she allowed his touch. Her arms dangled lazily at her sides as she tried to comprehend why he kissed her and why she kissed him in return. She and Mac were friends, and he her only goddamn friend, at that. One she wasn’t about to lose. Her arms finally left her side. She reached up, pushing her palms into his chest to break the kiss.
Mac smiled, his eyes smoldering.
Her voice remained calm. She fought the urge to spit anger at him.
“What the hell was that?”
He pulled her close again, his hot breath in her ear.
“That was me kissing you.”
Horrified by her friend’s passionate declaration, Hadley stepped back.
“I know what you were doing. But, why did you do it?”
He looked down, hiding his humiliation. Mac realized her earlier trembles were fear, not desire. He felt foolish for confusing the two. The back of his hand brushed across his lips, removing the kiss.
“I’m sorry. You looked beautiful dancing, and I’ve always been attracted to you. It was impulsive and…”
“Stop!” Hadley held her hand up. “Please. You don’t need to apologize, but I didn’t expect it from you.”
He frowned.
“Because we’re friends?”
“Yes…and…” She stopped herself from saying it.
What if my assumption is wrong?
She always assumed Mac was gay.
What if he isn’t?
“What?” Mac pushed. “We’re friends and?”
Heat rushed to the surface of her cheeks. She shook her head frantically.
“It’s nothing.”
He looked away briefly, and then back to her, as realization hit him. “Oh…do you think I’m gay?”
She nodded, feeling bashful, her nerves replaced with complete and utter humiliation.
“Why? Oh, come on, is it because I wax my eyebrows?”
With her head down, she shifted nervously on her feet.
Yes, because you wax your eyebrows, you live in the Village, your clothing preferences, and you’re as obsessed with Miller Genetti as I am.
Laughter exploded from Mac. He cupped her chin and lifted her head.
“I’m messing with you. I’m bi-sexual. I like men and women.”
Oh. Hadley felt rather naive for not considering he may be attracted to both sexes.
What am I supposed to say now? I don’t like either sex.
She would never have a relationship. Why bother clarifying?
Our fun night out is quickly going to shit!
If she didn’t say something, it was going to be over.
Hadley frowned and looked up timidly at her friend. “Sorry.”
“Don’t be.” Mac laughed nervously. “I’m the one who should be sorry. I like our friendship, and I hope I didn’t ruin it.”
“You didn’t. Honestly, I haven’t been kissed like that…well…probably ever, and I enjoyed it. But, we should stick to being friends.” Mac smiled awkwardly. He didn’t want to be friends. He wanted substantially more but knew not to push. “Trust me, you don’t want to go there. You don’t know me. I’m Queen Fucking Crazy.”
Mac laughed and pulled his friend in for a tight hug. “Okay, ‘Queen Fucking Crazy’, friends it is.” Hadley hoped his agreement came with sincerity. The thought of things being weird between them made her heart ache. “You want to get out of here and grab a bite to eat?” he asked, slicing through the tension.
“Sure,” Hadley answered, smiling as a wave of relief washed over her. “We could hit Fanelli’s. It’s not too far from my apartment.
M uch like the car ride over, silence fell between the two friends as they walked toward the glowing neon Fanelli’s sign. They agreed things wouldn’t be weird, but Hadley got the clear impression they were. Their relationship had undeniably changed. The question lingering was if their friendship would survive now that a line had been crossed.
Mac pulled the front door open, holding it, while his other hand pushed into the small of Hadley’s back, guiding her through. The smell of grilled burgers hit Hadley’s stomach, causing her mouth to water. Between being too nervous to eat dinner and dancing, she was
Mac smiled, his eyes smoldering.
Her voice remained calm. She fought the urge to spit anger at him.
“What the hell was that?”
He pulled her close again, his hot breath in her ear.
“That was me kissing you.”
Horrified by her friend’s passionate declaration, Hadley stepped back.
“I know what you were doing. But, why did you do it?”
He looked down, hiding his humiliation. Mac realized her earlier trembles were fear, not desire. He felt foolish for confusing the two. The back of his hand brushed across his lips, removing the kiss.
“I’m sorry. You looked beautiful dancing, and I’ve always been attracted to you. It was impulsive and…”
“Stop!” Hadley held her hand up. “Please. You don’t need to apologize, but I didn’t expect it from you.”
He frowned.
“Because we’re friends?”
“Yes…and…” She stopped herself from saying it.
What if my assumption is wrong?
She always assumed Mac was gay.
What if he isn’t?
“What?” Mac pushed. “We’re friends and?”
Heat rushed to the surface of her cheeks. She shook her head frantically.
“It’s nothing.”
He looked away briefly, and then back to her, as realization hit him. “Oh…do you think I’m gay?”
She nodded, feeling bashful, her nerves replaced with complete and utter humiliation.
“Why? Oh, come on, is it because I wax my eyebrows?”
With her head down, she shifted nervously on her feet.
Yes, because you wax your eyebrows, you live in the Village, your clothing preferences, and you’re as obsessed with Miller Genetti as I am.
Laughter exploded from Mac. He cupped her chin and lifted her head.
“I’m messing with you. I’m bi-sexual. I like men and women.”
Oh. Hadley felt rather naive for not considering he may be attracted to both sexes.
What am I supposed to say now? I don’t like either sex.
She would never have a relationship. Why bother clarifying?
Our fun night out is quickly going to shit!
If she didn’t say something, it was going to be over.
Hadley frowned and looked up timidly at her friend. “Sorry.”
“Don’t be.” Mac laughed nervously. “I’m the one who should be sorry. I like our friendship, and I hope I didn’t ruin it.”
“You didn’t. Honestly, I haven’t been kissed like that…well…probably ever, and I enjoyed it. But, we should stick to being friends.” Mac smiled awkwardly. He didn’t want to be friends. He wanted substantially more but knew not to push. “Trust me, you don’t want to go there. You don’t know me. I’m Queen Fucking Crazy.”
Mac laughed and pulled his friend in for a tight hug. “Okay, ‘Queen Fucking Crazy’, friends it is.” Hadley hoped his agreement came with sincerity. The thought of things being weird between them made her heart ache. “You want to get out of here and grab a bite to eat?” he asked, slicing through the tension.
“Sure,” Hadley answered, smiling as a wave of relief washed over her. “We could hit Fanelli’s. It’s not too far from my apartment.
M uch like the car ride over, silence fell between the two friends as they walked toward the glowing neon Fanelli’s sign. They agreed things wouldn’t be weird, but Hadley got the clear impression they were. Their relationship had undeniably changed. The question lingering was if their friendship would survive now that a line had been crossed.
Mac pulled the front door open, holding it, while his other hand pushed into the small of Hadley’s back, guiding her through. The smell of grilled burgers hit Hadley’s stomach, causing her mouth to water. Between being too nervous to eat dinner and dancing, she was