Chapter 11 #2
Leaving me speechless, he heads out into the hallway.
I stand there for a few minutes, trying to get my body to cool down.
He makes it so hard to resist him because my body absolutely betrays me, especially when he’s close to me.
It’s difficult not to give him what he wants, not to break down my barriers and be the person he sees me as.
I take a deep breath, grasp the keys off of the table, and lock up the apartment.
As soon as I’m out to Dustin’s car, I find Dustin starting the engine with Ivy in the front seat and Reid sitting in the back.
It probably would have made more sense for Reid to sit up front with Dustin, but I can’t help but feel that Ivy did this on purpose.
I plan to kick her ass later. Or, at the very least, give her the silent treatment until the morning.
I hop into the back seat next to Reid, who flashes me a bright smile. “No funny business,” I whisper to him.
He holds his hands up in surrender, and Dustin, unaware of our brief exchange because he’s deep in conversation with Ivy, pulls out of the parking lot, and we head off campus.
For the first ten minutes, I stare out the window, trying to forget the devilishly handsome guy sitting next to me. I put minimal effort into the conversation the three of them are having and, instead, watch as the fall leaves swoosh into the air upon our passing.
I startle when something touches my thigh, however.
Glancing down, I see Reid’s hand, his knuckles brushing back and forth on my bare thigh.
I raise my gaze to his, but he’s pretending not to pay attention to me.
I’m not stupid though, I know he’s completely aware that his fingers are touching me and that he’s completely aware that Dustin can’t see it in the rearview mirror.
Frowning, I grab his hand and try to set it aside, but he wraps his hand around my fingers and holds on tight. My frown deepens every time I try to pull my hand away, but eventually, I sigh, giving in. My body slackens against the seat, and he takes that as a cue to fold his fingers between mine.
My heart flutters as I stare at our joined hands. I should stop this. It’ll give him the wrong impression. Hell, it’s giving me the wrong impression. But his hand is warm and calloused and fits perfectly around mine, and…I like it. I shouldn’t, but I do.
Ivy turns around in her seat and asks, “How did studying go?” She then looks at our joined hands and winks at me, a gleeful look in her eyes.
“Fine,” I bite out. This is her fault. She could have at least warned me. Hell, she could have sat back here with me. Now I’m holding the hand of a man I’m extremely attracted to, one who is trying to…date me? Screw me? I don’t even know anymore.
“Is this it?” Dustin asks, pointing to a brick building. I look around. I hadn’t even realized we were downtown yet.
Ivy turns back around and looks where he points. “Yes! There, right there, there’s a parking spot.” She claps her hands together when he slides the car into it and puts it into Park.
I let go of Reid’s hand quickly and exit the car. The wind swirls around me, and I breathe it in deep, trying to calm my nerves, and then I head inside with the others.
The restaurant looks expensive with muted cream tones and black tablecloths, but when we sit down, order our drinks, and look at the menu, I see that it isn’t half bad. Easily affordable and, by the smells surrounding us, yummy too.
While we wait for our food, Ivy keeps the conversation flowing. She’s sitting next to me, thank God, because I don’t know if I could take another minute sitting next to Reid. My body is already shot from the car ride.
That doesn’t stop Reid from stealing glances in my direction. We keep catching each other’s gaze, and every time, it makes me blush. There’s something in his eyes that lets me know that he may be talking with my brother, but he’s certainly paying attention to everything I’m doing.
I lean toward Ivy and whisper, “You could have warned me.”
“Then you wouldn’t have come.”
“You’re right, I wouldn’t have,” I hiss. “But you think you’re cupid now, don’t you?”
She pats my thigh. “Don’t be mad. This is good for you.”
I close my eyes and rub my temples, and when I open them, it’s to find concern etched on Reid’s face. “Are you feeling okay?” he asks.
Abruptly, I stand up. I need to get out of here, get away from his stare for just a few minutes. “Yes, I’m fine. I’m just—I’m going to go use the bathroom.”
“Do you want me to come with you?” Ivy asks, taking the napkin off of her lap and setting it on the table.
I touch her shoulder as I get ready to pass her and head to the bathroom. “I’ll be fine.”
I all but rush to the bathroom, and once I’m inside, I shut the door and lean against it. Taking several deep breaths, I work like hell to calm my heart. It’s easier in here, surrounded by toilet paper and soap, to have a little perspective.
