Letting My Brother's Best Friend Take My V-Card

CHAPTER 35

JESS

I trailed awkwardly behind Luke, feeling the tension coil in my stomach like a spring ready to snap. As we approached his truck, I could feel Tom's eyes on me. When I turned to look, he was watching us, none the wiser about what really was happening right now. This was Luke - being a jealous asshole, and a small part of me might like it.

He lifted his hand to wave, and my heart sank a little. Before I could wave back, Luke cleared his throat, reminding me he was waiting.

I shot him a glare, hoping he could feel the heat of my frustration. He stood there, expression unreadable, jaw clenched. With a huff, I yanked open the passenger door and climbed in.

The truck felt huge around me, but I was used to it. After all, I'd driven Josh's pickup countless times to rescue him and Luke from parties when they were too drunk to drive.

Silence settled in the cab as I settled into the seat and buckled my seatbelt. I started the engine, and the roar filled the silence.

We pulled out of the parking lot, and I focused on the road. ahead, trying to ignore the presence of the guy next to me, who seemed to be at the center of my every confusing emotion.

111

"Why did you do that?" I asked, breaking the silence that felt like it was suffocating me.

Luke replied, not looking at

snapped. "Why did you insist on me

you're not his responsibility," he said, his voice

I shot

flicked to me briefly before returning to the road. "In a

responsibility, too."

hearing. "That's bullshit, Luke, and you know it. Tom is perfectly safe, so this was not because of some delusion or sense of loyalty to my brother. I'm not a child.

softening just a bit. "But right now, my arm actually fucking

and awkward. I glanced out the window, my thoughts spinning. The past week had been. a rollercoaster of emotions, and now, sitting next to Luke, I felt. like I was about to burst. Why did he have to make everything so complicated? "Jessica," Luke's voice broke

15 171

little encounter the other night, after which

tell me the truth, but of course, his phone vibrated, and I watched him pull it out and look

his mother but never talked about his family. I could

seat, holding the phone to the other

asked, and I could make out

cut him off, and I saw from the