Page 60 of Hating On Riot

Snuggle? Snuggling is what friends do. We’re out of the friend zone. I’m ready to be his, and for Riot to be my guy.

“Make love to me, Riot. We’ve waited long enough.”

22

Riot

Never did I ever think I’d hear those words from my best friend and the girl of my dreams.

“Are you sure?” I am, but I need to know I’m who she wants, not some other guy like Cooper Wilder.

She nods.

“Words, Arie.”

“Yes, Riot, I’m certain.”

Except something bothers me and is keeping me from making her mine. “Coop said you’re his during the day, and I get you in private. Are we . . .” I sigh. “Are you, in a way, cheating on him?” I detest cheaters and liars. Not from personal experience, but from what Merrick and Grayson went through.

Or they have terrible taste in women.

Crinkles line her forehead. She stares at me, then looks away, but not before I see the truth on her face. I get off her and stretch out next to her. She silently puts on her clothes. I find my shorts in the corner of the room and put them on. I forget the T-shirt and lie next to her with my arms crossed over my pecs and my hands in my pits.

Fuck it all. I ruined the mood. But . . .“We need to help Coop first, don’t we?”

“Yes,” she says softly.

“Then let’s go with your plan.” I pull her on top of me. “Talk it over with Coop. I’ll take Hope wherever the two of you want to kiss. Let’s test your theory.”

Her hair falls around her gorgeous face as she ponders my ask.

“But you said we’re over if I kiss him.”

“When you kiss him, we’ll be able to start over, Arie. Kiss the bastard who’s had four years of your life and say goodbye.”

“He’s my best friend.”

“I’m your best friend now.”

Her eyes widen. I said the words more sharply than I meant to.

“He’ll always be my best friend, Riot. You can’t make me choose.”

She tries to get off me. I keep her to me with one arm slung over her lower back and my other hand fisting her hair. “A guy and a girl cannot be friends without feelings developing.”

“That’s not true. Coop and I have never crossed the lines of our friendship. You’re only bringing it up because you feel threatened.” She gasps.

She hadn’t wanted to speak the words, but she did, damn it.

Arie opens her mouth, then closes it before she sets her head on my shoulder. I tamp down the anger rising in me. I have never, ever felt the need to pound my chest or have this urge to pummel any guy who dares look Arie’s way, but the moment I said she was mine, and she agreed, in my eyes, we became exclusive.

Except there’s the added complication of our agreement with Cooper.

I have to trust Arie. She’s been living in a house full of randy guys, and she's become good friends with them without crossing any lines. I’ve never seen Arie lead a guy on, and when any of the guys from the house or the team flirt with her, she makes it clear she is with Coop.

Then why is she in my room? I run my palm over my face in frustration. The guys will open their big mouths, unaware of mine and Arie’s agreement with Coop. We need to get him his happily-ever-after, and the sooner the better.

Heaving a sigh, I wrap my arms around her and press a kiss to the top of her head. “I’m sorry, Arie. You don’t have to choose. Cooper is your friend. I trust you, baby. You’ve never given me a reason to not trust you.”