“It’s simple, Avery,” I tell myself. “Just be straight with him and ask him to stop advancing on you.”
Even I know that’s a lie. It’s not that simple. Not anymore, not with how charming he is and how much he makes my body light on fire and my heartbeat race so fast that I can’t catch my breath sometimes.
I head to the sink, wet my hands, and run them over my neck to cool down my skin. I look in the mirror as I do it, seeing the panic set in my expression. Every barrier I set up in place is trying to crumble down, and I feel like I’m holding it all up with off-brand tape that isn’t sticky enough.
I grip the sink and lean closer to myself. “You can do this. Just have dinner, go home, and crawl into bed.”
Easy.
With some courage in my spine, I head out of the bathroom, but as soon as I’m in the hallway, I come to an abrupt halt. Reid is there, leaning against the wall, clearly waiting for…me.
“You okay?” he murmurs.
“I’m fine.”
He rights himself from the wall and touches my cheek. “You look pale.”
A soft breath leaves my lips. I don’t mean to, but I lean ever so slightly into his touch. “You can’t touch me like that.”
“Like what?”
“Like this,” I say, waving my hand at his still brushing my face. “And you certainly can’t look at me the way you’re looking at me tonight.”
He grins a little. “Like what?”
“Like you’ve seen me naked and want another round.”
His grin widens, and he turns me until my back is against the wall. He braces one hand beside my head and says, “But I have seen you naked.”
I sigh and look at his chest. “What do you want from me, Reid, really?”
“I think we should exchange numbers.”
I shake my head and laugh a little. “In your dreams.”
He’s quiet for so long that I look back up at him. His expression is serious as he whispers, “You don’t trust me, do you?”
“No.”
“Why?”
“Because you don’t seem to be the commitment type,” I say even though I’m beginning to think I’m wrong about that. He’s sure committed to pursuing me.
“You barely know me, how would you know?”
I look away.
“That’s what I thought.”
He gets close to me and runs his nose across my jaw.
My skin is lit on fire from the intimate touch, and my hands immediately land on his narrow hips to keep from swaying.
“What do I want from you?” he whispers. “I don’t know, but I’m interested in you.
I can’t get you off of my mind. You’re all I think about.
Do I want to have sex with you again? Yes, because you’re hot, Avery.
But I’m way more interested in the girl than I am about sex. ”
I gulp and lie my ass off. “I’m not interested.”
“A lie,” he says, calling me out. “Tell me why you’re lying. Does this have to do with your last relationship?”
I freeze.
He pulls his nose away from my jaw and searches my eyes. “I don’t know the details, but I know you got hurt. I’m not him, Avery. Please believe me when I tell you that. I don’t sleep around, and I wouldn’t be coming onto you so hard if I didn’t believe we’d be good together.”
I shake my head. “The other week contradicts that, the whole one-night stand thing.”
“Because you fell into my arms, and then I got a look at those fucking eyes, and I was done for. Sucked in. And then you invited me back to your place.”
“Yeah, and then you left. That doesn’t sound like someone who is interested in more than just sex.”
He sighs a little. “I work out with your brother every morning. Besides, I didn’t want you to be upset that I was still there when you woke up. I didn’t want you to have to feel awkward.”
“Thoughtful of you,” I murmur sarcastically.
He smirks. “I’m a thoughtful guy, something you’d know if you gave me your number.”
“Not happening,” I breathe out because he’s looking at my lips. His own lips part, drawing my attention, and his breath fans my face on a slow exhale.
“You want to kiss me, don’t you, Avery?”
I bite my bottom lip and look away again. Crooking a finger under my chin, he tips my face back to his. Gently, carefully, he presses his lips to mine, and god, if it isn’t everything I could ever wish for and more. Definitely more. It’s searing straight into my soul and makes my toes curl.
He opens his mouth a little and brushes his tongue along my bottom lip, and I open for him, letting his tongue sweep against mine. A few more swipes and he’s pulling away, leaving me breathless.
Leaning his forehead against mine, he says, “I’m not the only one who is interested. I’m not the only one who feels the pull to the other. Don’t pretend otherwise, Avery. You know we’d be good together if you could just wrap your head around giving another guy a chance.”
And with that, he leaves, turning down the hall and heading back to the table.