Taming Cross - Ella James Page 0,3

cup her taut cheeks. But as my right hand grabs her through her silky dress, my left just hangs from my arm—dead weight.

That's all it takes to break the sex spell Suri has me under. I blink up at her, and the wrongness of it hits me even harder.

“Suri.” I'm panting as I scoot back toward the headboard. She crawls after me, but when she gets close enough that I can smell that damned perfume, I hold my right hand up. “Suri...”

Her lips part, and it's weird as hell to see her like this—like a vixen. She scoots a little closer, and my cock throbs painfully against my pants.

“I told you Cross, I don't care about the details. I just...” She makes a funny little face—her shy face—but it's quickly transformed into something surer, something fierce. “I just want you, Cross. Is that so awful?”

Jesus Christ.

I push myself up on my elbows, trying to think past the throbbing in my pants. “Suri, I'm not saying that it's bad.” I flick my right hand at her. “Look at you. You're gorgeous. Any man would want you. I'm a man, Suri, so yeah, I want to fuck you upside down and sideways. But you're my friend.”

I clench my jaw, because I’m imagining the upside down and sideways, but the fantasy disintegrates as I watch her eyes fill with tears. Somewhere in the last few months, Suri caught feelings for me.

Lizzy tried to tell me once, but I didn’t take it seriously. Now I really wish I had.

Surri tucks her chin, looking down at the blankets, and I can see her lip tremble. I feel awful, so I reach for her. She crawls off the bed and steps toward the bathroom, and I feel slightly dizzy as I think, I knew this night would suck.

How the fuck did this happen? It doesn't matter, Cross. Just deal with it.

I get up off the bed and grab her hand. “Suri, you're one of my closest friends. You and Lizzy.” She won't look at me, but that doesn't mean I'm going to quit talking. “But that's all it should be. Do you think I want you to be just another fuck?” Her eyes widen, and she tries to jerk away, but I tighten my grip on her wrist and hold her gaze. “That's just it—you wouldn't be. But I'm not ready for this, Suri. It would be bad. It would end up being bad for you.”

When eyes finally find mine, they’re red and wet. “I don't know how I read this all so wrong.” She sounds teary.

I grit my teeth. I don't know how, either. “I love you, Sur, you know I do, but we're friends first.”

More tears drip down her cheeks as her chin trembles, and I feel like a steaming pile of dog shit. “You want to be more with Lizzy,” she whispers.

“No, I don’t.” I grit my teeth as my heart pounds. It’s true, I got distracted by Lizzy a few months back, but that’s over. “I don’t want anything with Lizzy.”

She shakes her head, then turns on her heel and marches into the bathroom.

For the next few minutes, I stand by the door, feeling helpless and heartless and frustrated. I consider knocking, but I can hear her sniffing and I wonder if she'd rather have her privacy. I rub my neck, which is still aching.

I'm mulling that one over when I hear the door creak, and Suri steps out, looking calm and gathered. I reach for her hand, touching it for a moment before she draws away.

“Suri, I'm really fucking sorry.”

She holds up both hands. “I know, Cross. And it will be okay. I still want to go with you tonight, just as a friend. You really shouldn't have to face the firing squad alone.”

I shouldn't face the firing squad at all, but I’ve got things to settle with my dad. “I appreciate it. You'll never know how much. But I think it would be better if you just go home tonight. We'll talk tomorrow.”

I can see the moment that her eyes go cold. The moment that I lose a friend—just as surely as I lost Lizzy to Hunter. “Okay.” Her lips press flat. “Whatever you want.”

She walks briskly from the room, and I can't think of anything to stop her.

2

Merri

IF YOU'VE NEVER eaten ant eggs, you haven't lived. You think I'm kidding. They taste...buttery. Buttery and crunchy and almost the texture of a boiled peanut. For not the first time, as