Faking With You (Destined Love #5)
Chapter 1
Mac
She’s a virgin.
When my teammates and their girls forced me to attend this New Year’s Eve party, the last thing I expected was to learn that Eliza Pierce is a virgin.
The woman is gorgeous, with jet-black hair that’s just long enough for you to want to grab a fistful of and soft brown eyes that show she’s hiding more from the world than you’d think.
She managed to capture my attention the first time I saw her in the hockey rink over a year ago.
She laughs at something with her friend Zoey and quickly folds her paper.
I give my head a shake and return to the task we were given.
We’re all supposed to write something we want to accomplish in the New Year and then burn it.
Some poked fun at it, but everyone went along with the plan.
That’s how I found myself looking over Eliza’s shoulder to see she wrote finally have sex on her paper.
My interactions with Eliza have been minimal, more viewing from the outside, but the confidence she has when she’s with her friends and her beauty had me thinking she’d been out with many men.
They must chase her. It only leads me to believe that none have met her standards.
I was curious about her before, but knowing no one has been good enough for her so far has me even more intrigued.
Olivia, my teammate Josh’s wife, stands in front of the group, folding her paper as she says, “Don’t tell anyone what you wrote. We’re all going to toss them in the fire and let them burn, the smoke helping manifest the goal.”
I fight the urge to shake my head at the ridiculousness of this manifestation rubbish but fold my paper in half after writing something down and walk to the fire like everyone else, tossing it in and watching it burn.
Turning, I head back to the kitchen in search of a drink, preferably one with alcohol. I’m not a social person. I much prefer to keep to myself, going straight from work to home, only venturing out for my recreational hockey games.
The only reason I accepted the invitation tonight was because something had me wanting to catch a glimpse of Eliza. She has a captivating air about her that intrigues me.
With a beer in hand, I make my way around the room, eventually finding Caleb, whose visibly pregnant wife is leaning against him.
Caleb and I are most alike in that we both prefer to socialize as little as possible.
That’s changed some now that he’s married and has a six-year-old daughter whom he adores.
I silently watched from the sidelines as Bailey and her daughter, Charlie, slowly wrapped Caleb around their little fingers.
I know he wouldn’t have it any other way.
Caleb nods as I stop beside him. He and Bailey are listening as Olivia talks about the differences she’s experiencing in her current pregnancy compared to her first. I’m a few years older than everyone here.
I’m the only one in my thirties, and while they’re all settling down and starting families, I’m not sure that’s what I want, or if it is, when I’ll get one.
I scan the room, noticing how the groups have broken off, mainly couples, as they chat and drink.
I don’t see Eliza with any of them, though.
I eventually spot her alone in the kitchen and silently make my way to her.
She’s studying the tray of different sandwich meats, cheeses, and crackers, picking at it as she spins her glass of wine on the counter.
I have no idea how anyone could ignore her.
The second my gaze lands on her, I experience this pull to be closer to her and feel her hair between my fingers or have her eyes on me.
Her head turns slightly as I stop at her side.
“Why are we hiding over here?” I ask.
She regards me out of the corner of her eye before saying, “Didn’t feel much like socializing.”
I hum in acknowledgement. “Then why are you here?” I ask.
“My friends. How about you?”
I eat up the sight of her, my eyes taking their fill, knowing I can’t spend too much time over here without getting questions from the guys.
“I have my reasons,” I say, taking a cube of cheese and plopping it in my mouth before walking away and joining some new conversation.
I check my watch, trying to figure out how much longer I need to stay before I can duck out for the night.
It’s eleven, and I know I’m not getting out until after midnight, which means I’m likely stuck here for another hour and a half.
I partake in conversation as little as possible, moving around to different groups.
Just before midnight, Zoey gathers everyone in the living room, and we watch as the ball drops, everyone counting along.
As we all yell one, one of Eliza’s friends hip checks her and she comes stumbling into me.
I catch her as we yell, “Happy New Year!” and everyone around us kisses.
She looks around for a few seconds before her eyes land back on me, my hand flattening across her lower back, pulling her closer.
Her eyes flick to my lips, and I decide to go for it before it becomes weird.
I bend, closing the distance between us. Her lashes flutter as my lips find hers. It’s a soft kiss. An innocent one, but it sends heat radiating through me in a way that sticks around even when she pulls back. She doesn’t shy away, though, she holds eye contact with me, licking her lips.
My hand is still splayed across her back, holding her close, when her friends descend, wishing us both a happy New Year. My hand drops, and I step back a few paces. Her eyes track my movements, even as she talks to her friends.
I slowly begin saying my goodbyes in an effort to escape and head home.
When I finally step outside, I take in a lungful of cool, crisp winter air.
It’s snowing slightly as I make my way to my car.
As I pull away from the house, my phone rings through the car system, and I hold back a groan as my father’s contact fills the screen.
It’s half-past twelve in the morning here, which means it’s half-past eight in London.
He’s probably in the office even though it’s a holiday, and I doubt he’s calling to wish me a happy New Year.
I debate whether I should answer it; I’m already drained from a night of socializing.
Before I make a final decision, it goes to voicemail, and I turn the music up as I make my way back to my downtown flat.