Knight In Shining Armour (The Wedding Series #1.5)

Chapter Sixteen

"I am happy for you, you know," I admitted, attempting to convince myself as well as her. I hoped it worked. "As I said, I didn't come to your room with a hidden agenda. Nor did I choose to step in as your maid of honour to win you back or whatever. I genuinely wanted to help you out the best I could. But if I weren't such an idiot and asked you out when I should have, I'd be the one you're marrying tomorrow. I know it. But I was too scared I'd ruin our friendship, and so I didn't. It's my fault, and I'm not allowed to be anything but happy for you. If you're happy... I'm happy."

"Thank you." Felicity said. In a move that surprised me, she placed a hand on top of mine on the bed sheet. My heart stuttered at the contact, but I didn't move an inch in case she pulled back. If this was the only contact she was able to afford me, I would accept it in a heartbeat. "Now, if only you were like this all those years ago, we could've been great friends."

Risking everything, I decided to throw caution to the wind and turned my hand, so my palm faced the sky, and I laced my fingers with Felicity's. I expected her to pull away, but thankfully, her hand remained the same.

"I know," I said, as an almost distraction from our connected hands. "But at least we can make a clean slate. I can now be your best guy friend. Because my sister would kill me if I tried to take the mantle of best friend."

She laughed. "I'd like that. Not the killing part. The you being my best guy friend part."

Silence consumed the room as we stared into each other's eyes. Time appeared to halt completely. The words we spoke sounded friendly enough, yet the tension in the room felt entirely electric and somehow not quite platonic. But it was impossible to put my finger on why.

Everything on the irrational side of my brain told me that this was the perfect opportunity to kiss her, to cement my feelings for her. It could've been so easy to just lean forward and press my lips to hers. Without the minor complication of her fiancé, and the fact that she obviously did not reciprocate my feelings, of course.

Luckily, rationality won, and I tore my gaze from her. If I kissed her now, I had no idea what would happen, but I figured it would probably involve a slap in the face. Reluctantly, I pulled my hand from the warmth of Felicity's and I slapped my thighs, ready to stand.

"Right, well, we've both had far too much to drink." So much so I even considered kissing an almost married woman. "And you have a big day tomorrow. So, I think it's time for me to leave. You don't want to be a bride with a sore head."

Felicity nodded, and we strolled to the door. I expected my legs to wobble as I walked, but perhaps I was less drunk and more sound of mind than I thought. So, if my head was rational, why did I want to kiss Felicity so badly?

"Thank you for tonight," Felicity said as if she didn't realise the words came out of her mouth. "I needed that. I've missed Layla so much, and you've been the perfect stand-in. Well, almost... if you discount the arguments, the change of plans and the untimely confessions, of course. But I've enjoyed some aspects."

Oddly, we shared a laugh. How could we laugh when we had both endured the most bizarre couple of weeks together? Nothing about this situation was normal, so maybe the only thing we could do was laugh.

"I try." Shrugging, I attempted to act nonchalant.

"I didn't mean to have a meltdown at the restaurant." Felicity said as she scratched her eyebrow, although she had nothing to explain. "Everything got a bit much for me. And those old memories didn't help, either. I'm more than happy to brush everything from before under the carpet if you want."

"I'd be so grateful for that. I know I made a mistake in bringing up the past, and I wouldn't want it to have a negative impact on your marriage. That's the last thing I want." As the words came out of my mouth, I tried to mean every single one, but I wasn't sure how well it came across. We shared a smile. "Now, I would say get some beauty sleep, but you don't need it."