Series: Fever Falls Series by Riley Hart
Total pages in book: 84
Estimated words: 81272 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 406(@200wpm)___ 325(@250wpm)___ 271(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 81272 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 406(@200wpm)___ 325(@250wpm)___ 271(@300wpm)
Ugh. He was so dorky and charming that I couldn’t help but laugh. “Well, shit. Look at us. We’re kind of incredible.”
Rush turned back, looked at me, and winked. “Told you we’d be good together.”
Oh yeah…that. Why was I so freaked out about getting into a relationship with Rush Alexander? Maybe because the one time you thought someone really liked you, they betrayed you in ways a person should never be betrayed…
“Who are you calling?” I asked as Rush sat on the side of my bed.
“Jude.”
“Oh…” It didn’t take a genius to figure out I wasn’t a fan of Rush’s bestie.
“Stop looking like you’re constipated. I’m just telling him that I don’t know if I’ll be home early enough to fuck with the bikes. Jealous boy is jealous.”
“First…can we deal with that constipated thing? Nope. None of that here. I take my fiber! I know how to keep myself regular and all clean back there.”
Rush laughed. “Of course. I didn’t mean to insult your ass abilities.”
“We just talked about how amazing it was, remember? And second, I’m not jealous.”
“It’s cute when you’re jealous.”
Okay…well, that was kind of nice. I liked to be cute to Rush. “Duh. I’m always cute. But I’m not jealous. I just… I don’t think he likes me.” And I also knew he wanted his penis in Rush’s ass…or Rush’s in his. I was sure either one would work for him.
Rush sighed and set the phone on the nightstand. He reached out, grabbed my wrist, and tugged me closer. I sat down beside him on the bed. “I don’t want to keep fighting with you about Jude.”
“Well, you’re the one who wanted to be in a relationship. People in relationships fight.”
“So are you admitting we’re in one now? Actually, hold that thought. Back to Jude. I’m telling you Jude is straight, and even if he wasn’t, I don’t have feelings for him that way. I never would. He’s my best friend, and that’s all there is to it. You have to learn to trust me.”
“It’s not that I don’t trust you,” I rushed out. Though in some ways, it was. “Okay, a little, but not because of you, but because of my own issues. And I’m working on those.” Hell, I was likely in a real relationship now. That was a huge step.
“Issues I hope you’ll share with me one day.”
My eyes fell closed, and I saw it…the laughter…the video…heard the cruel names everyone called me. Yeah, wasn’t likely I was getting into that. “Okay, but you’re not making me feel real good about him liking me. You avoided that.” I hated how vulnerable I sounded, that Rush could hear me this way. No one heard me like this, not even Beau.
“He doesn’t know you, so how can he not like you? Once you guys get to know each other, it’ll be fine. I’m telling you. And Jude knows you’re important to me, so that means you’ll be important to him.”
Because he loved Rush…but I kept that to myself. Instead, I took a deep breath and attempted to approach this like an adult. Also, I hated adulting. “I don’t like being insecure like this, Rush. I…I’ve worked hard to be confident and secure. I know it’s surprising, but I haven’t always been this awesome.”
He rubbed his hand over my bare thigh. “I find that hard to believe.”
“It’s true. I’ve reinvented myself, and it’s not often I slip back into feeling insecure. I dealt with it a little when Beau and Ash got together…and now.”
“Okay…” He spoke with a little roughness to his voice.
“Now I’m a fucking mess. I hate being a mess.”
“I think you’re a mess because you feel something for me.”
“Feelings are stupid,” I teased, making him chuckle.
Rush turned toward me, lifted my chin with his good hand. “You’re something else, Lincoln Gray. I don’t think any of us, no matter how close we are to you, know what’s going on inside that head of yours.”
“You know more than most.”
“Except Beau.”
“Beau is my best friend. The first real friend I made in college.” The first real friend I’d ever had.
“Hmm. Funny. Sort of the way Jude is my best friend?” He cocked a brow.
“I’m going to pretend I didn’t hear that.” He rolled his eyes playfully. I asked, “Are we really doing this? We’re going to…what? Be boyfriends? I’ve never had a boyfriend in my life.”
“There’s a first time for everything.”
“What happens when we break up?”
“If we break up,” Rush replied. “And if we do, we talk to each other…we do that whole adulting thing. And we make sure our friendship comes first. Always.”
God, I was scared to death. Why did this freak me out so badly? But the truth was, as I sat there looking at Rush, at the curve of his brows and the way his eyelashes touched his face when he blinked, I realized I wanted it. I wanted him more than I’d ever wanted anyone in my life.