Jace
"I wonder what's keeping Cassie," Logan remarks, his gaze locked with mine.
I shrug, pulling out my phone from my back pocket. I quickly check for any messages, but there's nothing from Cassie. I don't want to bombard her with texts and come off as clingy. I'd rather avoid being the needy boyfriend, especially now that she has one of those.
"Maybe Thom's busy perfecting his hairstyle," Declan jokes, earning a chuckle from Logan.
I shake my head, taking a sip of my beer, suppressing the snarky comments about Thom that are on the tip of my tongue. The guys have already given me a hard time for not being a fan of Cassie's new boyfriend, and I don't need to add more fuel to their arguments.
"Anyone need another round?"
My gaze falls on Holly, who holds an empty bottle of Midori and lemonade. Have I been a terrible date for not noticing sooner? It's been just over a year since my last relationship, and I feel a bit rusty. Dating these days feels like being in a foreign country where I don't know the language.
It was never like this with Eve. We knew each other so well, and our friendship made it easy to understand how to act and what she wanted. And before that, I was just a horny teenager with one thing on my mind. I dated casually but never got serious.
A part of me wonders if spending time with Cassie since she returned home has spoiled me too. We've been friends for so long that I don't have to worry about deciphering her desires—I just know.
As I reach out to take Holly's empty bottle, I offer, "I'll grab it."
She flashes me a bright smile. "No need. I think I see someone I know, so I was going for a walk anyway. Do you want anything while I'm up?"
I raise my partially full bottle. "I'm good, thanks."
Holly glances at the others gathered around the bonfire. "Anyone else?"
There's a crowd of at least fifty people in our yard, celebrating Logan's birthday, and many of his friends have brought their partners. So, it's not surprising that Holly might have spotted someone familiar. As she walks away, I force myself to appreciate the view of her backside in those tight jeans. It's a good view, but it doesn't ignite the fire in my veins as it should.
Logan and Declan are watching me when I turn my attention back to them. "What's up?"
Declan shakes his head. "Nothing."
Logan offers a half-hearted shrug and takes a sip of his beer, evading my gaze when I ask him to spill the beans. They're both full of opinions until I actually want them to speak their minds, then suddenly, they're as quiet as can be.
"Cassie just arrived," Declan announces.
"Finally," I mutter, my gaze slicing through the crowd towards the back gate that just swung open.
My mouth goes dry as if I've been stranded in the desert when I see Cassie walking in, clad in a short, shimmering silver dress that clings to every curve of her body. The dress accentuates her breasts and showcases her toned, sun-kissed legs that seem to go on forever. Instead of high heels, she rocks a pair of sparkly silver sneakers that only my best friend could make look stylishly formal.
"Wow," Declan chimes in, voicing my thoughts.
Cassie waves at a group of people near the back gate before her gaze locks onto us gathered around the fire. With purpose, she heads in our direction.
"Hey!" Leaning over the back of Logan's chair, she plants a kiss on his cheek and wraps her arms around him from behind. "How's the birthday boy?"
Rising to his feet, Logan squeezes between two chairs to embrace her properly. "Better now that you're here. You look smoking hot, babe."
Logan isn't exaggerating. Cassie was always beautiful, but as a woman, she's absolutely stunning. Her hair, which used to rest on her shoulders in high school, now cascades nearly down to her waist, with highlights that give her the appearance of someone who spends every waking moment basking in the sun. While she typically prefers a minimalistic approach to makeup, tonight she's gone all out. She could grace the cover of a magazine like Sports Illustrated.
Almost eight years ago, I sat outside her window on Eve's eighteenth birthday, eavesdropping as Cassie confided in her mother, lamenting that she didn't measure up to Eve. Now, there's no trace of that girl who inadvertently exposed her insecurities through an open window. Cassie embodies a captivating blend of confidence, tomboy charm, and breathtaking femininity. Every guy at this party, including my friends, is mesmerized by her, and the absurd sense of pride I feel that she belongs to our group is laughable. Well, not belongs to us or specifically to me, but-
"Hey, Jace, good to see you," Thom interrupts my thoughts, thrusting his hand forward.
Fucking Thom.
Reluctantly, I shake his hand, hoping my smile doesn't come across as a scowl. Declan and Logan seem to think my dislike of the guy is irrational. Not for the first time, I question whether my feelings stem from jealousy towards this preppy journalist. Can that be true? Maybe I'm just afraid of losing Cassie again. She moved to Queensland and lived there for years to get over the fact that Eve and I were dating. Now that she's finally back, and we've repaired our friendship, I'm not keen on seeing some random guy monopolize her time. That's all.
If I truly believed that Thom would make Cassie happy, it would be a different story. But I know my best friend, and he's not the right guy for her.
Not that I'm an expert on her type. She never really dated anyone in high school, and I've never seen her with a boyfriend before.
You're her type. She never dated because she had feelings for you. My conscience chimes in unhelpfully.
Maybe I used to be her type, but I'm not anymore. Cassie's feelings for me are a thing of the past.
Finally, now that my mates have released her, Cassie flings herself into my arms, and I catch her effortlessly. Holding her close, I breathe in her intoxicating perfume and the scent of her shampoo, a blend called Passion Berries. I once showered at her place and couldn't resist sneaking a peek at the label on the back of the bottle. Vanilla, passionfruit, and wild berries were among the ingredients I recall. It's a mouthwatering combination, and the urge to flick my tongue across her pulse point catches me off guard.
I must admit, it's not the first time I've had to resist absurd impulses around Cassie, but this time feels different. I'm battling against my primal instincts to find out if she tastes as heavenly as she smells. It's a struggle made even tougher by the awareness of her soft breasts pressed against my chest. When she buries her face in my shirt, breathing me in, my entire body tenses, blood rushing south, igniting a fiery heat within my groin. The sudden desire to have her spread beneath me steals the air from my lungs and fills me with an ache I can never fulfil.
