I was standing in Margaritaville, waiting on Carter to return with our drinks and I was trying to hide the fact that I was a cesspool of emotions.

“Something wrong?” Carter handed me a beer.

“No. Just wondering why we always promise to come here last, yet we always end up here first.”

“Bad habit.” He tucked a strand of hair behind my ear. “What’s really wrong?”

“Nothing…” I lied. “Nothing at all.”

“Carter! Arizona!” Josh walked over, clearly buzzed within an inch of his life. “What are you two doing here? No, wait. Don’t answer that.”

“You guys want to bar hop with us?” The girl hanging on his shoulder asked. “We’re going to head down to 13th Street and try to make it back down here within two hours.”

“All cover charges are on me!” Josh made an offer we couldn’t refuse.

We left the bar, walking through the city’s balmy night air. I shivered when we made it several blocks down and immediately felt Carter placing his blazer over my shoulders.

“You know what’s going to be funny five to six years from now?” Josh asked as we stood in line at Club Red.”

“What?”

“When one of you gets married. If it’s you, Carter, you’re going to have to explain to your wife that wherever Ari goes, you go. And I’m not sure if she’s going to take that very well.”

“Okay.” Carter shook his head. “Just how many drinks have you had tonight?”

“I’m practically sober.” Josh laughed. “But seriously though. Now that we’re done with college and out in the real world, just think about that. I seriously don’t think you two going to singles clubs together is going to be a good move anymore.”

“You two aren’t a couple?” His date spoke up. “Didn’t I see you two at the EPIC house party together?”

“No, no, no…” Josh said. “They’re together wherever they go. Don’t even try to question anything. It’s the weirdest friendship I’ve ever seen so just roll with it like I do. Guess what the best part about it is, though?”

“What?” She looked utterly intrigued.

“They’ve never even thought about crossing the line,” he said. “Known each other since fifth grade—”

“Fourth grade,” I corrected him.

“Okay, fourth grade,” he said. “Yet they’ve never even so much as kissed each other. If I was a sap and they weren’t my friends, I’d actually think the idea is kind of sweet…”

“It is!” She laughed. “Okay, I must have seen two other people all over each other at the party. That’s cool…Strictly friends minus the attraction? I like that.”

“I like it, too.” Josh said. “Let me know if one of your spouses ever tries to claim you’re cheating via a divorce. I’d be more than happy to volunteer to be your lawyer.”

“Thanks…” We managed in unison.

Josh handed the bouncer a twenty, and after the man checked all of our IDs, we headed straight for the bar. Josh started a tab and encouraged us to “live it up,” and I realized why he was being so generous:

1) He’d been accepted to intern at the number one law firm in the city;

2) He was trying to get laid. ASAP.

From the looks of things, it was definitely going to happen.

The four of us moved from club to club—drinking, laughing, dancing recklessly. Every now and then, I felt Carter’s not-so-subtle touches in public: His hand on my hips whenever I danced, his fingers brushing against mine whenever we walked. And each time our eyes met, I felt my heart flip, felt it beat at a faster pace.

By the time we reached the seventh bar, Josh and his date had long abandoned us and we were tossing back weak shots alone.

“You have to tilt your head back, Ari.” Carter tilted my chin up. “Otherwise you won’t get the full effect of the liquor...”

“I’m knocking back cranberry juice.” I laughed. “There is no effect.”

“All of those are cranberry juice?”

“Yeah. Someone has to drive.” I pointed to the three large drinks in front of him. “We can’t both be inebriated.”

He looked at me a long time, slowly shaking his head. “They’re all Cranberry juice as well.”

“You’re not drunk? Not tipsy in the slightest?”

“No…”

“Then… Since Josh left us, are you ready to go?”

“I thought you’d never ask.” He stood up and took my hand, leading me out and down the street. “My place or yours?”

“Yours…” I clasped his hand behind the gear shift and we rode to his place in silence.

When he pulled into the driveway, he looked over at me. “What time is your flight Friday?”

“Ten in the morning,” I said, knowing he already knew the answer to that question.

“What day are you unpacking everything and repacking it with a spreadsheet?”

I smiled. “Tomorrow.”

“Will you need help?”

I nodded.

“Okay.” He cut off the engine. “I’ll be there.”

Silence.

He got out of the car and opened my door, leading me inside his house for what was probably the last time this summer. When we made it to his room, I took off the blazer he’d given me and opened my purse.

“I meant to give this to you weeks ago.” I pulled out the blue box my room-mates wanted me to pass along. “It’s a farewell present since they consider you a roommate, too.”

“Is it a bill for all the groceries I’ve eaten?” He untied the ribbon on top, and held up the small silver necklace that read, Arizona’s Best Friend Forever. “This is very cute, but I’m pretty sure I’ll never wear this…”

“They gave me one, too.” I laughed. “It says Carter’s Best Friend Forever…She said they were drunk when they picked these out.”

“Clearly…” He set the necklace on his dresser and pulled me close, running his fingers through my hair.

Looking into his eyes, I wanted to use our last full night together to tell him how I felt about him, to hear him say the same, but I couldn’t get the words out.

Instead, I took the safe approach. “Do you know that I’ve gotten used to you always being a few blocks, or a few miles away? You being accessible no matter what?”

“What makes you think I don’t feel the same way?”

“Do you?”

“Yes,” he said, kissing my lips. He slowly pulled my shirt over my head and unfastened my jeans.

I returned the favor, pulling his shirt over his head, unbuckling his belt.

Smiling, he picked me up and set me on the bed—slowly pulling the pants from my legs. I kept my eyes on his as he took his off, as he joined me in bed and immediately kissed my lips—not letting me control the tempo.

He kissed me and I shut my eyes—letting him caress every inch of my skin, listening to him whisper my name in between breaths. Within seconds, he pulled me on top of him and positioned me over his cock, slowly pushing me onto it. Grabbing my hips, he slowly rocked me back and forth—all while keeping his eyes on mine.