Adley

"What will it be?" He arches one of his dark brows. "Truth or dare?"

I'm tempted to go with the dare just to see what it would be. I felt something different in the air between us in the bedroom, but now I'm not sure if it was my imagination playing tricks on me or not.

When he called to say he was back home and on his way up to his place, I almost fell off the sofa. I ran into the guest room to put on one of the white T-shirts he keeps in there for me. I pulled the jean shorts I'd worn over to his place back on and ran my hands through my hair.

I made myself at home when I got here hours ago. It felt comfortable and right. Now, that he's back my world feels even more settled.

"Truth," I answer simply.

He narrows his eyes. "What was the last thing that made you cry?"

My heart stutters in my chest. I was crying earlier. The tears born from a sappy scene in a movie I was watching, but they quickly morphed into something else entirely. That's how it works with me. A spark of sentimentality ignites a blaze of sorrow deep within.

"A movie," I answer truthfully since that's what the rules of this game call for. "That's why it's called a tear-jerker. I couldn't keep it together through the first fifteen minutes."

"What was it about?" He keeps his gaze on me as he places the glass of liquor on the coffee table.

I glance down, tempted to swallow what's left. I can't. Not tonight. Courage has to come from within me. I want to know if what I felt in the bedroom was real. Crew's not going to be the one to make the first move. He values our friendship too much, maybe even more than I do.

"That's another question and it's not your turn," I point out with an unexpected calmness in my voice. It's not an accurate reflection of how I feel inside. I'm anxious, nervous and unsure of which direction this game is headed.

"I guess that means you're at bat," he quips.

The comment isn't lost on me. I know he has an issue with Trey. He has since that night at the club when he saw the two of us dancing.

"Truth or dare, Crew?"

He waits for a beat before he answers, his eyes skimming over my face. "Let's go with truth."

I hone in on the one topic I know he'll have a strong opinion on. I've never doubted Crew's honesty and I know he wouldn't answer this differently if I asked it outside the context of the game, but still, my curiosity is too strong to push the issue aside. "What do you think of Trey?"

He shoves a hand through his hair. He didn't style it after his shower and it's long enough that it's incredibly sexy when messy. He looks at me before his gaze drops to the floor. "Why? Are things more serious between you two than they were when I left?"

"You have to answer the question truthfully. You'll have your chance to ask me that if I pick truth next round."

His right knee bounces slightly with aggravation. I've seen it before. Usually that nervous energy is reserved for his family or a business deal gone astray. "Fine. I don't think he's good enough for you."

His protective nature has always been one of the things I like most about him. He's not just that way with me. It's the same with his sister and brothers. He has other friends, including women he'll do almost anything to protect too. "It's your turn at bat."

"Point taken, Ad. I'll drop the baseball references and you'll pick truth this round."

I don't argue. I know what the question is going to be and I want to answer it. Since we agreed to stay out of each other's personal lives, he's never questioned me about any of the guys I've been with. I have a feeling that's about to change now.

"Where are things between you and Hale?" he asks right on cue.

"We kissed."
"You kissed?" He leans forward to rest his forearms on his thighs.

"Yesterday," I answer quickly. "We had coffee and then when we said goodbye we kissed."

"So you're saying you haven't made it to second base yet?"

"You said no more baseball references and you were allowed one question, not ten."

He tosses me a small smile. "No more baseball references and just one more question for this round."

I sigh, knowing what it's going to be. "You're going to ask me how the kiss was."

He nods silently.

"It was fine."
"Fine," he repeats slowly drawing his top teeth over his bottom lip. "It was a fine kiss."

"It was a fine first kiss," I elaborate even though he didn't ask. "Not all first kisses blow your socks off."

"It depends who the first kiss is with." He cocks his head. Why does he look even more devastatingly alluring tonight?

My phone chimes, the tone loud since the volume is at its highest setting. "I need to look at that. I'm on call at the clinic."

He reaches to pick up the phone from where I left it on the coffee table. His eyes skim the screen before he hands it off to me. Then, in an instant, he's on his feet headed back into the kitchen without a word.

I look down and instead of feeling an ounce of disappointment, I feel relief.

It's a text from Trey.

My ex showed up at the game. We're headed back to her place. She swings both ways (get it?) so you're welcome to join us.

I type out a reply and hit send.

I'll pass. It's been fun, Trey but I think we should just be friends.

I lightly bite the nail of my thumb while I wait for his response. Crew still hasn't come back. I know he saw the text.

My phone chimes again and my gaze drops instantly to the screen.

I could use a good friend in this town. Friends it is.

I smile. Where there was once potential for more between us, now there's the foundation for friendship. I won't mourn that.

"Are you sticking around?" Crew walks across the room toward me. "I might have caught the tail end of Hale's text message."

"You read the entire thing."

"What's the verdict?" He scrubs the back of his neck with his hand.

I rest my phone on the arm of the chair I'm sitting in. "I'm going to hold out for a first kiss that blows me away."

"Does that mean it's over between you two?"

"We agreed to be friends." I don't want it to sound pathetic because it's not. There was a time in the past when I'd take it to heart if a man agreed to be just friends with me as easily as Trey did. Now, I cut my losses as soon as I realize the fit isn't right. "That means you better watch out, or he may inch you out of the position of my best guy friend."

"That won't happen." He settles back down on the couch, his hands falling to his thighs. "I'm not letting anyone take my place in your life."

I don't respond. I can't. A heated rush runs through me. I'm not imagining the way he's looking at me. Something has definitely shifted between us. I have no idea where this is going, but I want to find out.