“Just to be clear,” Fiona announced, her narrowed eyes focused on Kip. “This is not going to be a thing.” She waved her arms between them first, then at our little group in general. “We’re not in some fucking Hallmark movie or CW show. This isn’t where two best friends fall for the other two best friends.” Her gaze then turned to me and Rowan. “You two are cute as fuck, I get that. You’re a Hallmark movie all on your own. But I am not interested in him.” She pointed her finger at Kip.

He just simpered. “The lady doth protest too much, methinks,” he said before taking a pull of his beer.

I tried to stifle a giggle but failed, resulting in Fiona sending a withering glare in my direction.

“I’m serious,” she hissed.

I held my hands up in surrender. “I’m not going to make you sleep with Kip.”

“Oh, no one’s going to have to make her,” he chimed in, eyes dancing with amusement.

“There’s not enough money or penicillin in the entire world,” she told him sweetly.

“And there’s not enough booze in the entire world to get me drunk enough to go close enough to get those nails sunk into me,” he replied without missing a beat.

All of their interactions the rest of the night had been somewhat similar. It was amusing to watch, though I was disappointed that it wasn’t going to work out between them.

It felt nice, though. Sitting there together, listening to them rib each other while tucked into Rowan’s side, his finger drawing lazy circles on my arm.

I started to get distracted when that finger was no longer drawing lazy circles on my arm, but slipping under the fabric of my tee and running all the way up my ribs to the underside of my breast.

We were positioned in a way that it wasn’t obvious to our two best friends that Rowan’s callused fingers were moving toward my nipple, but I was not exactly skilled at schooling my reactions when it came to this man and his hands on me.

I wasn’t used to him and his touch, his easy affection or the way my body exploded with desire with every passing minute.

Luckily for me, the pizza was done, the tart was consumed, and the night was drawing to a close, with both Kip and Fiona needing to get back to their respective homes.

“Unless you’ve decided to keep lying to yourself, conquer your fears and come home with me?” Kip offered Fiona at the door.

She made a disgusted face. “If I decide to come home with you, just know I’ve been possessed by some kind of demonic entity and someone needs to call Jensen Ackles.”” She leaned in to kiss me goodbye, nodding at Rowan then flipping Kip the bird.

He was not perturbed in the slightest, beaming at both Rowan and me. “She’s gonna fall in love with me when she least expects it.” He winked before sauntering out the door.