Page 96 of The Virgin Romance Novelist Chronicles
“Yeah, if you were talking, Henry would have been dialing your phone number last night and not mine. Don’t let whatever is going on between you two get in the way of your friendship, because what you two share is perfect. You don’t want to lose that.”
Duh.
Delaney wished me luck on my date and walked off to her bedroom where I heard her squeal the minute she shut the door. Living with two very sexual beings was difficult, especially when they were on a high from getting engaged.
Since it was still early in the morning. I decided to tackle some pages in my book and listened to music to drown out the sounds coming from Delaney’s room.
“You’ve never looked prettier,” Brian said to Vanessa, who was wearing a bright yellow sundress that highlighted her blonde locks.
“Thank you, Brian,” Vanessa said shyly, wondering if this was truly the turning point in her relationship with her friend.
Secretly, she had been harboring feelings for Brian ever since she met him during freshman orientation, but she was just too nervous to do anything about her feelings. Instead, she became great friends with him, all the time, watching him go out with girl after girl, slowly chipping away at her heart with each passing date.
She wondered why she was never one of those girls, strutting around on his arm. Why she wasn’t the one who was able to hold his hand and walk through the lecture hall while he told jokes in her ear that only they could hear.
What she wouldn’t do to be that girl, but now that she was faced with her dreams becoming a reality, she started second-guessing the foundation of her friendship she’d built with Brian.
She wasn’t second-guessing the stability of it. No, she was second-guessing her feelings toward Brian. She had a best friend that would be by her side through thick and thin; did she really want to forfeit that for the possibility of love?
As she looked into Brian’s eyes, she was at a standstill. Should she proceed? Should she take the leap?
“Damn,” I mumbled as I pulled away and looked at my book.
I rubbed my hands over my face and stepped away from my computer. I wanted to write an ode to my friendship with Henry, but what I didn’t want to do was write an autobiography . . . and sadly, that’s what was happening.
Instead of writing, I shut my laptop and tucked myself back in bed. A small tear fell down my cheek as I thought about Henry and what was happening. I was losing him, and I was terrified that the only way to keep him from falling out of my life would be to toss him my heart as a lifesaver.
But I wasn’t sure I’d ever recover if he broke it.
Chapter Seventeen
The Worm with a Broken Neck
Iknocked on Lance’s door and waited patiently for him to open it. I know he said we could order out, but I decided to bring cookies at least. I thought maybe the sugar would make his wrist feel better, at least that’s what helped me get over an injury when I was younger. Lots and lots of sugar.
After a few locks moving around, Lance opened the door and smiled at me. He was wearing a pair of worn jeans and a deep green T-shirt, which made him look very casual but yummy.
“Hey Rosie.”
“Hi, Lance, how’s the arm?” I asked, nodding toward his fantastic neon-orange cast.
“It’s doing better now that you’re here.”
“Hmm, corny, but nice,” I teased. “Awesome choice of color by the way. I didn’t know they allowed adults to pick cool colors like that.”
“I had to suck my thumb and whine like a two-year-old to get it, but hey, I look cool now.”
“Aw, no self-respect was lost whatsoever.”
“Never.” He laughed. “Come in.”
One whole side of his apartment was exposed brick with shallow metal shelves coming out of them that held old-fashioned cameras. The rest of his apartment was chic, modern, and welcoming. Given the color palette of his place as well as the knickknacks and well-placed black and white framed photos, he definitely knew how to decorate.
“Wow, I love your place.” I looked at a black and white picture of the Brooklyn Bridge. “This is exquisite, did you take it?”
“I did,” he said while coming up behind me. His arms wrapped around my waist and turned me around.
When I met his eyes, I saw lust. His head dipped toward mine and his hands cupped my face. Lightly, he nipped on my lips until I deepened his nips into a kiss that had us both breathing heavily once he pulled away.
