The next morning, I wake up with a headache and a pit of confusion swirling in my stomach. Last night is blurry at best, but I do remember dancing.

Dancing with Wyatt like I'd never danced with another person before. We were so close, so personal, and I could feel every part of him pressed into me. Last night, he wasn't my brother's friend. Far from it, I know I would have gone home with him if the circumstances were different.

My real concern is that I still feel a flutter of desire in my body when I think about him today. Something that had never, ever existed before and now is burning like a small ember deep within me. I'd thought it was just the tequila, it makes me do and say crazy things. Like telling Wyatt that it makes me wet.

I cringe into my pillow at the thought, closing my eyes and wishing I could erase it from my memory. But I can't, just like I can't erase the look he'd been giving me.

His warm brown eyes had been almost black, pupils dilated, and expression focused. It was a look like he would've done anything I asked of him, and at the same time, he could've asked me to do anything for him. His hands were so large on my body, his figure so much bigger and stronger than mine. I'd never felt that before.

And the last person in the whole world I expected to feel it with was Wyatt Muse.

It wasn't allowed. Not when he's my brother's best friend and any sort of second glance between Wyatt and I would ruin the friendship he had with my brother in an instant. But it had already happened, more than a second glance, more than a single touch.

I'd felt his hard dick pressed up against my belly button through his shorts and, what's worse, I'd wanted to feel more. Luckily, the song changed, and Maddie came over, which cooled the moment down before I did something really stupid like making out with him.

But that didn't stop me from stealing glances at him the rest of the night, from sitting a bit too close when we all stepped out into the backyard to smoke. From my heart plummeting into my stomach when he'd casually slipped his arm behind me when we were sitting next to each other outside.

I had no idea what to think other than to push it out of my mind.

It's nothing to ruminate on. I try to remind myself. He was helping me out, saving me from that handsy idiot. So what if we both got a little confused?

We're not attracted to each other specifically. It was the circumstances. The fact that we were so close, that he's such a well-built man, and that my tits were practically spilling out of my top. I don't know what self-respecting, red-blooded guy in his twenties wouldn't have a hard-on from that.

And I'm a woman. With needs.

Needs that haven't been met by a man in almost over six-months. It wasn't Wyatt. It was the tequila, and his warm hands caressing my body and his response to my movements that turned me on.

Even still, I can't help the sudden urge I'm experiencing to roll over to my nightstand and grab my vibrator. Not only am I confused, I'm also still feeling a bit pent up. I don't get the chance though before there's a loud pounding at my door.

"Come in." I grumble, sitting up in bed and feeling a bit annoyed that I'd have to stay unsatisfied for a while longer. Maddie and River pad into my room then, both looking curious and like they had a lot of questions for me during this morning's recap.

"How are we feeling this morning?" River asks, smiling coyly at me as both she and Maddie take a seat at the edge of my bed. I run a hand over my face, feeling my cheeks flushing already. They'd had the decency to wait until this morning to mention anything. But I had a feeling the silence behind the looks they'd been giving me since I dance with Wyatt last night was about the end.

"Alright." I say slowly, tucking my hair behind my ears and fidgeting with my necklaces I'd worn to sleep.

"A bit hungover?" Asks Maddie and I nod.

"Yeah." I agree, reaching to my nightstand for my water bottle and taking a long drink.

"Anything else?" River pries and I shrug, not willing to be the first one to bring it up.

"Not really."

"Here's something," Maddie starts, and I wince, bracing myself. "I don't think Dallas should be allowed to set anyone up every again."

We all laugh at that, more than agreeing. Patty had seemed like your average dude when we met before the dance floor. Tall, boyish features, and a crooked grin. He'd made me a drink and we chatted for a few minutes before playing a round of beer pong with Dallas and River. There was nothing about him that made my heart start or made me think we'd particularly like or dislike one another.

But the second he started grinding his crotch against me without my consent I was turned off to him. Dallas had made a lot of excuses, like he gets nervous around pretty girls, he's really harmless, and he's a bit handsy when drunk. Each excuse as shit as the next.

"I agree," I say as the laughter subsides. "He will be letting me do my own setting up in the future thank you very much."

"I'm sad," pouts River. "It would've been so perfect if you two hit it off."

"Well," I raise an eyebrow at her, almost in warning. "We didn't. He was a dick, and if it hadn't been for—I mean, I just, I was this close to slapping him."

"If it hadn't been for who?" Maddie catches me. "Wyatt?"

I pause, eyeing her and River who are both giving me the same looks they gave me last night. Then, I nod slowly, and River starts to smile.

"He did not like it when Patty was getting all up on you," she tells me. "In fact, if I'm not mistaken, he seemed jealous."

