Read Online Summer Break (Love Nibbles Book 4) by Bonnie Dee - Free Book Online Page A
Authors: Bonnie Dee
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quit whining about it.
Late the next afternoon, Eric kicked back on the couch, bare feet on the coffee table watching TV after work, and sipping on a beer. When someone knocked on the door, he called, “Yeah, come in,” expecting it to be one of Carl’s friends as usual.
“Hey.”
Eric sat up straight, almost spilling his beer at the sight of Josh in his living room. “Hey.” He set his feet on the floor. “Sit down. Do you want a beer?”
“No.” Josh perched on the edge of the armchair across from Eric, one long leg nervously jiggling. “I want to talk.”
“Sure.” Eric set the beer down, then wished he hadn’t because he didn’t know what to do with his hands. His heart raced. He’d wanted an open conversation with Josh, but now the chance to talk was here, he had no idea what to say. More apologies wouldn’t cut it.
“I’ve been thinking a lot about what happened.” Josh frowned. “All the time, in fact. I don’t want to leave here hating you or blaming you both for what you did. I know things haven’t been right between Brianne and me for a while now, that I neglected her while I was gone, and honestly,” he looked Eric straight in the eye, “I always knew you had a thing for her.”
Eric swallowed. “You did?”
“You’re not that hard to read.” A ghost of a smile touched his lips. “I also know you don’t take things lightly. Not ever. In fact, you’re too damn serious. So I know you weren’t simply screwing Brianne. You really have feelings for her.”
Eric’s felt his face burn. He couldn’t deny the truth. Sure, he’d felt a big, stinking heap of lust, but he also really fallen for Brianne. She might be bossy, self-involved and spoiled, but he couldn’t get enough of her. He already missed her sharp humor and the bursts of sweetness and vulnerability that occasionally bloomed like some rare desert flower. All of him, every cell vibrated with the need for her, and he thought he’d even sacrifice his friendship with Josh, for just another hour spent with her.
Josh continued, “All this anger isn’t worth it. The three of us have been friends too long for it to end this way. I think we all need to talk.”
Eric nodded. “Okay.”
“I already called Brianne. She said for us to come to her house after I talked to you.”
“Okay,” he repeated. There was no other possible answer.
As he followed Josh out to his car, Eric dreaded a soul-baring discussion as much as facing a dentist’s drill. But if a discussion helped them put all of this behind them so they could part as friends, it would be worth it.
And he’d see Brianne again, which was worth all kinds of pain and awkwardness.
* * * *
The drive to Brianne’s was weird, but Eric asked a few questions about the convention and it wasn’t hard to get Josh talking about all he’d seen and done that summer, avoiding mentioning anything more personal.
As they pulled up in front of Brianne’s house, Eric imagined how he and Brianne must’ve looked the other day, dry humping like a pair of horny dogs against the white pillar. Josh had to have been devastated. If situations were reversed and Eric was her boyfriend who’d he’d seen her with Josh, he would’ve punched Josh out.
Eric’s pulse was too fast, and sweat dampened his forehead. He was desperate to see Brianne, but dreaded it too. And what could he add to the conversation besides “I’m sorry,” except maybe to admit that he’d do it again in a heartbeat?
Josh led the way around the side of the house. “She said to come around back.”
Their feet crunched on a wood-chip path leading to the patio. Eric scanned the area, recalling all the spots where he and Brianne had made love this summer; in the grass by that tree, on the chaise lounge beside the pool, in the pool on the steps, and... His gaze stopped at the hot tub. Brianne sat in the bubbling spa, steam rising around her.
She beckoned them over. “Come here. Sit down and relax.”
Okay,
Late the next afternoon, Eric kicked back on the couch, bare feet on the coffee table watching TV after work, and sipping on a beer. When someone knocked on the door, he called, “Yeah, come in,” expecting it to be one of Carl’s friends as usual.
“Hey.”
Eric sat up straight, almost spilling his beer at the sight of Josh in his living room. “Hey.” He set his feet on the floor. “Sit down. Do you want a beer?”
“No.” Josh perched on the edge of the armchair across from Eric, one long leg nervously jiggling. “I want to talk.”
“Sure.” Eric set the beer down, then wished he hadn’t because he didn’t know what to do with his hands. His heart raced. He’d wanted an open conversation with Josh, but now the chance to talk was here, he had no idea what to say. More apologies wouldn’t cut it.
“I’ve been thinking a lot about what happened.” Josh frowned. “All the time, in fact. I don’t want to leave here hating you or blaming you both for what you did. I know things haven’t been right between Brianne and me for a while now, that I neglected her while I was gone, and honestly,” he looked Eric straight in the eye, “I always knew you had a thing for her.”
Eric swallowed. “You did?”
“You’re not that hard to read.” A ghost of a smile touched his lips. “I also know you don’t take things lightly. Not ever. In fact, you’re too damn serious. So I know you weren’t simply screwing Brianne. You really have feelings for her.”
Eric’s felt his face burn. He couldn’t deny the truth. Sure, he’d felt a big, stinking heap of lust, but he also really fallen for Brianne. She might be bossy, self-involved and spoiled, but he couldn’t get enough of her. He already missed her sharp humor and the bursts of sweetness and vulnerability that occasionally bloomed like some rare desert flower. All of him, every cell vibrated with the need for her, and he thought he’d even sacrifice his friendship with Josh, for just another hour spent with her.
Josh continued, “All this anger isn’t worth it. The three of us have been friends too long for it to end this way. I think we all need to talk.”
Eric nodded. “Okay.”
“I already called Brianne. She said for us to come to her house after I talked to you.”
“Okay,” he repeated. There was no other possible answer.
As he followed Josh out to his car, Eric dreaded a soul-baring discussion as much as facing a dentist’s drill. But if a discussion helped them put all of this behind them so they could part as friends, it would be worth it.
And he’d see Brianne again, which was worth all kinds of pain and awkwardness.
* * * *
The drive to Brianne’s was weird, but Eric asked a few questions about the convention and it wasn’t hard to get Josh talking about all he’d seen and done that summer, avoiding mentioning anything more personal.
As they pulled up in front of Brianne’s house, Eric imagined how he and Brianne must’ve looked the other day, dry humping like a pair of horny dogs against the white pillar. Josh had to have been devastated. If situations were reversed and Eric was her boyfriend who’d he’d seen her with Josh, he would’ve punched Josh out.
Eric’s pulse was too fast, and sweat dampened his forehead. He was desperate to see Brianne, but dreaded it too. And what could he add to the conversation besides “I’m sorry,” except maybe to admit that he’d do it again in a heartbeat?
Josh led the way around the side of the house. “She said to come around back.”
Their feet crunched on a wood-chip path leading to the patio. Eric scanned the area, recalling all the spots where he and Brianne had made love this summer; in the grass by that tree, on the chaise lounge beside the pool, in the pool on the steps, and... His gaze stopped at the hot tub. Brianne sat in the bubbling spa, steam rising around her.
She beckoned them over. “Come here. Sit down and relax.”
Okay,
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