Free Dating the Guy Upstairs by Amanda Ashby

whole thing is . . . complicated. Can’t you feel it?”
    He paused and closed his eyes, allowing her time to study the dark shadows that had taken up residence on the olive skin. She longed to reach up and run a finger along the delicate ridges of his face. To get rid of the haunted expression around his mouth. But before she could, he opened his eyes again and he let out a frustrated sigh.
    “Right now all I feel is relief that you’re helping me navigate Tucker’s wedding. Tonight could’ve been a disaster considering how crazy my brother has become, but instead it’s been fun. And now all I need to get through is Saturday and things can go back to normal. I promise.”
    Riley clamped down on her mouth. She’d been so busy obsessing about how amazing it felt to kiss him that she’d lost sight of the fact that they were only doing this to shield him from his family. To stop him from coming face-to-face with the man he despised and with the woman who’d ruined him from forming another relationship.
    For a moment she thought of what Danni had told her. That Lisa felt bad about how the relationship had ended and wanted to apologize to him. Why had he never mentioned it before? More to the point, why did he stiffen when she’d brought it up? In the past she’d always accepted that the only feelings he had for his ex-fiancée were ones of disdain, but for the first time since she’d known him, Riley wondered if Will really was as over his ex as he’d led her to believe. And if he wasn’t, did he even know it himself? Either way she suddenly felt like the biggest monster alive. This wasn’t about her, it was about him. And the last thing Will needed right now as he tried to navigate his own feelings was dealing with the fact his best friend might have developed a crush on him.
    “I’m sorry, I’m just tired. It was a long day at work. But you’re right. This is all about helping you survive Tucker’s wedding.”
    The troubled look in his eyes faded as he dragged her close for a hug. “Thank you for being my friend.”
    “You’re welcome,” Riley croaked. She might be helping him with his problem, but who was going to help with hers?

Chapter Six
    “Hi there, Casanova,” Tucker said the following afternoon as Will finished putting away the groceries into the fridge. “I’m surprised you’re even standing after that performance last night.”
    “What performance? What are you talking about?” Will shut the fridge door and began to pace. He’d spent a frustrating morning talking with potential investors and failing to get an appointment with the elusive Geoff Tait. And now they were due at an upmarket spa resort for a bachelor’s pampering session, which was sure to be as terrible as it sounded. On the list of things that he didn’t want to do, this was at the very top. However, Tucker had already given him a huge lecture on just why the men of the wedding party needed to be traditionally shaved and Will sensed that no good could come from rocking that particular boat.
    Who knew that his brother would turn into such a groomzilla?
    “That kiss. Riley,” Tucker said, sounding surprised as he sat down on the threadbare sofa. “I mean, that was some show.”
    “Oh.” Part of the reason he was in such a bad mood was because of what happened last night. Not the kiss itself, which had been mind-blowing, but rather the fact that Riley seemed to have found it so distasteful. He rolled his shoulders to loosen the tension.
    Not that he could blame her for not enjoying the kiss. After all, it was a free country and it wasn’t like there was the kissing police or anything. Of course it was a little embarrassing that she’d been so unmoved by it, while he had been . . . well, more than moved. In fact, if the crowd hadn’t started whistling and hollering their approval, Will wasn’t sure he would’ve been able to stop at just kissing her. Which was amazing in itself, since public displays of