He chuckles, scanning the crowd like he’s looking for someone. I take the opportunity to give him a good once over. Broad shoulders, square face, thick eyelashes, strong cheekbones, straight nose. Dark stubble covers his jaw, matching his short hair, the slightly longer stuff on top styled in a precarious ‘do. He looks out of place here in his gray raglan shirt, slightly stretched from the muscle underneath, hole-covered jeans, brown leather bracelet, worn-out Chucks. He’d be better suited in the crowd at a rock concert.
When he turns back to me, I about die as I’m staring intently at him while biting my lip.
“I’m Adam, by the way.”
Underneath his approving gaze, I suddenly feel ten times sexier than normal.
“Jewels.”
He raises his thick eyebrows, smirking. “Want to get out of here?”
I sigh. This hottie is probably just another guy looking to hook up—bump uglies, no questions asked. It seems that kind is easier to find than a condom dispenser. A few months ago during my careless stage, I totally would’ve been down for a romp with this gorgeous man. Now that I’m somewhat committed to Levi, however, I can’t let myself go down that path again. “I’m kind of seeing someone.”
Adam glances over my shoulder. “Is he here?”
I grunt to myself. It doesn’t really matter that Levi works all the time, or that he’s way beyond his college years. He still wouldn’t come. “No, these kinds of parties aren’t his scene. They’re not exactly mine either, but yet, here I am.”
Adam shoves his hands in his pockets. “I just meant we should get some fresh air.
This place is pretty thick, and you don’t really seem the smoking type.”
“Yeah, sure. I guess my lungs could use a cleansing.”
One of his hands falls to my lower back while he uses the other one to keep people from bumping into me as we fight our way through the sweaty bodies. It’s a sweet gesture, one that Levi wouldn’t make in a million years. My imagination kicks into overdrive, picturing Adam’s hand dropping lower to my butt, the other reaching for my—
No. I shake my head. I can’t allow myself to go there.
Jesus, Jewels . Get a grip .
We finally break through the pack of loud drunks and through the front door, letting the cold fresh air of the dark night fill our lungs. The remaining cold leftover from winter chills me to the bone. I suck in a shaky breath. “Yeah, that’s definitely better.”
Leaning against a stone retaining wall at the edge of the stairway, Adam rests his hands behind his back, looking up to the dark sky. I stare at his relaxed posture, realizing he’s probably the type I could get along with. The type I probably should be with. Easygoing. Fun. Relaxed. The way his arms bulge just the right amount and his tshirt bends around the muscles of his stomach, he definitely works out. Probably not for looks, but to stay in shape. Ex-football player in high school maybe. A flush climbs up my neck when I start to envision him naked. My eyes are trailing from his chest to the surge in his jeans when I catch him watching me.
“Where you from?” he asks.
“Here. I made it a whopping fifteen miles from home. You?”
“I live here too.” He thrusts a hand at the house. “I mean, not in this place, but in La Crosse.”
The intimate way his beautiful eyes peer into me have me even more intrigued, and majorly turned on. “You don’t go to school here?” I ask, looking down at my phone to avoid meeting his gorgeous gaze.
“I dropped out last semester. You?”
Sliding my phone back into my back jeans pocket, I find the courage to face him.
Once again, the way his eyes drink me in is toe-curling amazing. “Sophomore.
Undecided.”
Chuckling in his deep, succulent voice, a puff of white air falls from his lips. They’re a nice set of lips, dusty-rose colored and as full as you would want lips on a guy. The kind that would be delightful to suck on. “You mean you’re in your twenties and don’t know what you want to do with the rest of your life? What’s wrong with you?”
I grin, excited to play along. “Indecision runs in my family. My mom went to college when she was my age to be a teacher. When I was five she went again to get a nursing degree. Any guess what she does now?”
Under the house light, I catch his eyes sparkling with amusement. “Exotic animal wrangler?”
I shake my head with a hiccup of a giggle. “You were this close. She’s manager for a chain of discount clothing stores.”
Adam chuckles loudly, clapping his hands together. I love the sound of it, and want to make him laugh like that again. I suddenly want to know everything about him.