"That is until you two were practically having sex on the dance floor." Maddie chimes in. "He didn't seem jealous at all when I found you guys too, you were two peas in a pod the rest of the night."

"We were not!" I cry out, throwing myself back into my pillows and covering my face with my hands. "Guys, it wasn't that bad . . . was it?"

I peer hesitantly from between my fingers to see them both giggling quietly.

"What?" I ask, sitting up again as they laugh harder. "What?! I had too much tequila, I would've been dancing with any hot guy like that if he'd been holding me the way Wyatt was."

"Sure." River nods, biting her lip to stifle another laugh.

"Let's put it this way," Maddie adds. "I'm surprised you're waking up here this morning. In all honesty, the way he was looking at you, I thought you two were seconds from bowing out."

"No," I shake my head instantly. My face flushing with embarrassment. "Seriously guys, this cannot be discussed in public. Especially not in front of my brother. Wyatt and I—we're, we grew up together. We're really just friends at the end of the day."

"Didn't look like it last night," River quips and I huff, tugging a hand through my loose curls and sighing deeply. "I don't get why you can't hook up with him. He's extremely attractive, we know he has a reputation for being good in bed, and you know him."

"Exactly." I correct. "He's my brothers' best friend."

"Ryder never has to know." Maddie coaxes. "It's really none of his business. Wyatt's a grown man, you're a grown woman. So, what if you're attracted to one another? I think it's kind-a perfect."

"I seriously disagree," I shake my head, trying to be serious and ignore the flutter in my stomach at their words. I also try to ignore the fact that I'm still turned on from last night and want more. "Look, please, don't mention this to anyone else."

"Of course, we won't." River reassures me. "But we support you, that's all."

"Thank you." I sigh. "I'm just so confused honestly; I have no idea where that came from. I've never been attracted to Wyatt in my life before."

"Really?" Maddie corrects and I roll my eyes.

"Having a crush on him when I was in middle school doesn't count." I counter and she shrugs. "Besides, since then I haven't given him a second thought."

"Until last night." River adds and I nod, slumping back against my pillows and smoothing out the comforter over my legs.

"I can't see him again." I say instantly. "It'll be way too awkward. After the things I said and felt . . . no fucking way."

"What things?" Maddie asks, raising her eyebrows and River nods, urging me onward.

"Nothing." I shake my head instantly, not wanting to open my mouth and make the situation worse by oversharing.

"Bitch," River whacks my foot under the covers. "Spill it, now."

"Fine," I grumble, sitting up and pulling my foot towards me under the covers. I massage it through the sheet, sighing again. "But this doesn't leave my room."

"Scouts honor." Maddie nods, holding her hand to her heart and we all laugh.

"Well, first off—" I start, hesitating because I didn't usually share these kinds of things but, I guess I've been trying a lot of stuff I never thought I would lately. "I mean, he was like—really hard and I felt it."

They both shriek with laughter at that, and I flush with embarrassment again.

"I'll bet he was." Maddie giggles and I shake my head, rolling my eyes.

"And he told me I was turned on too," I manage to say as River's eyes widen. "Then, well, I said that 'tequila makes me wet'."

"What?!" River gasps, as Maddie clamps a hand over her mouth. "Oh, that's dirty but I like it. I might use that line in the future."

I pinch the bridge of my nose, closing my eyes again to block out the cringe I felt again.

"I don't know where it came from." I admit. "So, I can never look him in the eye again."

"I disagree." Maddie says instantly. "I like him, he's cool to hang out with. Besides, you already invited him out with us next weekend for your birthday."

"What?" I ask, feeling my stomach swirl with both nausea, and though I would never admit it, a bit of excitement. "I don't remember that."

"Girl," River laughs. "You were drunk last night. But it's true, we both heard you and when you asked him what he was going to get you for a birthday present, he told you it was a 'surprise for later'."

We all break into another round of laughter, despite my red face and feeling that I wanted to crawl into a hole that I'd never come out of. I didn't know what to feel now, especially because neither Maddie nor River seemed to think it was that big of a deal. But I knew it was. And I'm sure Wyatt did too.

A sudden thought occurs to me, and I lean over to my nightstand where I hesitantly check my phone. There are a few snapchat notifications, and as I scroll down, I feel something swirl inside me when I see a message from Wyatt at 3 am, after we'd all made it home.

We should drink tequila more often.

I stare at the message for a moment, glad that River and Maddie are distracted now trying to decide where we should DoorDash breakfast from. The meaning behind his message seems both clear and confusing. He was drunk too, I know that, but does this mean he doesn't feel like dancing together like that was something we can never do again?

I pause, opening the message, deciding to play with fire as I type back:

Good thing we'll only be drinking tequila on my birthday. 

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