“Yes,” I find myself whispering without even realizing.

Nash’s brows knit together as his eyes move between mine, ducking down to my lips and back again. “Yes, what?” he asks, his voice broken and hushed.

I inhale a stammering breath, my tongue dipping out to wet my suddenly dry lips.

“Yes what, Murph?” he presses, inching even closer.

And, at that, I pull back enough to break myself free of the hold I know he has on me, coming to my senses as best as I can, knowing this is the only way to stop whatever the hell it is we’re about to do. “Yes.” I nod, clearing my throat free of the uncertainty that’s wedged its way at the back. “Y-yes, I love Harley.”

I watch as a sharp intake of breath causes his shoulders to stiffen, watching as he is so clearly taken aback by my words. And, for a long minute, we just sit there, staring at one another, neither of us breaking away, and it’s almost like a moment of clarity, for the both of us, whether we like it or not.

“Nash?”

We both jump at the sound of Nash’s name being called from inside. I pull away as far as my chair will allow, almost toppling sideways, my cheeks heating and my heart racing so fast as I try to regain what little composure I have left. Nash’s eyes remain on me as he curses unintelligibly under his breath. He seems reluctant, deliberating within himself before finally pushing up from his chair, taking a moment to smooth down the front of his shirt. Raking his fingers through his hair, he huffs out an exasperated breath before stepping around me without so much as a second glance, disappearing inside.

“I threw up in the bed,” Anna cries from inside, her voice raspy and a little desperate. “Where were you?”

“I’m s-sorry, baby,” Nash stammers, but the loving tone in his voice makes my stomach drop and twist painfully. “I’m sorry I wasn’t there to help you. Come on,” he continues. “Let’s go get you cleaned up.”

I wait outside on the balcony, listening for a door to close before moving. Hurrying as quietly as I can, I tiptoe past the bedroom, through the suite, making a beeline for the door. Things just went from zero to one hundred real quick, and I can’t even deal with it right now. I need to get the hell out of here. Not only does the future of Nash and Anna’s relationship depend on it, but I have a feeling the entire future of mine and Nash’s friendship depends on it, too.

Chapter 17

I didn’t sleep well when I got home. In fact, I only slept about three hours. Every time I closed my eyes, I’d see Nash’s face. His lips, right there, just as they had been, dangerously close, before Anna had woken up and interrupted whatever the hell it was we were about to do in that moment. My mind kept flashing back to that one instant, when Nash’s lips had been less than a hair’s breadth from my own. When he’d been looking at me in a way he shouldn’t be looking at me. When I’d told him, point blank, that I do love Harley, just so I could put a stop to whatever it was that was about to happen between the two of us right at that moment.