as Matt slowly pulled back and gave me a look of apology.
He sat back on his haunches, ran a hand over his face, and said, “We can’t do this.”
I grabbed him by the edge of his briefs and tried to pull him back down, but he didn’t budge. “Yes, we can,” I insisted. I sat up and unsnapped my bra and threw it across the room. “We used to do this all the time, and we were pretty good at it.”
I ran my fingers into his hair and kissed him. He grabbed hold of both my hands and yanked them away and broke the kiss.
“ Please, Matt… You want to… I know you do.”
His hold loosened, and I freed my hands from his grasp. I took his palm and placed it on my breast, leaned in, and he allowed me to kiss him again. I cupped his erection with one hand and began to pull down his briefs with the other. Before I got them fully down, he grabbed my hands again and pushed me down on the bed, pinning me there.
He wanted me. I felt his erection pressed between my legs, and the look on his face told me he was fighting off his urge to let go and just fuck me.
“ Why can’t you just make me forget?” I whined.
“ Because we both know this will never make you forget.” He sighed.
“ You’re the person I should be with, Matt. I trust you. I can always come to you, and you don’t manipulate every. Fucking. Thing.”
“ If love were simple, we’d be married, have a couple kids, and run our office together. But, baby, we both know we’re not meant to be. We’re best friends, and we make each other comfortable.”
“ Exactly.” I tried to break free, but his hold was solid.
“ But it’s not that fiery, all-consuming feeling we crave. When we’re together, the world doesn’t melt away, Avery. I won’t let you use me to betray your heart, because you may never forgive yourself… or me.”
“ Ugh! That’s what I get for trying to rebound with a psychiatrist. You think too much.” I pouted and he laughed at me.
“ It’s what makes our friendship so great. I think for you when your brain suddenly shuts down. And you do the same for me.” He leaned over and left a soft, lingering kiss on my lips before jumping off the bed.
“ Get dressed and go home,” he said as he grabbed a fresh towel and walked toward the bathroom. “I’ll be torturing myself with a frigid shower.”
“ Sorry, Matty,” I yelled after him.
“ If I didn’t love you so much, I’d be fucking the shit out of you right now,” he said before shutting the door.
“ So you only fuck women you don’t love? Twisted fuck,” I mumbled under my breath.
“ I heard that!” Matt yelled from the bathroom.
“ You were meant to.” I went in search of my clothes and slowly got dressed. It was early morning, and I hoped I’d find my house empty by the time I got there.
Matt was still in the shower when I was ready to leave , so I poked my head into the bathroom. “See you later, Matt.”
“ Uh-huh,” he half growled, half groaned.
“ Wait… are you… are you beating one out?” I stifled a giggle with the back of my hand.
“ Shut the fuck up! I’m almost there.”
I laughed at his gritty tone .
H e pulled the corner of the curtain and poked his head out. “Does our friendship have no boundaries?”
“ Not when you’re best friends with your ex.” I chuckled as I walked down the hallway, grabbed my keys, and left his apartment.
We ’re Done
Avery
As soon as I stepped out of Matt’s building, my good mood evaporated. Along with the gray skies awaiting me came Xander. He leaned against his car, staring at me like a man who’d spent the night out here on the street. We stared at each other for a couple muted seconds. It was as if everything around us stood still, and that stupid fucking energy between us was all that existed. I snapped out of the daze first. I tried to cut right, but he cut me off, blocking me with his body.
“ What the fuck did you do?” he whispered, his tone heavily laced with accusation. I