Chapter 19

Christmas Eve is usually the same each year. I throw a party at my condo, with all my closest friends and their girls coming over. It's a potluck-style ordeal where each of them brings food, and I have a couple of dishes for them as well. This year is different, though. Not only did I cancel the party because I knew Bailey wasn't ready for a gathering where she would be forced to interact with my friends, but I changed the plans for all of us to go to a fair. In the middle of winter.

Because I knew my girl would like that.

They have no idea that I've invited her and her friend. When they realize Bailey is coming here after how unimpressed she was back when I was her patient, they're going to lose their fucking minds. Only I don't care; I don't owe them an explanation, though I'm probably still going to give it to them once we're alone.

Now that Bailey and I are friends with benefits, I know she's going to let herself be…well, herself. I don't know why I feel that way, but something tells me that she's allergic to commitment at the moment, that it gives her a damn rash. Eventually, I'll change that, even if it's the last thing I ever do. She told me if I started developing feelings for her that I needed to speak up so we could break it off. The biggest problem is that I agreed knowing that I'd already developed feelings for her.

That's why I asked for conditions because I want her with me as much as possible, not just to be used as a sex toy. Not that I think she has it in her to do that to me. Regardless of her tough girl act, she's a good person, and she cares about my feelings. Which is a step in the right direction for ‘Operation Relationship'. She just doesn't know it yet.

Jeremy and I are waiting in the parking lot for the girls, and the rest of the group is already inside, waiting by the entrance for introductions. I hope this doesn't overwhelm Bailey, but she was happy when I suggested we do this. She said she hadn't been to a fair since she was a little girl, and something about kissing at the top of the Ferris wheel had me jumping at the chance. Call me romantic, but it would be perfect.

Footsteps crunch behind us, and we turn around. My eyes collide with Bailey's, and she smiles, yet I hear a gasp from my side. Jeremy is looking at them wide-eyed and with a gaping mouth, which makes me frown. Before I can ask him what's happening, they begin to walk faster.

"No fucking way," Jeremy mutters under his breath, and I raise an eyebrow at him.

What now?

I look down Bailey's body slowly, my eyes traveling the entire length of her, and I tighten my fists at my sides. I want to run to her, lift her up into my arms, and kiss the hell out of her. Except I'm also not sure of the rules, so I stay rooted to the spot. I let myself admire her beauty. She's dressed in bell-bottom jeans, a pink crop top, and—finally—a black bomber jacket. I want to peel those clothes off her body and put her in mine, which I'll be convincing her of later when I bring up that sleepovers start today.

My lips tip up until a full grin breaks out. She returns it, dimples popping in such an endearing way that I want to poke them. Surprisingly, she closes the distance between us with a cute little run, throwing herself into my arms. When our lips meet, fireworks explode inside me, instantly making me hot. Her fingers reach the back of my neck and get lost in my hair, and I hold her tighter to me. My tongue thrusts into her mouth, and she sucks on it like I asked her to that one time, which makes me groan and?—

"For fuck's sake," Cheyenne growls from behind Bailey. "Can we get a move on it?"

Bailey and I both chuckle as a chorus of what the fucks come from behind us, and I guess that means the rest of my friends came to see what was taking so long. Questions such as Isn't that the hot nurse? Didn't she hate him? Ain't no fucking way she fell for his shit.

"You made up," I point out to Cheyenne. "Glad to see it."

"Yeah, well," Bailey starts. "I'm pretty irresistible."

"More like good at groveling," Cheyenne mutters under her breath.

Bailey and I begin to turn around so I can make introductions, when Cheyenne gasps. She immediately freezes on the spot as she looks at Jeremy, who is sizing her up the exact same way. His eyes roam from her petite made-up face, to her gray sweatshirt that says ‘skate, shoot, score' with hockey pucks around the letters, down to her jean-clad legs and her black sparkly Authentic Vans. Clearly, she's understood the assignment because a grin breaks out on his face, and she huffs, rolling her eyes.

"She likes him," Bailey whispers.

"In his fucking dreams," Cheyenne mutters. "Unlike you, I don't date hockey players."

"Hey, what do you have against us?" I complain, and at the same time, Bailey says, "We're not dating, just friends." For whatever reason, that hurts more than if she had said we're fucking, but I don't have much time to think about it when Cheyenne is already replying.

