Eric always saw everything even though he rarely said anything. The fucker was like a mind reader. I didn't want him diving too deep into my relationship with Amber.

"It's more than that. I never thought I'd say this, but I swear that you love her."

I snorted. "You can't be serious."

"I am. I just think that you're either too stubborn and scared to admit it, or you just haven't realized it yet."

"I don't love women, Eric. I enjoy them. Just because I actually like Amber doesn't mean that I'm in love with her."

"You sure about that?"

"Positive."

"If you say so, but if you want my opinion, I think you should sit down and really think about what you want from her. Amber seems like a good girl, Adam. If you give her a chance, I think she will be good for you. She could even make you happy."

"I am happy," I said as we rounded the corner.

Amber was already parked in front of Drake's house. Pretending not to care about what Eric was saying, I watched as she climbed out of her car.

"Keep telling yourself that. Maybe one day, it will be true," Eric said.

We walked down the sidewalk and up to Drake's house without saying another word. Amber followed us to the front door. After Eric unlocked it, we all stepped inside.

Amber headed toward the living room, but I grabbed her and pulled her back against me. "Where do you think you're going?"

Eric rolled his eyes as he walked past us and into the living room. "Remember, the walls are thin. I can hear everything."

I laughed. "If you get too excited from listening, you can always join us."

Amber turned and smacked me on the chest.

Eric just laughed. "I think I'll pass, but thanks for the offer." He dropped down on the couch and turned on the TV.

I noticed when he turned up the volume-a lot. From the smile on her face, Amber seemed to notice, too.

I chuckled as I led Amber back to the bedroom. As soon as I closed the door behind us, I pulled her to me and kissed her. She moaned as she pressed her body up against mine. My dick was instantly hard again. Amber pulled far enough away to reach between us and cup me through my jeans. I groaned against her lips.

"I've had a hard-on since you kissed me in the clearing. Then, you kept wiggling your ass against me in the bar. I thought I was going to lose my mind."

She grinned as she pulled away from me. "Let me see if I can help you then."

I watched as she undid the buttons on my shirt and pushed it down my arms. Her fingers moved across the bare skin of my chest and over my tattoos before exploring lower. I closed my eyes as she became reacquainted with my body. She traced every bump and every crease of my stomach before moving lower again. Her hands found the button on my jeans, and quickly popped it open. She smiled as she tugged on the zipper and then pulled my jeans and boxers over my hips. I stepped out of them as she dropped to her knees in front of me. My entire body tensed as I tried to prepare myself for what she was about to do. After months of dreaming and jacking off to thoughts of her sucking me, I was finally getting what I wanted.

She grabbed my hard cock and squeezed it tight. I sucked in a sharp breath as my fingers found her hair and tangled through her curls. She leaned forward and took just the tip into her mouth. She sucked gently as her tongue swirled around the tip.

I groaned, my hips thrusting forward. She took me deeper before pulling back. I started panting as she sucked me deeper again, her hand constantly squeezing and pulling.

"Fuckin' hell, woman. That mouth of yours . . ." I moaned as I roughly yanked on her hair.

She winced but didn't slow her pace. My hips thrust forward over and over as I fucked her mouth. I was losing control. My body stiffened suddenly, and then I finally released. I roared as my cum shot into Amber's mouth.

I clenched my fists as I fought to gain control. When my body finally relaxed, Amber released me and stood. My chest was rising and falling quickly as I stared down at her. I hoped my eyes showed how much I needed her, how much I wanted her.

Without a word, I reached out and tugged her dress over her head. She stood in front of me in only a thin white thong. Her nipples tightened as my eyes trailed down her body. I reached out and grabbed her thong before yanking it down her legs.

Once it was gone, I grabbed her hips and pulled her to the bed. As soon as she dropped down onto it, I dropped to my knees in front of her. She gasped as I shoved my head between her legs. I sucked her clit into my mouth, loving the way she cried out. My tongue attacked her, flicking over it faster and faster. Her taste and her smell invaded my senses until it was all I could focus on. Her hips came up off the bed as I shoved two fingers inside her. I shuddered, but I didn't think she noticed.

I continued to flick my tongue as I finger-fucked her. Her internal muscles tightened around my fingers, letting me know that she was about to let go. She wrapped her legs around my shoulders and pulled me tighter against her until I could barely breathe. I didn't give a fuck. I could die with my head buried between her legs for all I cared. It'd be the best goddamn way to go.

She let out a cry, and I had no doubt that Eric could hear her, even with the TV blaring. Her body shook as her orgasm took over.

I forced myself to pull away from her. Her body was still trembling as I climbed on top of her. Coherent thought wasn't possible at the moment. The only thing I could think of was how warm and tight her pussy had felt. If I didn't fuck her, I was going to lose my mind.

I pushed into her, groaning as she tightened around me. Her breath caught as I filled her. She was so wet and hot that I almost came the moment I entered her. I pulled back and slammed into her again. I knew I was being rough, but I couldn't stop myself. I ground my hips against her, and she sucked in a sharp breath. I kept my pace hard and fast, never once slowing. I couldn't. Pure carnal lust had clouded my senses. The only thing I could think about was how she'd spasmed around my dick as she came apart.

I wrapped my lips around her nipple and sucked greedily. Amber chanted my name over and over as I felt her body beginning to clench around me again.

