Chapter 5

Jake

The warm glow of the kitchen light illuminates Lily's face as she stands at the counter, humming softly while chopping vegetables for dinner. I lean against the doorframe, my eyes tracing the gentle curves of her body, desire simmering beneath my skin. "Need any help?" I ask, my voice lower than I intend.

Lily glances up, her blue eyes widening slightly as they meet mine. "Sure, if you want to set the table, that would be great."

I nod, moving closer to grab the plates from the cupboard above her head. As I reach up, my chest brushes against her back, and I hear her breath catch. The urge to wrap my arms around her curvy waist nearly overwhelms me. Instead, I murmur, "Smells delicious," before stepping away, plates in hand.

Setting the table, I strategically place our seats closer together than usual. When Lily brings over the food, our fingers graze as she hands me a serving bowl. I hold her gaze a moment longer than necessary, trying to convey the depth of my feelings without words.

I don't know if Lily senses the shift in energy between us, but her cheeks flushing a delicate pink as she quickly turns back to the stove. Lily chatters about her day at the vet clinic, but I'm only half-listening, too distracted by the way her lips move and the tiny glimpses of cleavage visible above her low-cut top.

"So, how was your flight?" she asks as she plates up our food.

I clear my throat, trying to focus on the conversation and not the way her shirt stretches tightly across her breasts as she leans forward. "It was long. Bumpy. I couldn't stop thinking about getting back here the whole damn time," I say, my voice rough with barely restrained desire.

Lily's eyes flick up to meet mine and she pauses, her hand frozen in midair. "Oh? That's...I'm glad you made it back safely." She swallows hard and I watch the delicate muscles of her throat move.

I want to press my lips there against her neck, tasting her soft skin as she gasps and tilts her head back. Instead, I take a sip of water, trying to cool the heat raging inside me.

"Thanks. It's good to be home," I say, my voice strained. "I missed...this. Us, hanging out." The unspoken "you" hangs heavy in the air between us.

"I missed you too, Jake," Lily beams at me before she places our plates on the table.

"Voila!" she announces. "Your first home-cooked meal since you've been back!"

I smile, my heart warming at her girlish enthusiasm. It's one of the many things I love about her. "Looks great, Lil."

Lily

As we sit down to eat, I can't help but notice how close Jake is sitting. His knee gently bumps mine under the table, sending a surprising tingle up my thigh. I glance at him, but he seems focused on his plate.

"This tastes amazing, Lil," he says after a few bites. "You've always been an incredible cook."

I feel a flush of pleasure at his compliment. "Thanks. It's nothing special, just something I threw together."

Jake sets down his fork, his green eyes intense as they meet mine. "Don't sell yourself short. You're special, Lily. Everything you do is extraordinary."

His words hang in the air between us, heavy with unspoken meaning. My heart beats faster, a confused mix of emotions swirling in my chest. This is Jake, my best friend, but something feels different now. The way he looks at me, the subtle shift in his tone...it's almost as if...

No. I shake my head slightly, pushing the thought away. He's just readjusting to being back home after so long away. I force a smile, trying to lighten the suddenly charged atmosphere. "Well, I learned from the best. Remember all those cooking lessons your mom gave us as kids?"

Jake's expression softens, a hint of nostalgia in his smile as he nods. "Yeah, those were the days."

Jake chuckles, the sound deep and warm, making my insides flutter. "Remember when we nearly set the kitchen on fire trying to make those damn cookies?"

I laugh, the memory vivid. "Oh god, yes. Your mom was so pissed. I thought she was going to ban me from the house forever."

"Nah, she could never stay mad at you." Jake's gaze turns tender. "No one could. You've always had a way of wrapping people around your little finger."

I swallow hard, my mouth suddenly dry. The way Jake is looking at me, with such raw intensity, makes my pulse race. I lick my lips nervously and his eyes darken as they zero in on the movement. The air between us feels electric, charged with a tension I've never felt before.

I've got to be imagining things. This is Jake…

So, I shake it off and act like everything's normal.

Because everything is normal, right?

Jake

I watch as Lily absently twirls a strand of her golden hair around her finger, a faraway look in her blue eyes. "So, there's this guy I've been seeing lately," she says, her voice deceptively casual. "Nothing serious, but it's been nice to get out there again, you know?"

A sudden, hot surge of jealousy coils in my gut. My hands clench into fists beneath the table. I takes a slow breath, fighting to keep my expression neutral as my heart falls. "Oh yeah? That's great, Lil. I'm happy for you." The words taste like ash on my tongue.

Lily shrugs, a small smile playing at the corners of her mouth. "Like I said, it's nothing major. Just a few dates here and there. But he's sweet, and it's been fun."

I nods mechanically, my mind reeling. The thought of another man touching Lily, kissing her, holding her...it's almost too much to bear. I wants to grab her by the shoulders, to shake her and shout that can't she see what's right in front of her? That I'm not just her childhood pal or her surrogate brother—I'm a man who wants her with every fiber of his being.

But I remain silent, my jaw clenched so tightly it aches. "That's good," I manage, but the words sound stilted and hollow to my own ears. "You deserve to be happy, Lily."

Even as I say it, a traitorous voice whispers in the back of my mind. She could be happy with you. Happier than she'll ever be with some random guy who doesn't know her like you do, who doesn't love her like you do.

I swallow hard, shoving down the possessive thoughts that threaten to consume me. Lily is my best friend, and her happiness is all that matters.

But I'm not sure I can watch her find that happiness with someone else.