Page 72 of The Friendship Pact

Nick dropped his arms, and she turned to face him. She licked her bottom lip, still tasting him. “When my seven-year relationship ended, I vowed to focus on myself. I’m not ready for a committed relationship. I don’t want to lose you as a friend.”

In the dim light, he rubbed his jaw.

“Are you talking friends with benefits?” he asked. “Because that’s not me. I’m ready for more, and when I start a relationship, I’m all in. I want to announce an actual relationship to our parents, the town, not an occasional night in the sack.”

Kate’s heart plummeted. She stepped back. “We made a pact. I’m sorry. I can’t give you more right now.”

Frustrated, Nick shook his head. “I’m sorry too, Kate. I can’t do this anymore. We can’t be just friends; I need more.” He waited for her to say something and when she didn’t, he nodded and went back to the party.

Kate watched Nick walk away. Her gut churned. She gathered a few chairs and brought them to the living room. She needed to put on a brave face and then cry herself to sleep for the next month. She’d tried to avoid falling in love and failed.

Distracted all evening, she did her best to mingle and relax. It helped that Nick left, telling everyone he’d been called in, but she didn’t believe him. She was the reason he couldn’t enjoy the holiday with his family and friends.

Had she made a mistake?

CHAPTER TWENTY-THREE

Nick sat on the side of his bed, groaned, and rubbed his temples. Last night, he’d abandoned Christmas Eve with his family and friends because of his stupid pride. The thought that Kate didn’t share his feelings left him gutted. He hadn’t pegged her for wanting a friends-with-benefits relationship, but maybe that was all she was capable of, which made him question what he saw in her.

Agreeing to be his friend was all she could handle right now, which placed him in an awkward situation. They’d moved beyond being just friends when they almost ripped each other’s clothes off last night. Where had he gone wrong? He couldn’t stop thinking of Kate Davis. The woman he loved.

Smelling coffee, Nick pulled on a pair of jeans and a sweatshirt. It was Christmas Day, and his day off.

Garrett sat at the kitchen table and looked over the newspaper at him. “You’ve looked better.”

“I’ve felt better.” Nick took a step forward, his foot connecting with the table leg. “Holy fu—” He hopped up and down.

“It’s Christmas,” Garrett said. “Language.”

Between his sore ass and now cracking his toe, Nick thought about heading back to bed and starting the day over. But he needed caffeine more. He limped to the coffeemaker and poured himself a large mugful of dark roast.

“Want to talk about it?” Garrett asked with a smirk.

“No.”

Garrett ruffled his paper in dismissal and continued to read. “Okay.”

“Why are women so frustrating? Why is it that you want to bang your head against the wall one minute, and kiss them senseless the next?”

Garrett slowly folded the paper and placed it on the table. “Are we talking all women, or Kate—the woman you’re in love with?”

Nick huffed and took a drink, burning his tongue, which made his eyes water. “I’m asking for a friend,” he grumbled.

A roar of laughter echoed off the walls. Garrett clutched his stomach, unable to stop laughing.

Nick stood up, knocking his chair over.

“Sit. Sorry.” Garrett wiped his eyes. “You sounded like Chloe.” He reached down and righted the chair. “You must be doing something wrong, bro. Hasn’t Dad taught you anything?”

“Enlighten me.” Nick sat back down at the table and tentatively took a sip of his coffee. “I learned the habit of running my hand through my hair from him.”

“Bad habit. You’ll go bald in no time.”

Nick stared into his coffee. “I’m in love with Kate.”

“No shit, Sherlock.”

“What am I going to do?”