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

BEHIND THE SCENES LUKE

I shifted uncomfortably in the stiff studio seat, my back sticky against the faux leather. The lights overhead blazed like a furnace, and I could feel the

sweat pooling at the nape of my neck. The host's sugary voice droned on, but it barely registered. I kept glancing at Josh, who looked ready to snap.

When the host cheerfully announced a commercial break, Josh shot up like a spring. "I need a drink. It's Satan's kitchen under these lights," he muttered, striding off toward the nearest exit.

I cleared my throat, trying to loosen the knot in my chest. Beside me, Sarah shifted slightly, her delicate perfume cutting through the sterile air of the studio. She glanced at me, offering a hesitant smile that didn't quite reach her eyes. "Strange seeing you here, right?" she said softly. "I mean, we

technically lived together for five months, and then I didn't see you at all." Her words trailed off, and she looked away, but not before I caught the flicker of sadness in her eyes.

"You look good," I blurted, the words tumbling out awkwardly. "Better, I mean. You're eating?"

What the actual fuck was that? My brain screamed at me. You're eating? Seriously?

Sarah laughed, the sound breaking the tension. It was light, almost musical, and it eased the tightness in my chest. "Yeah, Luke, I'm eating," she teased, shaking her head. 0.00%

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AEMPO THE

I exhaled, relieved she wasn't offended by my idiocy. "We owe you our

lives,

I could stop them, and I watched as her expression shifted.

murmured, dabbing at her eyes quickly. "They'd kill

I muttered,

back in, his sharp gaze immediately clocking the change in atmosphere. He froze, his

up. "We said no crying, man. We agreed! Sarah, you can't cry." He pointed at her accusingly, though his tone was more exasperated than anything. "Please, we need to seem like we've got our shit together, or they'll delay me starting rehab until

the room shifting with his

the countdown to the next segment began, Saral leaned closer, her voice soft but insistent. "Luke-do you

neck, the discomfort crawling up my spine. "I, uh, actually have somewhere I need

gut. Damn it, Luke. I knew I owed her more than a brush-off. She had, after all, kept us alive out there. She deserved five

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BEHIND THE SCENES

I added hastily, forcing the words

and the guilt loosened its grip just a little. Josh, seated next to me, caught the exchange and frowned,

on, her voice overly chipper as she shifted gears. "Now, being marooned on an

forward, the intensity in her gaze like a predator closing in. "I imagine it brought you all very

shifted instantly. My jaw tightened as I felt Josh

said flatly, his tone cold enough to

offense meant! Just wondering if, given the circumstances, there was... a deeper connection between you all. After all, it's not uncommon in such extreme situations for emotions to run high." "That's ridiculous," I snapped, my voice sharper than I intended. "We were fighting to survive, not

added, his tone equally curt. "And we're

"Of course, of course! But, uh..." She cleared her throat, her grin returning like a mask. "Just now, during the break, there seemed to be