Cassie looks up at me, and my gaze fixates on her glossy lips. Her pink tongue darts out, gliding across her lush bottom lip, though I'm well aware it's not an invitation. Yet, my body tenses even further. There’s a pulse low in my belly that throbs as I imagine her tongue caressing mine while I sink deep inside her.
Swiftly, I release her, my mind racing to regain control. As she meets my gaze, her eyes seem larger and darker in the flickering firelight. Then, Cassie blinks and offers me a serene smile. I must have imagined the charged moment between us just now.
I discreetly adjust myself and take a seat, reminding myself that I can't indulge in these reactions towards my best friend.
Thom appears behind Cassie, his arm possessively wrapping around her waist. For a fleeting second, I imagine tearing his arm away and pummelling him senseless with it.
"Is Holly here?" Cassie inquires, her eyes scanning the party before settling back on me.
"She ran into someone she knows. She'll be back soon."
Cassie nods, though her smile appears slightly dimmer, not quite reaching her eyes. Cassie gets along with everyone and has made efforts to engage with my new girlfriend, attempting to strike up conversations and get to know her. Both women try their best, but they have little in common. Holly is a girly-girl, whereas Cassie enjoys discussing sports, business, and writing—topics that don't captivate Holly's interest.
"Go join your friends, babe," Thom tells her, giving her a gentle squeeze. "I'll grab you a drink."
Logan claps Thom on the back. "Come on, I'll show you where the drinks are."
Before Thom departs, he leans down and kisses Cassie. I avert my gaze as a knot twists in my stomach. When I glance back and witness Cassie's contented smile, the taste of the beer in my mouth turns sour.
With a sigh, Cassie plops down in the chair beside me, the same one Holly vacated earlier.
"What's wrong?" she asks, cutting straight to the point without any pretence or nonsense.
I'm not sure if Declan overhears Cassie's question, but I see his gaze flicker in our direction before he resumes his conversation with the guy next to him, someone Logan knows from work.
Nothing," I reply, grabbing the beer bottle I had set down on the ground when Cassie walked in, taking a swig.
"Oh my god, you just lied to me."
My gut still churns with unease, but I can't help but grin as I turn to face my best friend more directly. "How did you know?"
She offers me a small smile. Damn, she's stunningly beautiful, to the point where it's a bittersweet ache in my chest. Why did I have to realize this now, when I know we can never be more than friends? When I understand how much I stand to lose if I ever let my desires jeopardize our friendship, just like I did with Eve.
I lost Cassie once, and I refuse to lose her again. For the sake of our friendship and the future business we'll co-own, I can't let anything come between us. That means I have no reason to indulge even a fleeting thought that maybe I made the wrong choice by dating Eve. Maybe I would have been happier—happiest—with Cassie.
"Come on, Jace. How long have I known you? I can read your tells." A small furrow forms between her brows. "But you're not usually one to deceive. What's going on?"
What am I supposed to say?
"I finally see you the way you wanted me to when we were teenagers. How different would things be now if it had been you and me dating instead of me and Eve? I hate that I'll never know because I can't risk losing you the same way I lost Eve. You're my best friend and my future business partner, and our future can only be built on friendship. But it's getting harder to remind myself that you're off-limits."
"Jace," she prompts, her voice gentle.
"Just promise me that we'll never drift apart again," I manage to say, my voice strained.
The mere thought of any distance between us tightens my lungs. Raw emotions choke my throat. I would do anything to avoid screwing up our friendship, which likely means accepting her relationship with Thom, even if I believe he's not the right guy for her.
Her gaze softens, intensifying the pounding of my heart against my chest. She used to look at me like that all the time when we were younger. Back then, I took that tenderness and affection for granted, took her friendship for granted. But not anymore; I never will again.
She maintains eye contact, resolute. "I promise."
"Come here, then."
I wrap an arm around her as she shuffles her chair closer to mine, pulling her into a hug. She feels so right, so comforting pressed against my side, her head resting against me. It's only when Declan raises an eyebrow at me that I force myself to release my arm, immediately feeling cold and desolate without that connection.
"Nothing will ever come between us again, right?" I inquire, unwilling to let this moment slip away entirely.
"Never."
Every fibre of my being yearns to reach out for her again, to pull her back into my embrace. But I can't do that because Thom has returned with the drinks, and he's brought Holly with him. Cassie jumps up to greet Holly with a hug and a kiss, offering her the seat she just vacated. I don't want Cassie to move, but Holly is already settling beside me. My fleeting moment with Cassie has come to an abrupt end.
"The fire's dying," Logan declares, tossing another log onto the flames, sending sparks dancing into the night sky.
In the brief respite from the smoke, I glimpse Thom pulling Cassie onto his lap a few seats away from me. As the smoke shifts, it wafts in the direction of Holly and me.
Once the smoke subsides and my eyes stop stinging, Holly scoots closer to me in her chair. I wrap an arm around her, pushing aside the nagging comparison my mind makes between her and Cassie. Holly possesses delicate features and vibrant cherry-red hair that make her undeniably attractive. She's beautiful, intelligent, and kind. But perhaps Holly isn't the right woman for me, judging by my reaction to Cassie. It's only fair that I end things between us instead of stringing her along.
This realization becomes even more evident when Holly tilts her head up and presses her lips to mine, and I feel nothing, except when I imagine those lips belonging to Cassie.
Am a fan ever since Wattpad days. Love winning rivals heart. Published yet?
Update pls :)