Free Flirting With Maybe by Wendy Higgins

knees.
    “Brooke?”
    She wouldn’t look at him. He quickly zipped his jeans back up and tried to adjust himself.
    “Hey . . .” He pulled her to him, tugging her closer when she tried to pull away, until she finally relaxed against his side, shaking. Questions and emotions warred inside Ryan. He had no clue what to say or do to make this right. He wanted to lighten the mood and lessen the pain of rejection he knew she felt.
    “Listen,” Ryan said into her hair. “You’re killin’ me right now. If you show up sober at my house tomorrow and try to put your hands down my pants, I swear I won’t stop you. But the last time I kissed you, you were drunk, and I think you regretted it. I want you, but not like this.”
    His breathing went shallow as he waited for her response. She kept her cheek pressed against his shoulder and wrapped her arms around his biceps.
    Her answer was quiet. “That was the best kiss I’ve ever had, you know.”
    Joy, pure and sweet, exploded inside him. He wrapped his arms around her and pulled her down so they were both lying, her back spooning against his chest. He fixed the blanket and tried to rein himself in when he felt her nestle her body against his. She used the crook of his elbow as a pillow.
    “I’m coming to your house tomorrow,” she promised.
    He squirmed back farther as her words made their way through his system, then shivered when she kissed the sensitive skin in the middle of his arm.
    He tried to think of something cool to say, but the only thing he could bear to tell her was the truth.
    “I’ll be waiting.”

CHAPTER TWELVE
    I t was four o’clock in the afternoon before Ryan knew Brooke wasn’t coming.
    He thought back to that morning. All the signs had been there. Brooke had slipped out of his arms, trying to sneak away, but he’d called out to her and asked where she was going.
    “I need to find Jackie,” she’d whispered. “I’ll call you later, ’kay, Ry?”
    He’d said nothing. As per their usual MO, neither of them brought up what had happened between them or the things they’d said. And then Brooke had rushed away, leaving him with the seeds of doubt that would bloom into hurt and frustration as the day went on.
    His heart jumped, then sank, when his cell rang with Michelle’s number. Guilt made him answer, though he prayed she wouldn’t make this harder on them.
    “Hey,” he said.
    “We’re broken up, like, five minutes and you’re already hooking up with Brooke Bennett? Who, by the way, is fat and has been dragging you around like a dog for years!”
    He forced himself to stay calm, because Michelle’s frantic voice was anything but.
    “We didn’t hook up,” he said evenly.
    “I know you slept in the basement together!”
    “But nothing happened.”
    “Do you love her?” Michelle’s voice cracked with anger and tears, making Ryan cringe.
    He opened his mouth, but fear and confusion gripped his throat. All this time he’d buried his love for Brooke, continually kicking sand over it as he’d tried to live his life, but one night of seeing her had raised it up, as shining and strong as ever.
    Michelle made a choking sound on the other end of the phone.
    “Oh my God. You are such an asshole, Ryan.”
    “I’m sorry,” he whispered.
    She hung up on him. He yanked his hat off his head and threw it across the room before collapsing on the couch with his head in his hands. He felt sick. He never meant to hurt Michelle, but he’d selfishly stayed with her. And she’d been right about Brooke. Over and over she’d proven she didn’t want him unless she was drunk and trying to “reward” him for being nice to her.
    Ryan’s mom came in with her keys in her mouth and shopping bags in her arms. She shut the door behind her with her hip.
    “Need help?” he asked from his sitting position.
    She chuckled, dropping the bags and taking the keys out of her mouth. “Don’t sound so enthusiastic when you offer.”
    He started to stand,