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

CHAPTER 16

PART 4-CHAPTER 166

JESS

This was nice.

Peaceful.

It felt good to be out on a date, doing something normal.

I needed this.

Eric walked beside me, his hands tucked casually into his pockets, his eyes focused on the horizon. He'd been charming all afternoon-holding doors open, making me laugh with his dry wit, his dimples showing every time he cracked a small, quiet smile.

But there was still this... distance. Like there was something just out of reach, something he wasn't saying.

And maybe that was okay. Maybe I was just expecting too much.

"I love living by the beach. It's so beautiful," I said, breaking the silence between us as the cool ocean breeze ruffled my hair.

Eric nodded, glancing over at me with a slight smile. "Yeah. It's quiet. I like it here."

wanting to keep the conversation flowing, wanting to feel more of a connection. "Did you come here ofter when you lived

his eyes flickering away from mine. "Sometimes, when I had time. The beach suits you. I always thought you'd look beautiful with

I fiddled with my fingers, unable to shake the feeling that he

away and forced a smile. "What about

a second, then gave me another shrug. "Needed a change.

glimpse into his life. But I let it go, convincing myself it wasn't

this to

neon sign flickering against the darkening sky. My heart lifted, and I turned to Eric with a

smiled back, his dimples

eyes wandering over the shoreline. "So... do you ever miss living in the city? The

meet my gaze. "Not really. I like the quiet.

wasn't interested, and

to myself than to Eric. "To get away from everything. Start

but then he looked over at me, his expression unreadable. "Sometimes starting over is the only option." walk "We don't

thought I'd never get another shot. "Eric confessed, and I cocked my head to the

could say we even went on a date," Eric said, and I paused for

my first year, and I was with Luke then. "That didn't make sense. Did

got it wrong. You thought it was just a study night, and I thought it was a date. That's when you told me about your boyfriend and crushed my heart," Eric said, a little flustered, and I was relieved. "Oh jeez, I almost thought I was a cheater

he looked down at his cone. "No. If anything, I

was warming up and charming, but we were back at my

could hear the uncertainty in my own voice. "It was...