Loathe at First Sight: A small-town enemies to lovers romance: The Lawsons: Book 1 (The Lawson's)

19. Are You Always so Snarky?

nineteen

Liz

When I first got to Singles Night, I got my fair share of dirty looks and questioning stares. But once everybody started mingling, they all seemed to forget my presence.

I talked to Jack for a while, but it’s not like either of us wants to go home with the other, so we may as well separate and try to find people we are actually interested in.

It didn’t take long after that for Jamie to find me. He’s so young, and I doubt we have much in common. But I bet he has some decent stamina in bed and would be a decent fuck. I haven’t been laid in over a year. I think I’m due.

So, why not Jamie? It’s not like anyone else is clamoring for the chance, and he’s cute.

Interrupting my thoughts, Jamie asks, “Have I told you how good you look tonight?”

He has, but it’s nice to hear as much as he wants to say it. “Thank you,” I tell him with a smile.

We haven’t been talking about all that much. Just trying to get to know each other a little better.

I ask, “What’s it like working for Jack?”

Why the hell am I bringing up Jack right now?

Instinctively, my eyes shoot over to where Jack is talking to some blonde. He seems to be hanging on to her every word.

Jamie responds, “Oh, he’s great. Couldn’t ask for a better dude to show me the ropes and teach me all about working on cars.”

“He seems like he’d be a hardass.”

“I know he comes off that way. I mean, he doesn’t take anyone’s shit, but he also pays well and would go out of his way to help out any of us if we needed it.”

Oh, come on. I’m looking for something that can help me continue with my hate of this man. Yet all anyone has to say about him is overwhelmingly positive.

“Do you want to dance?” Jamie asks.

“You dance?” I ask, surprised.

“Oh, yes, beautiful. I dance.” He holds his hand out for mine.

Although I’m not sure dancing in heels is the best thing for my ankle, I throw caution to the wind and decide to just go with it.

I take his hand, and he leads me over to the floor. Much to my surprise, he starts to lead me around like he knows what he’s doing.

“You can dance,” I tell him.

He grins. “Told you.”

We move around the floor to the quick-tempo song until it ends. The next one that plays is quite a bit slower, so he matches his pace and pulls me close. I have to admit that it’s pretty nice. Although I don’t feel any sort of extreme attraction here, I could see Jamie and I having some fun—even if it doesn’t go any further than a friendship.

Before long, though, I hear a deep voice behind me. “Hey, Jamie, Adam is looking for you.”

I don’t have to turn around to know it’s Jack.

Jamie looks over my shoulder. “I’m kind of busy here. What does he want?”

“No idea.”

Jamie’s gaze falls back to me. “Can you excuse me for a moment, Liz?”

“Of course.”

Once he walks away, Jack and I are left standing in the middle of the dance floor awkwardly staring at each other.

I’m stunned when he holds his hand out, “Can I cut in until Jamie gets back?”

I hesitate for a second but ultimately set my hand in his. The slow song still plays, so he pulls me close. But it’s not the same as when Jamie did it. Despite Jamie’s apparent confidence, there’s something much more commanding about Jack.

With one hand wrapped around his shoulders, I can feel just how muscular he is. I get a pretty decent view when I see him running, but it is nothing compared to how he feels under my touch.

Tonight, he’s lost the flannel and is instead wearing a black button-up shirt that fits him like a glove.

“No flannel?” I ask, trying to break the ice a little.

His mouth pulls up into a crooked smile. “I don’t wear flannel while I run either, Liz.”

“Well, no. But I thought outside of that, you always wore it, Mr. Bunyan.”

“Are you always so snarky?” He asks in a low voice.

As he slowly moves me around the floor, I answer, “I think you already know the answer to that.”

When I was dancing with Jamie, it was fun and carefree. In Jack’s arms, things feel completely different. I feel myself getting flustered, but I have no idea why. Maybe it’s because he’s an ass, and I’m just ready for this to be over.

Or maybe it’s because he smells really good, and it’s making it so I can’t think straight.

“So, what’s the deal with you and Jamie?” He asks.

“I don’t know,” I reply honestly. “He seems like a nice guy.”

When he doesn’t respond, I ask, “Am I wrong? Is he not a nice guy?”

“Oh, he’s nice. It’s just—”

“What?” I press.

“I don’t think Jamie is looking for anything more than some quick fun. He is more the hit it and quit it type.”

“Oh,” I say. “Well, that’s not necessarily a bad thing. Maybe I’m not looking for anything serious. Maybe a booty call is exactly what I need.”

“So, you’re just going to sleep with the twenty-one-year-old?”

Still staring at him, I ask, “Why not? It’s not like I have a group of guys lining up to apply for the job.”

There’s something in the way that he looks at me. It’s like he wants to say something, but it’s taking every bit of his willpower to keep his mouth shut. His eyes glance from mine down to my lips and back again.

I expect him to have some smart-ass comment about me being a cougar or something of the like.

Or I expect him to kiss me.

I’m not sure which of those I want at the moment.

But instead, he stops moving and releases his hold on me.

He gives a definite, “I should go.”

Once again, as if turning on and off a switch, he went from super nice and relatable to cold and distant. What is with this guy? He’s giving me whiplash.

Determined to get some answers, I follow after him. When I bust through the front door, I see him already halfway down the sidewalk.

“Hey!” I practically shout.

He turns around as I am already trying to hurry toward him without re-injuring my ankle.

“What the hell?” I ask, waving my arms in the air.

“What do you mean?”

I don’t stop until I’m inches from his face. “One minute, you and I are doing fine. I think that maybe, just maybe, you’re not a giant ass hat. Then, you do something that makes me think you’re the biggest ass hat in the world!”

“Well, back at you, princess.”

“What did I do?” I exclaim, moving even closer to him. “Did me telling you I was okay fucking Jamie offend you in some way? Why do you think that is?”

“Princess, I don’t care who you fuck.”

“Really? Because it sure as shit doesn’t seem that way. In fact, in there, it seemed like you wanted to kiss me.”

He scoffs. “Don’t flatter yourself.”

“Oh yeah?”

We are practically nose to nose now. Anger courses through both of us as we try to decide what to do next.

“You’re insufferable,” he tells me, looking down at my lips once more.

“I don’t think you believe that.”

He leans in just enough so that his lips barely graze mine. The feathery touch is enough to send electricity coursing through my body.

In this moment, I want more.

I want him to throw me up against the brick wall that’s next to us and show me how he really kisses.

I reach up to grab him, to yank him closer, but before I get the chance, he pulls away.

“We shouldn’t do this,” he says and then walks away.

As much as I want to go after him again, my feet feel like they’re stuck in cement.

What the fuck just happened?