Craving My Brother's Best Friend (Bailey and Kaleb) novel Chapter 30

**The Night We Borrowed Fire from a Broken Star by Selvin Arlo Crest**

**Bailey’s POV**

I pressed my lips together tightly, fighting the urge to smile. The thrill of the moment was almost overwhelming, and I could feel my heart racing in my chest.

Beside me, Selena was practically vibrating with excitement, her entire body trembling as if she had just been handed the keys to a treasure chest.

She gripped my arm, her eyes wide with anticipation, and squeaked like a child who had just won a lifetime supply of candy.

“Spill, girl! Tell me everything!” she exclaimed, her voice ringing out loud and clear, drawing attention from nearby tables.

I shook my head vigorously, trying to pull away from her grasp. “There’s nothing to spill,” I insisted, my voice barely above a whisper.

But Selena wasn’t having any of it. She playfully shoved me, her hands gently cupping my face, forcing me to look her in the eye.

“Bailey, come on! You can’t just keep me in the dark like this. I need to know everything!”

Feeling cornered, I stood up from my seat and climbed over two chairs, desperately searching for somewhere to hide my face.

Selena, relentless as ever, followed me and plopped down right beside me again, her grip on my wrist tightening as if she feared I would make a run for it.

“Seriously, tell me everything! When did you and Kaleb start dating? Does your family know now? What’s happening? I’m so hurt! After all the advice I gave you about getting him, I had no idea you two were already… you know…”

Her voice dropped to a conspiratorial whisper, but the word she chose echoed like a siren in my ears.

I quickly covered her mouth, glancing around to see if anyone had overheard her shout about us “doing it.”

“Don’t say it like that!” I hissed, my cheeks burning with embarrassment.

“Why not?” she shot back, her eyes sparkling with mischief. “Are you telling me you guys aren’t dating and… you know… sleeping together?”

I could feel the heat radiating from my face, which had turned as red as a ripe tomato.

Selena had no filter; once she opened her mouth, there was no stopping her. After witnessing me and Kaleb sharing a kiss, she was like a dog with a bone, determined to extract every last detail from me.

My heart had raced when she smiled and closed the door behind us, knowing full well that her enthusiasm was a double-edged sword. I was genuinely terrified she would announce our secret rendezvous to the world, especially in a place as public as this café.

After that, I had fled back to the café, refusing to meet her gaze. Kaleb had grabbed his bag and left in a hurry, with Lila chasing after him, her face a mix of confusion and concern.

“I have something urgent to attend to, and with Kaleb gone, I think we should wrap up the group meeting,” I had said, trying to sound casual.

Ethan raised an eyebrow at me, a playful grin on his face. “Why? I was enjoying this meeting,” he replied, clearly amused.

Of course, Selena had to chime in with her usual antics. She pointed at me, laughter bubbling up uncontrollably.

“Yeah, let’s stop here! I know you have a kiss… I mean, business to handle! Our Bailey is too busy kissing…”

The café felt like it was closing in on me, the walls constricting as I stood up, my face burning with embarrassment.

“I’m leaving,” I muttered, my voice barely audible.

I hurried out, but Selena was hot on my heels, her determination unyielding.

Since that day, she hadn’t let up, bombarding me with questions and demanding every single detail about my relationship with Kaleb.

But now, there was no escaping her, as we were stuck together for an hour with other volunteers out in the field.

We were supposed to be working, but Selena’s focus was solely on me and Kaleb.

Her face was so close to mine now, eyes shimmering with excitement like flames. I sighed softly, knowing I was cornered.

“Okay! What do you want to know?” I blurted out, the words spilling from my lips before I could think.

Selena squealed, the sound so loud that two nearby volunteers turned their heads in our direction. But she didn’t care; her excitement was palpable.

She clapped her hands and leaned forward, practically bouncing in her seat. “Everything!” she shouted, her enthusiasm infectious.

I knew I wouldn’t find peace until I shared something with her.

“Fine,” I whispered, leaning closer so that only she could hear me. “I’ll tell you everything.”

Her entire body tensed with anticipation, her eyes wide. “Yes! Go on!” she urged, practically vibrating with eagerness.

I took a deep breath and began to recount how it all started, how Kaleb and I had been spending every night together, and how our connection had deepened beyond just a kiss.

My cheeks felt like they were on fire as I spoke, recalling the night my mom and David almost caught us.

“He was in my apartment,” I said quickly, the words tumbling out. “He slept over.”

Selena’s eyes widened, and she leaned in closer, her curiosity piqued. “What did your mom say when she saw him?”

Yet, Selena was right. We needed to clarify our relationship and figure out what we were to each other.

“Speak of the devil,” Selena whispered suddenly, a sly grin spreading across her face.

I turned my head, and my heart skipped a beat.

Kaleb was striding toward us, his dark hair falling over his forehead, his expression unreadable yet captivating.

“I have to go,” I said quickly, standing up before Selena could make things worse by saying something to him.

“Bailey…” she called after me, her voice trailing behind me.

I walked quickly, trying to escape before he reached us.

And of course, her voice echoed across the field. “Have fun!”

I froze mid-step, heat flooding my cheeks, before forcing myself to keep moving forward.

When I finally reached Kaleb, he looked at me with narrowed eyes, his gaze piercing. He didn’t say anything at first, allowing me to slide my hand into his.

I held on gently, half-expecting him to pull away as he sometimes did, but surprisingly, he didn’t. His warm hand remained in mine, and I smiled up at him, feeling a rush of relief.

He raised an eyebrow, curiosity etched on his face. “What were you talking about so seriously with Selena?”

I looked away, the weight of my secret heavy on my shoulders. There was no way I could tell him. “Just… girl talk,” I said lightly, trying to sound casual.

He regarded me for a moment, but thankfully, he didn’t press further. That was when I noticed an ugly bruise along the side of his neck.

“What’s that?” I asked, reaching up to touch it softly, concern flooding my voice.

Kaleb paled, turning his head away as if to hide it. “It’s nothing,” he muttered, his tone dismissive. “I got hurt during training.”

I frowned, feeling a knot form in my stomach. This wasn’t the first time. Kaleb always seemed to come back with new bruises or cuts.

I wondered just how grueling the training was for scholarship athletes. How hard did they push themselves? Why was he always the one returning with injuries?

I opened my mouth to ask more, but before I could utter another word, he leaned down and kissed me.

In that instant, all my thoughts scattered like leaves in the wind, and I forgot everything I had wanted to say.