Page 14 of Heat Transfer
Was he trying to fucking kill me? I was pretty sure I got hit in the head on the way here, and this was all a fever dream. However, I wasn’t going to pass up the chance. I wrapped my arm around Felix’s shoulders, drawing him close. He leaned against me, resting his hand on my thigh. The casual way he moved into my space was heady, and I breathed in the scent of him, all woodsy and delicious. Having his body pressed against mine was pure electricity, and my cock had firmed up in response. Hopefully, he didn’t look down, since my coveralls would do a shit job at hiding my situation.
Luke glanced my way again, and his scowl deepened as he spotted Felix. I took advantage of the moment, running my fingers through his curls. They were soft as hell, and he shivered. I bit my lower lip so hard it bled. How was this reality?
“You know, you’re comfortable as hell to lean against. I’m going to abuse the hell out of this while we’re fake boyfriending.” Felix tilted his head to offer better access to his hair.
Holy hell, he would be the death of me.
The waitress returned, carrying a plastic bag with two takeout containers. She popped it on the table and then whipped out the check. I reached over Felix and grabbed it with my free arm, not willing to let him go. If I only got a brief window of this, I’d savor every second.
“You don’t have to pay for me.” Felix tried to snag the check.
I moved it farther away from him and grabbed my wallet out of my pocket. Once I one-handedly fished out my card, I handed the check and card over to the waitress. “Nah, my treat.”
“You’re such a good boyfriend,” Felix cooed, wickedness flaring in his eyes.
“You guys are adorable,” the waitress said with an amused smile. She went to process the card, and I gave Felix an arch look.
“Having fun with this, are we?” I asked, not budging since he still cuddled against me. Even though Luke’s glare was burning a hole into the side of my head, as long as Felix played this game, I wasn’t going to move until we had to.
“I’m getting into the part.” Felix batted his lashes, the fucking minx. “Shit, I’ll need to go shopping for a suit. I don’t think I own any that aren’t for a funeral.”
I wrinkled my nose. “Same. The last time I bought a suit was five years ago, and I don’t fit in it anymore.”
“So add that to the agenda for next week. We can go together if you want.”
“Yeah, just tell me when.” It wasn’t like my social calendar was full, apart from my family’s five million gatherings. The Brannons were the neediest bunch on the planet.
The waitress came back, and I signed the check and pocketed my card. With a sigh, I pulled my arm away from Felix. It had been nice while it lasted.
“Ready to go?” I asked. Embarrassment prickled across my skin that I retreated rather than held my ground with Luke here, but I hated pointless confrontations.
“To this impromptu picnic you’ve planned for me? Of course,” Felix said louder than normal. I resisted the urge to roll my eyes. Yeah, he played this up because of Luke, but I loved it.
“You’re ridiculous.” I grabbed our burgers and took a last swig from my beer. “I’ll drive.”
We hightailed it out of Zodiac Brewery, and Luke glared but didn’t go any further than that. I got into the driver’s side while Felix settled into the passenger’s seat. Seeing him there relaxed something in my chest. Felix fit in a way I couldn’t explain, and I liked having him in my life far too much.
Too much to risk telling him about my crush.
I turned on the ignition, and the motor rumbled beneath me. As we rolled through town, the shops and restaurants of Kennett Square blurred on either side. Felix fiddled with my radio, which was on some random staticky station, and by the time he’d settled on something, we’d already coasted out of town and reached the sign for Anson B. Nixon Park.
“Can you explain to me what you saw in Luke? Apart from, like, big, burly guy. That’s your thing, right?”
Felix’s question came out of nowhere. I put the car into Park. Several factors percolated in my brain. My hands still rested on the steering wheel, and I stared out the window at the trees ahead of us.
“I hate to say Luke was interested, and that was it, but honestly, that was the main motivator.” I heaved a sigh, the admission tugging at my gut. “Hookups had been leaving me feeling invisible, and I thought a relationship would be the trick. But being in a relationship with the wrong person doesn’t solve that either. If anything, it makes you fade away a little bit more.”
Felix reached over and placed a hand on my thigh. I swallowed hard, everything in me stripped down right now. From the words that had escaped to his touch, my whole body vibrated.
“Been there,” he said. “Aria and I were okay—amazing but not bad—but I’ve been in those relationships that detach you even further from yourself. You deserve better, Cor. Don’t let Luke steal that from you.”
I made the mistake of looking into his eyes.
Those dark orbs pulled me in, a gravitational force I was helpless to resist. The gentleness, how he seemed to see right through my gruff exterior, was everything I’d been looking for. And the hope—oh, the hope—would be my undoing.
Because Felix was straight. Getting out of a relationship with one woman before getting into another…with a woman, not me.
I coughed and tugged my keys out, needing to break the moment. “And Luke’s not my normal type at all.”