Craving His Touch.

Emma’s POV

“That’s insane! You know I’ve never really liked that sneaky bitch!”

Olivia fumed, her hands slammed onto her waist as she paced back and forth in my small living room. She looked like she was ready to go to war. Olivia and I had started off as reading partners back in college, and over those four years, we had grown closer than I ever expected. When she moved to San Francisco after graduation, we became even closer.

The moment the videos of Trevor and Allysia’s engagement started trending online, Olivia didn't just call. She drove ten miles straight to my apartment, insisting on staying for a week, even though I’d told her over the phone that I was perfectly fine.

I watched her stomp across the hardwood floor, her face flushed a deep red.

“Will you just take a seat, Olivia?” I asked, leaning back against the sofa cushions.

“Take a seat? Emma, I am literally vibrating with rage!” she snapped, finally stopping to glare at me. “Six years! You gave him six years of your life and then he has the guts to cheat on you with that snake. As if that isn't humiliating enough, they had the audacity to parade their engagement in your face in public? I want to find him and pop his balls. No, I want to pop his head.”

“You want to pop his balls or his head? Which one?”

“Come to think of it, I think I’d gladly pop both.”

I couldn't help but let out a small, tired laugh. Olivia was always the funny, loud one. The complete opposite of me. She was the crazy type people didn't mess with. She was also the type to spend her last dollar to get the latest Louis Vuitton bag or a designer dress. She was fashionable, an extrovert, and fiercely loyal.

“I already told them to rot in hell,” I said quietly. My voice was much steadier than I expected it to be. “And I’m really serious about attending the wedding.”

Olivia froze. Her mouth hung open, and she stared at me as if I had suddenly grown a second head.

“You’re really serious?” she repeated, her voice dropping from a scream to a low whisper. “Emma, have you lost your mind? That’s not a wedding; that’s a crime scene! Why would you want to watch them exchange vows?“

I knew exactly what she was thinking. Allysia had intentionally invited me to show off, to make me a laughingstock in front of everyone again, just like she did last night. But this time, she was the one who was going to be shocked. When I walked in with her own brother by my side as my date, the look on her face would be worth every bit of pain. The thought made a slow smile spread across my lips.

“Oh my god,” Olivia suddenly breathed. Her eyes lit up like she’d just had a massive realization. “If you’re going to the wedding, that definitely means you’re doing a revenge entrance. Come to think of it, Emma, this is the most exciting thing you’ve ever said.”

She walked over and grabbed my shoulders, turning me to face her. She looked me up and down like I was a house that needed an emergency renovation.

“If you’re going to walk into that lion’s den, you need to look like a completely different Emma. We are talking high-fashion. We are talking 'kill them with a look.' And since I’m the one with the maxed-out credit cards and the eye for style, you are officially under my command.”

I smiled. The fire in my chest finally felt like it had a purpose.

“That’s why I still need you in my life, Liv. I want to change everything.”

“Yes! You have no idea how much I’ve been waiting for this day!” Olivia squealed, jumping with excitement. “Step one: We get rid of those annoying oversized shirts, jeans and yes…those annoying glasses. Step two:we go shopping. Step three: we find a hair salon that can handle that honey-brown mane of yours. And step four..” She paused, her eyes narrowing. “You need to go out there, get yourself someone way hotter than that scumbag, and move on to show him he’s nothing.”

My mind drifted back to Adrian.

I thought about the way he had touched me this morning at his place. He had turned me on so easily, only to destroy my expectations by dropping me home and zooming off like nothing had happened, like we didn’t have the hottest night together last night. It was annoying.

For him, I was just another girl on his long list. He had probably tasted half the ladies in San Francisco, and I wasn’t any different to him.

But for me, that night was stuck in my head. I wasn't expecting a fairy tale from a guy like him, and Adrian Beaufort wasn’t someone I wanted in my life, but I couldn't deny that I wanted more of that goodness I got from him last night. I only wanted the fun part, and I knew he was in for the fun alone, too. When the time was right, we’d go our separate ways. But right now, the fire was still burning.

“Hellooo? Earth to Emma!” Olivia’s voice jerked me out of my thoughts.

I blinked and turned to her. “Sorry, I just...” I waved a hand in the air dismissively.

Olivia’s expression softened, and she sat down beside me. “You look like you’re about to cry. It’s Trevor, isn't it? You're grieving.”

The truth was so far from grieving it was almost funny. I wasn't thinking about Trevor at all. I still loved Trevor and I wanted him back, but my head was filled with the memory of Adrian’s hands on my skin. I couldn't exactly tell her that I was craving the touch of my ex-best friend's brother.

“The last time I grieved was when I lost my dad, Olivia,” I said firmly, standing up. “There is nothing to grieve for about Trevor.

And I meant it. There was no point in grieving for someone who wasn't truly gone from my life yet. I wasn't just going to walk away and let Allysia win. We had six years of history, six years of building a future together. I was going to take him back. He belonged in the life we had planned, and I was going to make sure he realized that.