Beg, Borrow, or Steal (When in Rome, #3)

by Sarah Adams

“Huh. Emily Walker likes my glasses. Interesting.”

his smiling eyes look at my mouth. “I want to hear you say you want me here.”

I hate him. I hate him for putting me under a microscope like this when all I want is to hide. I hate him for seeing that I do want him here. That I need a friend right now and don’t want to have to do this alone, and that I don’t just want any friend, I want his friendship.

Find someone who helps you look on the bright side.

hoped you would ride with me some day and I wanted to be prepared.”

“Except you apparently.”

and down the tender inside of my wrist. “I’ll be so careful with you, Emily,” he says, but I don’t have the heart to ask him if he means on the motorcycle or not.

Are Jack and I playing? Yes. We are…and I love it.

I’ll die before admitting to him how good it feels to have my arms around him.

“Impressing you enough to make you want to ride with me again.”

Why do I want to bite his elbow?

Jackson Bennett thinks I’m a good writer.

“I mean if you want help, I want to…be the one to help you.

bracket me on either side of the sink. “There’s not a damn thing wrong with you, Emily,

the way you have sex. Not a single thing. And when I say I’m upset, I mean that I’m upset you haven’t had the kind of attention you deserve. You don’t owe any man anything—and

I like to know.”

I like to know. What do you like? I love when a woman is selfish.

“Step out of them please, love.”

That you’re safe with me.”

Now he’s struggling to breathe.

You could never be a side character.

And my skin is melting under her attention. I can’t think straight in these conditions. I want her,

I thought I would come back and be reminded of all the reasons she and I could never work. Instead, all I’m realizing is just how freaking much I like Emily Walker.

His quiet laugh is delicious.

“You really didn’t like Zoe, did you?” “She made you feel bad about your glasses.”

never feel that way when we argue. It’s always been different with you.”

You never shut the door on me. My thoughts and opinions have always been safe with you. And God, Emily, I can’t tell you how good it is to always know exactly what you’re thinking with no mind games in the way.”

I don’t like to get too close to people. I always have this feeling like something will go wrong if I do—so

I know that kind of pain.

I’ll make sure Jack doesn’t, though. I’ll bargain and beg and plead. Anything to make sure he doesn’t lose his job.

It’s going to be okay.” My lungs release a breath. Tension flows out of my muscles. It’s going to be okay. I’m always the one promising that sentiment. I happily take on the responsibility of everyone’s burdens because I only ever feel good when I’m being useful to someone. But hearing those words whispered softly to me…it’s heaven.

We are both well aware that friends don’t sizzle with this kind of tension. Friends don’t look into each other’s eyes like this while one friend is on the other friend’s lap.

“But you didn’t even come find me for one last fight.”

“I was marrying someone else and avoiding saying goodbye to you because it was going to hurt.

my (ex-)nemesis,

“I’m a grown woman, Jack. I know how to let whatever happens in a closet stay in a closet.”

“I love this shirt. I’ve been dreaming of popping these buttons open since I first saw you in it tonight.”

HE DID NOT SAY THAT AAAAHHHHH

this is my…Emily.”

“You can intrude on me anytime you want.”

I can't

by proposing to him myself.”

Stupid

I want Jackson here too.

Don’t smile at my Emily like that.

His smile is delicious.

“Touch me anytime you want.”

“You are not alone, Emily. I would walk through my worst memories to get to you every single time.”

I want something—whatever you’ll give me—with you.

I will continue to support your writing. To pull for you. To root for you and do everything I can to help make your dreams come true.”

“I don’t want to be one of the guys. I want to be yours.”

“Please, Goldie—oh god, please—let me come home with you.”

but I don’t because now I know what it’s like to have Emily in my arms, to be on the receiving end of her glowing smiles, to be someone she wants to talk to, and I can’t lose her. I won’t.