The Girl Who Fell(43)
On the way to the party I ask Lizzie, “How can you and Jason stand being away from each other?”
“It sucks sometimes. Most times. But what’s the alternative? Give up my life and live his life? No thank you.” She turns onto Waxman’s road and has to double-park because the street is already jammed. “Besides, it’s always better when we see each other after a break. We have more to talk about.”
Lizzie puts the car in park and I want to ask her if there was ever a time when it killed her to be away from Jason. But I don’t. Just in case she’s never felt the way I do now.
“I’ll wait here. I’m not really in the mood for crowds.”
My hand is already on the door handle when my phone rings. Kurt Cobain’s sultry voice tells me, Come as you are, as you were, as I want you to be. I shoot Lizzie a look of quiet admiration and tell Alec I’m just outside. “Hurry,” he urges.
“I’ll be back in ten minutes,” I tell Lizzie.
“Tell him I said hi.”
“Will do.” I pop open the door, the sharp, winter cold air surprising my lungs, and my bare legs. Dubstep beckons from within the house. I go inside, my entire body zipping with the promise of seeing Alec. I spot him seated at the large dining room table, his posture easy against the high-backed chair as he surveys a game of quarters.
His gaze settles on me as I walk into the room and his smile grows, lighting his eyes. He cuts a quick glance to the room behind him and throws a nod. The corners of my mouth twitch up at this secret communication. Alec gets up from the table and I make my way through the crowd, following him. I’m halfway through the throng when someone grabs my forearm. I stop short. Gregg.
“Remember me?” he asks.
“H-hey,” I stammer.
“We met once or twice.”
I look down at my arm. “Let go.”
His fingers lift immediately. “There are other things—other people—in the world besides Alec, you know.” He takes a short swig of beer.
“You’re drunk.”
“Or maybe I’m the only one willing to tell you what you need to hear. In vino veritas.” He raises his glass.
“I’m confused. You’re calling me out for hanging with Alec when you’re the one who chose not to speak to me for the longest time? And then we saw you at breakfast and you acted like everything was okay?” It’s surprising how much anger that stupid breakfast can boil in me even now. I turn from him, move through the crowd to Alec.
Alec grabs my hands, spreads my arms open, drinks me in. “Damn.” He leans in, kisses my neck, strokes one finger along its length. “I never thought it was possible to miss someone’s neck.” His words purr into my ear, so soft against the noise booming from the other rooms. “Where’s Lizzie?”
“She’s waiting outside. I’ve got ten minutes.”
He plays up dejected eyes. “Sad news.”
“It’s better than not seeing you at all.”
“Too right.” He adjusts his stance, moves the toe of his sneaker against my boot. “I saw you talking to Slice.”
“Yeah, it was nothing.”
“Exchanging words is never nothing.”
“Nothing important.”
“Did he mention me?”
I nod.
“What did you say?”
“I told him I was here to see you. Only you.”
He kisses me on the nose. “Thank you.”
“For what?”
“I don’t know. For coming.” He gives a shy laugh. “Or maybe, for choosing me.”
“It wasn’t a contest.”
He bites gently on my earlobe. “How about I prove to you that you made the right choice?”
“You can do that in ten minutes?”
He raises his hand to trace the crease of my smile, the way my lips run into the swell of my cheeks. His eyes fire. “Maybe I’ll surprise you.”
Oh my. “Consider my interest piqued.”
He smirks a devil’s grin and directs me into a spare bedroom.
He pulls the door shut behind me. “You look beautiful.” He opens my coat, runs his palm over my neck, my collar bone. My body faints against the door. His hands rest at my waist and his fingers tuck under the band of my skirt. My breath shuffles out in erratic bursts. He pops the clasp.
I grab his hand. “Not here.”
He plucks my hand away. “Why not?”
“What if someone comes in?”
His lips meet my neck. I dissolve when I feel the heat of his breath on my skin. “Don’t worry, I locked the door. Now stop interrupting me, I’m up against a serious deadline here.”
A small laugh trickles out as I relax. His mouth hovers between my face and neck and I wonder if his kiss will land on my jawline or my lips. His hands find my shirt, float over my breasts. He pushes up my top, exposing my bra. He smoothes his lips over my chest, making my breathing heave, forcing my hands to fumble in the softness of his hair. He crouches and nestles his head against my stomach, lowering until his mouth finds my skirt.