalone Connected Stories
Forbidden
Crave
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Tease - Forbidden Romance
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Wolf at Her Door - Shifter Romance
His Immortal Kiss Vampire Romance
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The Crane Curse Trilogy
Paranormal Romance
Charming the Alpha (FREE!)
Resisting the Alpha
Needing the Alpha
The Crane Curse Trilogy Boxed Set
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About the Author
Liliana Rhodes is a New York Times and USA Today Bestselling Author who writes Contemporary and Paranormal Romance. Blessed with an overactive imagination, she is always writing and plotting her next books. She enjoys movies, reading, photography, listening to music, and conversation with her muse. Liliana lives in the Northeast with her son, the love of her life, and their feathered, furry, and finned family members.
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