He shouldn’t have imagined her lying naked on his bed. She shouldn’t have imagined his devilishly handsome face between her legs.

But it was too late.

Kiara and Ethan had been best friends since they were children. They'd shared everything in their eighteen years together except romance.

But that all changed at the beginning of their senior year.

Kiara began noticing Ethan's washboard abs when he hopped out of the pool dripping wet after swim practice. Ethan began gazing at Kiara’s golden skin in a bikini as a grown woman instead of the girl next door he grew up with.

That kiss should have never happened. 

It was just one moment in a lifetime of moments, but they both felt its power. They knew the thrumming in their veins and desperation in their bodies might give them all they ever wanted or ruin everything if they followed it.

Kiara and Ethan knew they should have never kissed. But it's too late to take that choice back, so they have a new one to make. 

Fall for each other and risk their friendship or try to forget one little kiss that might change everything.

PREVIEW:
“If you don’t want to kiss me then . . . let’s swim.”

“Yeah, sure.”

“Naked.”

“What?”

“I always wanted to try skinny dipping.” I pursed my lips and said, “And I really want to get out of these clothes.”

He said, “What if someone catches you . . . me, both?”

“Come on, Ethan. Don’t be a chicken . . .”

“Fine.”

His voice was rough when he said, “Remove that sweater first.”

I raised my eyebrow at the sudden change in his demeanour.

Ethan said, “You have an extra piece of clothing than me.”

I grinned. “Who said I was wearing any underwear?”

The Unfolding Duet

 I watched Kiara struggle to be open with me, but I was proud of her for asking me to listen to her. Her hands clenched the sheets of the bed she had been sleeping on for the past week until this morning. I was relieved to know that she hadn’t harmed herself even though she had lost some weight. I knew whatever happened when I was gone had brought some kind of acceptance from her. 


 “Did you have a session while I was gone?” I asked, wanting to know if she had talked to someone about what had happened. 


 “I talked with my therapist,” Kiara nodded. “I wanted to ask you something, Ethan.” 


 When I waited for her question, I noticed how she fiddled with her hands, taking time to form the question. After taking a deep breath, she asked, “W-will you, I don’t know, um, leave me?” 


 Knowing how important this was to her, I bit back my question. “Never, sweetheart. I wouldn’t leave you. Can I ask why you asked that?” 


27. Moral Support