Chapter Nineteen
It is becoming harder and harder to get her off my mind, especially now that I know she’s going. The week drags, and I’m still in a funk. The only thought that cheers me up is that Aaron’s party is on Saturday I never mentioned it to Leigh when I saw her above the quarter mile. I didn’t want to run the risk that she wouldn’t turn up.
“Happy birthday.” I greet Aaron when he answers the door, grabbing me in a big bear hug
“Good to see you,” he booms and leads me inside, his arm still slung around my shoulder. If I’m being honest, I’m glad I made the effort. Aaron’s a good guy, and we’ve become friends of sorts.
Plenty of people are there; some I recognize from around town or from the quarter mile. Ryder is already here and nods in my direction when I catch his eye.
“There is beer in the kitchen. Go help yourself.” Aaron nods in the direction of the kitchen; I slap him on the back and make my way across the room. Just inside the door, I draw to a halt. There she is. All the noise from the party fades into the background, becoming a dull thrum of nothingness the minute my eyes settle on her. Leigh Storm is leaning against the counter with a bottle of beer in her hand. Those long legs go on for miles, clad in denim and crossed at the ankles. Her black sleeveless blouse dips into a sharp V between her breasts, and I do a double take at the amount of cleavage on show. Her long dark hair is loose and hangs like silk over her shoulder.
I’d hoped she would be there. It is the only reason I could explain the jittery, on-edge feeling I’d been experiencing these last few days. The minute her eyes meet mine, a jolt hits me. I rock back on my heels, momentarily distracted from why I’m in the kitchen. With our eyes locked, I wait for her eye roll or for her to look away in disgust, but it never happens. We maintain eye contact, staring at each other for far longer than necessary. There is something different in her gaze tonight. Lust, burning brightly in her gorgeous green eyes. I’ve seen that look in a girl’s eyes more times than I care to remember. But there it is, and she doesn’t try to hide it.
As if that wasn’t enough, she smiles, and it blows me away. It’s not her sarcastic, you’re-annoying-the-hell-out-of-me smile. No—it’s the smile she gave me the first night on the quarter mile. The smile I fell in love with …
Holy fuck. I love her. And she’s planning to leave. I can’t let it happen. Not now. She’s supposed to be mine. My brain is racing, scrambling to formulate a plan, but somehow, I manage to smile at her. Trying to convey I feel the same. I want her. I love her.
Color rises in her cheeks and she lowers her head; a secret smile spreads over her face as she looks down at the bottle in her hand. When she raises the bottle to her lips, her eyes meet mine. Again. Bolder this time, need and want mingle with lust and I need to get her on her own. No time like the present. I cross the kitchen, skirting around the mingling people, and stop in front of her. She stands straighter, and I try not to let my gaze drop to check out how good her tits look in her black top.
“Leigh.” I nod my greeting, using her proper name. It wouldn’t do to piss her off straight off the bat.
“Max. Beer?” She holds up her bottle of Corona.
“Sure.” I exhale; she’s making this too easy for me. I’m trying to be cool, but my heart is pounding out of control, making me feel like I’m about to have a heart attack. She pushes off the counter and pulls open the door to the fully stocked fridge. As she bends over to retrieve a bottle of beer, I stifle a groan at the way her ass sways in front of me. My hand twitches at my side. Touching her now would not be a good idea, despite how hard it is to resist. My dick agrees as it stirs to life in my jeans.
Straightening, she turns to me, her hair sweeps back from her face as my eyes roam up her body. Full lips quirk into a knowing smile when she catches me checking her out. But she lets it slide.
“Lime?” she asks, placing the beer on the counter and holds up a wedge of lime. The words get stuck in my throat, and I can only nod my agreement. Leigh pops the top, wedges the lime in the bottle, and then hands it to me. My fingers cover hers to accept the bottle, but neither of us let go. Electricity passes between us. After a long, drawn-out couple of minutes where we stare at each other, I finally ease the pressure and she removes her hand.
“Can we talk?” I get straight to the point. I’m not messing around because time is running out.
Her eyes flick over my shoulder, scanning the other guests. “Did you not bring a date?” Her mouth turns down at the corners as she speaks. She’s jealous, and I’m a dick, which is why I use them to keep up the act. I should know by now it won’t get me what I want. Leigh Storm would never lower herself to chase me or show me she was jealous. Sometimes, I wish she would.