"I can't . . . oh God, Adam. I love you," Amber shouted.

My body locked up as I released inside her. My forehead dropped onto her, my body shaking, as I fought for every breath.

Then, her words finally registered.

I love you.

I jerked away from her and stood. She opened her eyes and gave me a questioning look.

I stood several feet away from the bed, my chest rising and falling quickly, as I tried to form a coherent thought.

She said she loved me. That . . . that wasn't possible. Amber can't love me. It would ruin everything. She knows there's absolutely no chance of us being together. She knows that.

"Why are you over there?" she asked.

I took another step back, desperate to get away. I needed to think without her around me.

"Oh shit, we didn't use anything," Amber said, her head dropping back onto the pillow. "I know you're OCD about wearing one, but I swear, I'm on the pill. You don't have to freak out."

I shook my head. She had no idea.

"You . . ."

She raised an eyebrow. "What?"

"You said you loved me." My voice came out hoarse.

Amber froze. "What? No, I didn't."

"Yes, you did." I took another step back. I was tempted to run from the room. I'd rather have Eric see my naked ass than deal with what was happening in here.

"No, I didn't," Amber repeated.

"Jesus fucking mother holy son of a bitch!" I shouted. I was losing it. I could feel it. "Yeah, you did. When you came, you told me you loved me."

"I didn't . . ." Amber trailed off as the blood drained from her face. "I . . . holy shit. I didn't mean it, Adam. It just slipped out in the heat of the moment. I say stupid shit when I have sex."

"You've never done that before," I said. My voice still didn't sound right, even to my own ears. "Never."

"I don't know why it slipped out. I'm sorry."

I closed my eyes for a moment and willed my body to calm down. If my heart beat much faster, it would fall out of my chest. I didn't want to be in this situation. I'd let myself get so caught up in Amber that the thought of her feelings growing didn't really cross my mind.

We liked each other. We were friends. We fucked like animals. That much I'd been aware of.

Anything else was impossible.

Eric had seen this coming. He'd known when he asked me how I felt about Amber. Maybe he had tried to warn me. Or maybe he had tried to get me to consider the possibility of more with Amber.

I stepped closer to Amber, my entire body rigid. We had to settle this-now.

When I reached the bed, I sat down next to her. "Do you?" I asked quietly.

"I . . . no, of course not," Amber said.

Even I heard the shakiness of her voice. She was fooling neither of us, and she knew it.

"Don't lie to me," I said. "Do you?"

She stared up at me for a moment. "Would it make a difference?"

I stilled. "No."

"Then, why are you asking me?"

"Because I need to know."

Tears suddenly filled her eyes. I started to lift my hand to comfort her, but I couldn't bring myself to do it. I couldn't let her think I cared because I didn't. I couldn't.

Then, why do I feel like she just punched me in the gut?

I didn't want her to hurt like this. I couldn't bear the thought of her suffering because of me.

"Yes. I think I fell in love with you the moment I saw you."

I jerked back as if she'd hit me. I stood and started pacing the room. "This wasn't supposed to happen! Goddamn it, Amber!"

"I'm sorry, you asshole. If I had a choice in the matter, I wouldn't. God knows I've tried to stay away from you. I've done everything I could possibly think of to make myself forget you. It didn't work. Every man I slept with, every kiss, every little thing always reminded me of you. None of them were enough to make me forget about you for long."

I froze. Every man she slept with? Just how many fucking men has she been with since I left for Los Angeles?

Jealousy surged through my body. I didn't want anyone touching her but me.

"How many men have you slept with?"

"Excuse me?" she asked in disbelief.

"How many men have you slept with since I've been gone?"

"Why the fuck does that matter?"

"It just does," I said, my voice tinged with so much anger. I worried that I would hit something if I didn't calm down.

"I don't know how many," Amber finally said. "I've lost count. I lost count a long time ago."

My blood boiled. I wanted to demand names. I wanted to leave this room and kill every single one of them.

"Don't sit there and pretend you haven't been with other women."

My eyes narrowed. "I have."

"And that's okay, but it's not okay for me to have sex? Talk about a fucking hypocrite."

Of course it was okay for me to fuck other women. I was a whore. I had been for a long time, much longer than I'd known her. She was so different from me. She was too good to lower herself to my level. She deserved better.

"You're different. No one can touch you."

She snorted. "That's bullshit, and you know it."

"The thought of someone else touching you and moving inside you makes me want to rip that fucker's head off. You're mine!" I shouted.

"I'm not yours," she spit out. "You made sure I understood that-repeatedly. The thought of me loving you sends you running across the room, yet you don't want me to be with anyone else. What the hell do you expect from me?"

I had no idea. I wanted her, but I didn't want to keep her. I couldn't.

But the thought of her being with others made me want to scream.

"I . . . I don't know," I said, looking away.

"What am I to you?" Amber asked, her voice barely above a whisper.

I stared at her.

A minute ticked by and then another.

My eyes traveled over every inch of her beautiful body. My heart started racing again when I looked into her eyes. I let the last two years flow through my mind-Amber making me laugh, pissing me off, driving me nuts.

She made me feel.

"You're everything to me," I said, speaking the truth before I'd fully processed it. "But it doesn't matter. It never has, and it never will."