30. Violet
VIOLET
“I don’t think I’m going to be able to sleep tonight. I’m so nervous.” I turn the water glass around in my hands. We’re sitting at the bar at The Hideout. His mom’s team just won their game, and it was so fun to watch his face light up with pride.
“That sounds like a challenge.” His palm covers my bare thigh and sends goosebumps racing over my skin.
My heart feels like it might burst. It has since I woke up this morning in his bed. We fell asleep talking again. Though I have to say, it was a nice change to wake up without my phone plastered to the side of my face. And Gavin’s voice is even sexier first thing in the morning.
All day I’ve thought about him, counted the minutes until I might get to see him. He leaves tomorrow for Texas, and it’s weird to think how much I’m going to miss him.
“You’re going to be great. The dress is killer.” He squeezes my leg.
I let his words fill me with confidence. “I believe in the dress and in my design, but this is such a huge opportunity.”
He takes a drink of his soda. “That would be so cool to see something you made on a concert stage.”
“On Penelope-freaking-Hart no less.”
His mouth curves up. “My girlfriend designed a dress for Penelope Hart. Shit, my boys will be begging for you to introduce them.”
My body vibrates with nerves. “She hasn’t picked my dress yet.”
“She will if she’s smart.”
A laugh escapes my lips. “I hope she’s very, very smart.”
His hand inches higher, and he leans over to brush his lips over mine.
“Think your house is cleared out yet?”
When I got back from the design lab, there were so many cars parked in front of our house for a party next door. It was a glimpse of old times. Except this time, I found myself a lot less aggravated by it all.
“Probably not,” he says with a grimace. “I’m sorry.”
“Jocks are the worst,” I mutter with a smile. “Except Dahlia.”
“Glad to know where I stand.” He growls and kisses me harder. His fingers push past the hem of my dress and dance along the edge of my panties.
“Yo, Leonard!” someone calls to him.
He pulls back slowly and moves his hand only slightly lower before he turns.
I squeeze my legs shut, which just eggs him on.
“Hey. What’s up, Walters?” Gavin lifts his chin in acknowledgement to a group of guys gathered around two tables pushed together; three pitchers of beer sit in the middle of the tables along with a dozen or more empty shot glasses.
“Come join us. Let me buy you a beer. Having a fucking stellar season, man,” one of the guys says.
“It’s fine,” I say, when Gavin looks to me and I tip my head to encourage him to go say hi.
He stands and faces me, putting his back to the guys. “They won’t save you, baby.”
He takes my hand then leads me over to the table.
“We can’t stay.” Gavin pulls out a chair for me and takes the one next to me.
The table of guys all aim their gazes at me, and Gavin puts an arm around the back of my chair.
“Felix Walters meet Violet,” he says.
“Hey, Violet.” He has a nice smile, black hair, and eyes that are a stunning light blue. He proceeds to rattle off the names of all the other guys at the table.
“Hi.” I lift a hand in a small wave. “Nice to meet you all.”
I look at Felix, studying his face closer. There’s something about him. “You look familiar, but I can’t figure out why.”
“Walters is QB of the football team,” Gavin says. “You’ve probably seen his face plastered all over campus.”
Felix smiles, looking a little embarrassed. “I hate those posters.”
“That’s it!” I sit forward. “Oh my gosh. The poster with your face staring out from behind your helmet.”
Felix groans. The guy sitting to the right of him lifts his glass. “To Blue Steele!”
They all cheer as Felix continues to look embarrassed by it all.
“Do you two want something to drink?” he asks. “We can get a couple of glasses.”
“No, thanks,” Gavin says. “We really can’t stay.”
“All right. Well, it was good to see you. After you guys win the tournament, let’s get together.”
“Definitely.” Gavin stands and takes my hand.
Felix returns my wave as we head away from them and out of the bar.
“He seems nice.”
“Nice?”
“Yeah, you know, like not a jerk.”
Gavin cocks a brow. “Since when do you like nice?”
“Oh my god, are you jealous?” I fight to hold back a laugh.
“What? No.” His voice goes up an octave, and he doesn’t meet my gaze, which tells me everything I need to know.
“You are.” I grab the front of his T-shirt and pull him closer. “Admit it.”
He turns his head, but his jaw ticks.
“It’s okay, Leonard.” I press up on my tiptoes to bring my lips closer. “You’re right. I don’t like nice.”
He leans down, taking my legs out from underneath me, and lifts me into his arms. He kisses me while walking across the parking lot.
I don’t tell him that I think he is nice.
Tonight, this date, the book he got me, talking on the phone all night, taking care of me when I was sick.
He’s shown me just how amazing he can be.
But, right now, there isn’t anything nice about the way his mouth crushes mine or the bruising hold he has on my legs. And I like that too.
When we get back to The White House, the block is still lined with cars.
“I’m sorry,” he says as he leads me inside.
“It’s okay. People are excited and they want to celebrate with you guys. Do you want to go hang out?”
“No, and you won’t either when you take a look outside.”
I cock my head to the side. “Come on, how bad can it be?”
Following the noise, I walk through the house to the kitchen.
The patio and pool are lit up with twinkle lights strung around the yard.
At first glance, it looks like a normal party, but then two girls catch my attention.
They’re totally naked, standing on the edge of the pool at the deep end.
They raise their joined hands and squeal as they jump into the water. When they surface, two guys join them.
“Just an average Wednesday night,” I mutter. My cheeks are on fire. “I feel like I’m watching soft-core porn.”
“Yeah. Don’t look too closely or it might not be as soft as you think.” He chuckles and places a kiss on my shoulder. “Let’s go upstairs.”
“You really don’t want to go out there?” I face him and search his expression.
“I really don’t.”
“I’m not sure if I believe you.”
His head drops until he’s whispering next to my lips. “Those people out there are missing out, not the other way around.” He moves my hair away from my neck and places an open-mouth kiss behind my ear. “Trust me.”
And the scariest thing is, I do.