"I have nothing against you all," Chey says, pointing at her sweatshirt. "I love hockey, just not the fuck boys who play it."

"I'm offended." I touch my heart in mockery, knowing damn well she's not affecting me in the slightest. "Not all of us are fuck boys."

"Says the one who is literally fucking my best friend." She smiles sweetly, in a fake way. So, unlike how she acted at the rink, it makes me wonder what has gotten into her.

"Not just yet." I grin, and she goes directly to Jeremy.

"Jeremy." She nods once and keeps walking toward the rest of my friends, where she gives him her back.

"Honeybun." Jeremy grins.

"There's nothing sweet about me when it comes to you," Chey mutters.

"Oh, I know." But Jeremy's grin just grows impossibly wider.

What the fuck is going on, and how do they know each other? Something must have happened since Cheyenne goes right back to ignoring him, then introduces herself to the rest of the friend group, not casting one more glance in Jeremy's direction.

"What the fuck?" I mouth at him.

Jeremy shrugs, "Hell if I know."

"Liar," I whisper-yell.

But whatever, I don't care enough to dissect their interaction today. Grabbing Bailey's hand, I pull her toward the entrance, then slip my arm around her waist and pull her in.

"Noah, Oliver, Matt, Jeremy," I start. "This is Bailey."

"Oh, we know," Oliver says with a grin, his green eyes twinkling, which earns him an elbow to the ribs from his girlfriend, Alejandra.

"How did we get here?" Matt asks.

"What were you thinking?" Noah asks.

"You're gonna regret this," Jeremy says, running a hand through his light brown hair, and I shoot him a murderous look.

"Everyone calm down." I roll my eyes. "She's my friend."

"Sure she is." Alicia—Noah's wife—says with a grin, and Alejandra shoots Bailey a small smile. She's the shiest of the group, never talking much, which is perfect because Bailey isn't much of a talker with strangers either.

"Let's go inside," I tell them, grabbing Bailey's hand and pulling her along with me. Surprisingly, everyone goes their respective ways, leaving us alone. Even Cheyenne sticks with the group, shoving Jeremy aside when he tries to talk to her.

Bailey chuckles. "I don't know what's happening, but I'm sure as hell going to find out after here."

"You better spill the beans." I squeeze her hand softly. "Jeremy won't budge."

"You know I will." She winks as we talk toward a food stand.

She looks at all the food with wide eyes. Hot dogs, funnel cake, and cotton candy. But she definitely lingers on the cotton candy and looks back at me. So obviously, I ask for two, and she narrows her eyes at me.

"What?" I ask her with a raised eyebrow.

"Let me pay," she all but growls.

"No." I shake my head. "Don't insult me again. You know I'm sensitive."

This makes her laugh, and when I shove the cotton candy into her waiting hands, she takes it willingly. Her eyes twinkle as she gazes at me and takes a bite of it.

"You're a pain in my ass, you know that?" she asks, while smiling and looking happy. Like she's excited to be here. "But thank you for bringing me here."

"You really haven't been to one since you were a little kid?"

"I was seven." She nods slowly, taking another bite. I mirror her, the pink cotton candy's sweetness exploding on my taste buds. Damn, it had been a long time since I had some. "My parents took me, though I didn't appreciate those memories until I was an adult. I don't know why we never went back."

"What was your favorite part?"

"The games. Definitely the games." She grins. "Oh, and the prizes, obviously. My dad won a lot."

"No rides?" I ask her, looking around until I find the one I'm looking for. "How about the Ferris wheel?"

"Never been on one." Bailey shrugs, her cheeks turning a deep shade of pink.

"Excuse me?" I gape. "There's no way you're leaving here without going up there." I point to the ride. "I would never forgive myself."

It's also the perfect excuse to kiss her and make it memorable for her.

"How about you show me what you got over there." She points at a game of hoops. "And then we can go on the Ferris wheel."

"Are you playing too?" I grin. "Because I'll beat you if you are."

"Did you play basketball growing up?" She rolls her eyes.

"Only for fun." I grab her hand and go to the nearest trash can, where we dispose of the cotton candy sticks. "You go first, I'll go after."

Bailey narrows her eyes at me. "So you can make fun of me?"

"No, baby." I wink. "So I don't look like an asshole when I win."

This makes her laugh, and she throws her head back as she does it. She's beautiful. Breathtaking. Happiness looks good on her, and I'm glad I brought her here now.

