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

PITY KISS LAURA

Josh's eyes widened for a split second, but it was gone almost immediately, replaced by something darker. His jaw clenched, and I could see his chest rise and fall as he tried to steady his breathing. "You-" He started, but then he stopped, running a hand through his hair like he didn't know whether to yell or just walk out.

"Yeah," I said bitterly, sitting up and crossing my arms. "That's the truth, okay? I thought I could just... get it over with. Like ripping off a damn Band-Aid." My voice cracked at the end, and I hated myself for it. Josh stared at me, his gaze intense and unrelenting. "With him?" he said, his voice low and laced with something I couldn't quite place-anger? Disappointment?

I scoffed. "Why do you care? It's not like it has anything to do with you."

That struck a nerve. Josh's face hardened, and he leaned down, his hands braced on either side of me. "You're seriously asking me that right now?" he demanded.

I blinked up at him, momentarily stunned by how close he was.

"You think I want to see you crying over some asshole who doesn't even deserve to breathe the same air as you? You think I'm just going to stand by while you..." He trailed off, shaking his PITY KISS

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head like he couldn't even finish the sentence.

"It's my life, Josh," I snapped, sitting up straighter. "You don't get to decide what I do or who I do it with."

"Yeah, well, maybe I wouldn't have to if you didn't keep putting yourself in shitty situations," he shot back, his voice rising.

"Wow," I said, throwing my hands up. "Victim-blame much? Good to know you think this is my fault."

and pushed off the bed, pacing the room like a

mean, Josh? Because all I'm hearing

to me, his expression unreadable. "I'm pissed off because I care, Laura. Because seeing you like

the air between us. For a moment, neither of us spoke, the tension crackling like static

I said finally, my

closer, his eyes locked on mine. "Well, I do. So,

from down the hall, tinged with an almost sing-song tone. "I

barely registered over the pounding

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PITY KISS

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of me. The bed shifted beneath his weight. His presence was overwhelming, filling every inch of the space between us. "Nothing to

drowned by the heat of his gaze. His eyes searched mine intensely and unrelentingly before flicking downward and settling

He feels sorry for me. The realization cut through my haze, sharp and bitter. If he kissed me now, it

pity kiss," I blurted out, my voice louder than I

he pulled back slightly. "Pity kiss?" he repeated, like the words

could say anything else, Jess's voice broke the tension entirely. "Emergency chocolate and stolen wine coming. through!" she announced, her footsteps growing louder as she approached the door. Josh glanced toward the door, then

as Jess walked in, balancing a bottle

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