I blushed.

“Well... maybe. She really WAS the most gorgeous thing I'd ever seen at the time. But a while back she told me how she felt about

ME that first day we met. She thought I was cute, but nothing that got her panties wet right away. Actually, it was spending an hour watching me maintain my self-control while the rest of you teased the hell out of me that really appealed to her. She told me she didn't stay with the

BTC for you, she stayed for me."

“Well that part I knew. She's always wanted you."

“Maybe she wanted me BECAUSE she couldn't have me. She must've still been getting over Conor, and maybe even considered it a form of cheating to move on from him so soon. She never paid other guys any attention, never dated or tried to date. Because of the The Rule, she could let out her sexual desires without them actually going anywhere.

She could flirt and fantasize and rub herself up against me without worrying she'd ever actually cheat on Conor's memory, because I was

‘safe’ Matty and would never cross that line.”

“Until you two DID cross the line."

“Because YOU crossed the line first. But that was what, eight or nine months later? By then, she'd been away from Conor long enough to have moved on emotionally, or at least let herself believe she had. And only then did she finally give in to the feelings for me that had been growing all along.”

Sam nodded.

“Makes sense.”

I raised my eyebrows.

“But unleashing all that pent-up sexual tension that had been building ever since we met didn't resolve her emotional issues. I don't think she's ever stopped loving him. I don't think she ever truly loved me. And I'm not sure I ever truly loved her, either."

“Don't say that. Don't try to dismiss what you two had just because she hurt you." Sam frowned at me.

“Neevie LOVED you. And you loved her. We all could see it."

“Did she?"

“It was OBVIOUS."

"The physical chemistry was obvious. Yes, we were all over each other every time we saw each other. The sex was INCREDIBLE, and once we started our relationship, I'll readily admit I craved to be around her

24/7 and missed her terribly whenever we were apart." I sat up straight and looked over at her.

“But Love? I really don't know. Now maybe it's a function of her parents’ ridiculous weekend and evening Lockdowns, but Neevie and I really didn't ever take the time to build emotional intimacy. And I already told Belle I had doubts about whether or not we were built for the long run.”

“Seriously?”

I nodded and gestured between Sam and myself. "This conversation we're having right now? It's already deeper and more emotionally honest than any conversation I've ever had with Neevie; she would've started peeling my clothes off like ten minutes ago. Ninety percent of our time alone together was spent fucking each other's brains out. The other ten percent was spent talking about how much we wanted to fuck each other's brains out. And whenever we were apart, whenever I missed her all I could think about was how much I wanted us to be fucking each other's brains out. We had the emotional depth of a teaspoon."

Sam frowned.

“You're overstating things a bit, aren't you?"