Falling for His Best Friend

By Sidney Bristol

Carey’s had the hots for his best friend and outdoor adventures coworker Elise for two years, but the timing has never been right. Now they’re both single, and Carey wants to entice her into an adventure for just the two of them. In the bedroom, in the hot tub, under the beautiful Colorado sky…

Elise doesn’t buy into the idea of love, but lust she understands. Carey’s friendship is important, but a relationship doesn’t fit into Elise’s five-year plan. She isn’t looking to repeat her parents’ mistakes.

With secrets coming out from under every rock and desire unchecked, this adventure might make more than the water on their rafting trips rush.

**Formerly titled Personal Adventures and sold by Ellora's Cave**

• Language: English
• Publisher: Sidney Bristol
• Release date: Jan 2, 2015
• ISBN: 9781507053164

Book preview

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Falling for His Best Friend

Sidney Bristol

Inked Pres

Carey’s had the hots for his best friend and outdoor adventures coworker Elise for two years, but the timing has never been right. Now they’re both single, and Carey wants to entice her into an adventure for just the two of them. In the bedroom, in the hot tub, under the beautiful Colorado sky...

Elise doesn’t buy into the idea of love, but lust she understands. Carey’s friendship is important, but a relationship doesn’t fit into Elise’s five-year plan. She isn’t looking to repeat her parents’ mistakes.

With secrets coming out from under every rock and desire unchecked, this adventure might make more than the water on their rafting trips rush.

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There are all kinds of love in this world but never the same love twice.

―F. SCOTT FITZGERALD

Table of Contents

Chapter One

Chapter Two

Chapter Three

Chapter Four

Chapter Five

Chapter Six

Chapter Seven

Chapter Eight

Chapter Nine

1.

Chapter One

Carey was so nervous his balls were sweating. Today he was going to do it. He was going to stop acting as if he were a mooning teenager and ask her out.

Grabbing another set of oars, he slid them onto pegs mounted into the barn wall. The scent of fall, crisp, with a hint of wood smoke and cooling pie, was thick on the air. All they needed were warmed mugs of apple cider to make the day complete. It was the short lull in Colorado between the summer white-water rapid and hiking tours ending, and when they would begin prepping for the winter cross-country and snowmobile tours. If he wanted to set the foundation for a relationship with Elise, he needed to get his act in gear and do it now. While they had time to enjoy being together.

Nerves still eating at him, Carey struggled to refocus his thoughts on storing the summer gear instead of day dreaming about his best friend. He recited dollar amounts that would need to be spent fixing the summer equipment, not to mention the winter gear they hadn’t had the cash to repair at the end of the last season. Not that learning how to shoulder the business was relaxing, but he loved his job. Which was a far cry from where his life had been headed two years ago. Before Adventures and Elise.

Licking his lips, he glanced over his shoulder at her. She was bent over, gathering oars and humming along to the radio. The alluring visual of her ass was one he’d admired all summer.

He ducked his head as she straightened. The nerves were back. He couldn’t help it. If she said no, if Elise wasn’t interested, their friendship would never be the same. But he was getting too old to waste his time. Turning thirty hadn’t been so bad, but something about rolling over to thirty-one at the beginning of the summer had done a number on him. He wasn’t a kid anymore, and he needed to man up and ask her out.

Squeezing his eyes shut, he sucked in a deep breath of the air perfumed with fresh straw, newly cut grass and burning leaves. He’d been here two years. Two years during which he’d found himself. It was time to do something else. Take a chance.

What are you doing tonight? Carey briefly closed his eyes. He sounded so lame.

I need to get an oil change on the Jeep. Elise appeared at his side, her arms burdened with oars. Mom called me this morning, probably wants me to come up to the reservation for something.

That got his attention. He scooped the oars out of her arms, relishing the light brush of her skin against his. Your mom’s back with your dad? On the reservation?

She threw her arms up. I know, don’t ask me.

So are they back together as in married, or—? He pushed the oars onto the pegs and turned to face her. He couldn’t imagine a family life like hers. While his family came with their peculiar brand of baggage, they loved and supported one another.

Elise turned to gaze out of the shed at the Arkansas River. I think they got remarried in Vegas. Does it sound bad if I say I don’t care anymore?

No, he said quickly. He didn’t know much about her family, but what he knew didn’t speak of weekends spent making cookies or snuggling by the fire while the snow blanketed the ground.

She went back to the pile of oars and picked up another load. Yeah, well, you don’t get to pick your family, I guess, do you?

No, you don’t. Carey took a deep breath. He had to go for it. Taking the oars from her, he tried to sound casual. Go out with me tonight instead.

She wrinkled her nose and shook her head. Nah, I don’t feel like going to the bar.

Fat drops of sweat rolled down his spine and chest. He was going to have to spell it out. He bought some time rolling the oars onto the pegs before turning to face her. No, I mean go out. With me. On a date.

Elise’s almond-shaped eyes widened, giving him the full impact of her dark gaze. The combination of her Native American father and Asian mother was stunning. Proud cheekbones tapered to a delicate jaw. The sun baked her skin to a deep golden brown that begged to be sprinkled with brown sugar and licked. Compared to him she was small, maybe five three, but Elise was one tough cookie. He’d struggled to keep up with her climbing some of the peaks. It was one of the reasons he didn’t want to screw up something that could be good on so many levels. She challenged him.

Why? she squeaked.

Because, this is the first time we’ve both been single. I think we could be good together. That was an understatement. Carey knew they had chemistry, but the timing had always been off.

She bit her lip. I don’t see a point in us dating. Each word punched a hole in Carey’s ego. We already know each other.

Every nerve in his body went on alert. He lifted a hand to grasp one of the pegs and squeezed. So what are you saying? We skip the dating and jump into the sack? He forced a grin at the intentional misunderstanding.

Shaking her head, Elisa let out a burst of nervous laughter. This is more awkward than the conversation about foot fungus.

Oh come on. He pushed her shoulder lightly, keeping his smile firmly in place. Talking about anal sex was worse.

Oh god, I try to forget that whole night. She pressed her hands to her cheeks. He’d rarely seen her off balance.

While thoughts of dirty sex with Elise appealed to him, Carey wanted more than a roll in the sack. She hadn’t said no, which meant she’d thought about being with him too. He wasn’t alone. He’d always been the kind of guy who went for what he wanted, and this would not be the exception. So what do you say, Elly? Do you want to go on a date with me? Or do you want to skip that and—

Stop, Elise yelped and spun away.

She went back to the pile of oars and retrieved the last armful. He watched her cross to him and stop. When he didn’t reach out automatically to take them from her, she shoved the oars