She grabs my hand, interlacing our fingers as we make our way to the hoops game. My breath catches in my throat when her thumb brushes over my knuckles, and I stare down at her. Only she's not watching me; she's excited about the game, eyes on the prize. I don't think she even noticed she just did that.

Bailey starts the first round, and she misses every single shot. She's fucking atrocious. But she laughs every time she doesn't put one into the hoop, and I laugh with her. I can see her dimples the entire time, and I feel an ache in my chest that won't go away. What the hell is that about?

"Okay, big boy." Bailey rolls her eyes as I grab the ball. "Your turn."

I grin, taking the ball from her. "Watch and learn, B."

I then proceed to sink every ball into the hoop, and she looks at me with a gaping mouth. We're gathering a bit of a crowd, and she doesn't even look uncomfortable. I have three shots left, and I put them all in as well.

"What the hell, Theo." She groans. "Maybe you should've been a basketball player instead."

I chuckle. "Nah, I'm too rough for basketball." I wink. "I like to beat people up for a living."

Her laugh is loud and uninhibited, and she throws her head back. Her cheeks are flushed a deep pink as she looks back at me, and she bites her bottom lip momentarily as she stares. I look away first because if not, I'll do something crazy like steal more kisses here.

It's time to pick a prize, and there are so many that my head spins. However, she seems to know exactly what she wants and points at it immediately. "The triceratops, please." She beams at the lady behind the counter, who is nodding with a smile. Bailey grabs the triceratops Squishmallow and turns around, grinning at me.

"What the hell, Bailey." I raise an eyebrow. "You made fun of me for my dinosaurs, and now you're getting one?"

"I didn't make fun of you." She rolls her eyes playfully as I pull her toward the Ferris wheel. "I just stated a fact. You probably do know all the species known to mankind."

"You're not wrong." I chuckle. "But why did you get it?"

"It reminded me of you." She shrugs nonchalantly, but a blush creeps to her cheeks. "Stop staring at me," Bailey groans. "It's not a big deal."

"If you say so." I wink. "All I hear is that I'm memorable."

"You know you are," she mutters, but it's cute.

We finally make it to the Ferris wheel and wait in line for what seems like forever. There are a lot of people here, and I can see our friends ahead of us. But instead of cutting the line like I want to, I stay behind for privacy with Bailey. I'm enjoying having her all to myself.

It's our turn now, and we get on the ride. Bailey's eyes are wide as she looks around and grips my hand hard. It makes me chuckle, and I raise an eyebrow at her.

"Don't tell me you're scared of heights," I joke, even though she looks like she is, and now I wonder if this was a bad idea.

"No!" she shrieks as we begin to move. "I'm scared of rides."

"It's okay, Bailey," I soothe. "This one goes slow. You'll forget all about it when we get to the top."

"If you say so," she mumbles.

Bailey still looks everywhere as we go up, and when we get to the top, her jaw drops. I look around too, now taking in the view of the city. It's beautiful, and it's not every day you can see the Seattle skyline from this angle.

"Wow," she breathes, and when I look at her, her eyes glisten. "This is incredible."

"You are," I murmur, and she looks at me with wide eyes. "You're so fucking beautiful, Bailey."

She smiles shyly and scoots closer, and I take the opportunity to wrap her up in my arms. She tilts her head back as I look down at her, and her eyes fall to my lips. I lick them slowly, seeing if her gaze tracks it, and when I see she doesn't stop looking, I lean in for a kiss.

Her lips are soft against mine, and the kiss is slow and languid, nothing like the one we shared when she first arrived. She sucks on my bottom lip gently, and I groan, tightening my arms. When her tongue thrusts into my mouth, I suck on it, then tangle it up with mine. Fuck, I could do this all day.

I could do this for the rest of my life.

I pull back and rest my forehead against hers, our noses brushing. We share breath for a moment, and then she leans in and presses her lips against mine again. It's sweet, fuck. My heart aches as she does it. And I know I'm well and truly fucked, because what I feel for Bailey is already surpassing a simple friends-with-benefits arrangement. She makes my heart beat faster and my hands shake. She makes my chest tighten, and she steals my breath with every look. I don't think I can live without this girl anymore. And that's why I hold her a little closer, hoping she lets me keep her a little longer. Because one thing is clear as day?—

Bailey Thomas belongs in my arms.