Rose kept her eyes tightly shut, pretending she was still asleep, despite Tyler trailing a finger down her arm. She was sure the loud thuds of her heart would soon give her away, but she didn’t know what to do next. After what just happened between them, was her friendship with Tyler ruined forever?
Rose was mad at herself for being so weak. Today, she hadn’t been able to resist. Not with Georgiana being a bitch. Not with Marcus dumping her and leaving her as insecure as ever. And not with Tyler being Tyler.
Oh, Tyler! He was a lost cause. A romantic relationship between them was impossible. Hope for a future with Tyler had died a long time ago. Rose spent years waiting for him to change, not dating anyone, sticking around for when he’d be mature enough or for the girl of the moment to be dumped. Until she’d finally accepted he would never change.
Unbidden, her mind began a mental recap of all the girls Tyler had dated over the years. He had sex for the first time during sophomore year in high school with Amanda Lockwood, a junior. Amanda was a popular girl, and after his conquest, Tyler became the hero of the school. Despite girls finding him irresistible, he remained faithful to Amanda for a whole year; after all, she was his first. They were happy together until summer break when Amanda’s nemesis, Charlotte Pierce, seduced him during summer break. With Amanda gone for a month, teenage Tyler was easy prey for Charlotte.
When Amanda found out, drama ensued. Amanda and Charlotte became the first entries on a long list of girls who would end up hating Tyler for cheating on and dumping them. By twelfth grade, Tyler was the most popular guy in school, basking in the glory of fooling around with a never-ending stream of girls.
Rose had hoped college would steady him. Instead, it sent him on an even wilder spree. In their freshman year at Harvard, Tyler slept with a different girl almost every night. Rose told herself it was only their first year; once he got it out of his system, he would be ready for something serious. Across their sophomore and junior year, hope returned briefly as Tyler stayed in a serious relationship with Jessica, an English major he’d met at the library. Tyler and Jessica were together for nine months before Tyler cheated on her, making Rose officially give up on him. If he couldn’t stay true to Jessica, the closest thing he’d ever had to a long-term girlfriend, then how could Rose trust him with her own heart?
After Jessica, it had been the same story with every new girlfriend. He cheated on all of them, and they each ended up loathing him. Rose didn’t want to end up loathing her best friend; he was the most important person in her life besides her parents. He was family. And she knew a romantic relationship would lead exactly to that. In the end, he’d cheat on her—if not in a year, in five, or ten. It was a given. Tyler simply wasn’t a monogamist. Rose would end up bitter, with her heart shattered. Today had been a mistake, a big one. But they could fix it. They had to.
Rose stirred as if just now waking up. She looked at Tyler shyly, blushing.
“What?” she asked, self-consciously pulling the sheets around her body.
Tyler flashed her a mischievous grin. “I find it funny you choose to blush now.”
“I didn’t choose to, and don’t look at me like that.”
“Like what?”
His wolfish smile was making it impossible to keep a steady mind.
“As if you want to eat me.”
“Maybe I do.” Tyler bit her hand affectionately.
“Pff.” Rose’s face burned red, so she buried it in his chest to cover up her uneasiness. Shame attacked as she replayed the past hour in her head in an all-consuming vortex of emotions. Oh, the things Tyler had done to her, and the way she’d responded! It wasn’t just sex—Tyler had made love to her. Or had it all been a dream?
Unable to meet his gaze yet, Rose burrowed her face deeper.
“Don’t play shy, Rosalynn,” Tyler said, using her full name. He planted a soft kiss on her collarbone. No, definitely not a dream. “After today, I won’t buy it.”
After today. That’s the problem.
She shifted position so that he couldn’t kiss her. “So…” she began.
“I know that expression, Rosalynn Atwood. It’s your serious-talk one.”
“Tyler. This is serious.”
“What’s serious?”
“Me, you, naked in bed.”
“Relax, Rose. It’s not the end of the world.”
“No, but it could be the end of our friendship. Doesn’t that scare you?”
“What do you mean?” he asked, frowning.
Tears welled in Rose’s eyes. Emotions were running high, and her throat closed, making it difficult to get the words out. “I think it was a mistake.”
“Why?”
“All your exes hate you.”
“What’s that supposed to mean?”
“You cheated on all of them.”
“That’s not true.”
“Name one you haven’t.”
Tyler scrunched his face for a while and then said, “I haven’t cheated on Georgiana.”
“Oh, right, your girlfriend!” Hearing him say her name sent Rose into a frenzy. “The one you just cheated on!”
“But it was with you, so it doesn’t count.”
“I don’t think Georgiana would agree.”
Tyler shrugged, unconcerned. “I can dump her if that’s what’s bothering you.”
“How nice of you,” she replied with an edge. “Please, don’t dump her on my account.”
“Rose, I wouldn’t cheat on you.”
“How do you know?” She narrowed her eyes at him. “Do you really expect me to trust you’d be fine sleeping with me, and only with me, for the rest of your life?”
“Yes. No. What the hell do I know! I haven’t even had breakfast and you’re already talking marriage. Why don’t we choose the name of our kids already and be done with it?”
“It’s not like we can date and see how it goes, right?” Rose bit back.
“Why not? What’s wrong with that?”
“Everything’s wrong with that.”
“Nothing’s wrong with that.”
“Tyler, please stop talking. You’re making it worse.”
“I don’t get you, Rose. What do you want me to say?”
“Nothing. You’ve already said enough.”
“Why do you girls have to go cuckoo the moment the sex is over?”
“See, Tyler, that’s the problem. I’m not one of your girls, and I’ll never be.” Rose sat up, leaning away from him. “This was a big mistake. I wasn’t thinking.”
“I preferred you when you weren’t.”
“Well, I am now. This,” she added, flipping a finger between them, “shouldn’t have happened. It won’t happen again.” Rose gathered the bed linens around her, transforming into a human cocoon to shield her naked body from him, and further retreated to her side of the bed.
“Don’t worry, Rose,” Tyler said, grabbing his pants and pulling them on. “I’ll get out of your way.”
He jumped off the bed and was out of the room in three quick strides. He slammed the door behind him, making her chest jolt. The knot in her throat worsened.
The moment Tyler left, Rose felt dead inside. She reached out her hand to his side of the bed where the sheets were still warm from his body heat. Tears pricked her eyes again. She wasn’t ready to let him go, not yet.
Still wrapped in the sheets, Rose followed him out of the room. In the hall, she paused to listen. The shower was running. Rose tried the bathroom door. Unlocked. Turning the knob, she pushed the door open and tiptoed into the room. As expected, Tyler was in the shower. She tapped on the glass, the sound barely audible over the water noise.
He flung the glass door open and stared at her in shock. With a pounding heart, Rose let the bed sheet drop to the floor and stepped into the shower with him. Tyler raised his eyebrows. He probably thought she was crazy. She’d just said sleeping together had been a mistake. Yet, here she was, jumping him in the shower not two minutes later.
“Today doesn’t count,” Rose said curtly, answering his unspoken question. She stood on tiptoes and pulled him toward her in a wet kiss.