She took her food and a glass of ice water into the living room, parked on the couch, tucked her feet under her on the cushion and balanced the plate on her knee.
TV couldn’t hold her attention, and she’d already watched everything in her Netflix queue, so she switched on the Xbox. Nothing distracted her from the world like some computer-generated violence.
But even still, while blood splattered and bombs exploded on the screen and animated guys crumpled to the ground, that empty space on the other end of the couch bugged her. She’d gotten way too accustomed to Matt being here. It must’ve just been the novelty of having him around again. Of having some company that didn’t make her want to throw things.
She’d always been just fine on her own, and it wasn’t like he was gone. Sure, he was starting to date—and it was about damned time—but they were friends again. That was all she’d ever wanted anyway.
And yet, that vacant spot on the other end of the couch was getting more conspicuous by the hour, needling at her like a burnt pixel in the center of the TV screen. No doubt, it had less to do with his absence and more to do with where he was tonight. Social events stressed him out like nothing else. Add in a bunch of opportunistic gold diggers who were no doubt standing in line to flirt their way into a joint checking account, and—
That thought made her teeth grind.
Back off, bitches.
Except he was open to meeting people now. He’d been on at least one date. Maybe he’d get caught up in the festivities tonight and connect with someone. Weddings did funny things to people, after all. Romance was in the air, alcohol was in the glasses, and people found their way into strangers’ beds. While the happy couple went off on their honeymoon the next day, some people woke up with headaches and regrets, and others woke up beside smiling, sleepy-eyed future spouses.
Even if Matt was still shaky when it came to conversations with women he didn’t know, he was sweet, polite and sexy as hell. That smile and a tuxedo would make most women overlook an awkward introduction, and a little champagne in him and a pretty smile from her might just give him the confidence he needed so they could exchange names, numbers and anything else they were in the mood to share tonight.
Dara stabbed a button on the controller. Okay, this wasn’t working. She quit her game and started a new one, this time on the hardest setting, pausing for a second to take a bite of her cooling Hot Pocket. Then it was game on. Bring on enemies, bring on bullets—she needed to lose herself in simulated gunfire and bloodshed before she drove herself insane.
Bright light through the front window turned her head. She paused her game just as someone’s brakes squeaked.
A car door slammed. Then sharp footsteps started clicking on the walk outside.
What the hell?
Dara set her plate and controller on the coffee table and rose.
When she opened the door, Matt was halfway up the porch steps. Tux jacket unbuttoned, bow tie undone. Panic shot through her. Had he really come here all the way from clear out in Goldmount?
“Are you okay?” she asked as he stepped onto the porch. “What happ—”
He put his arm around her waist, cupped the side of her neck and kissed her. God, he was shaking. His fingers twitched on her neck, but his kiss was bold and relentless, like he was scared out of his mind but had worked up too much courage to stop now.
By the time his lips left hers, he wasn’t the only one shaking.
“I’m sorry, I…” He released a ragged breath. “I wasn’t going to do that. I was… I wanted to talk, but I saw you, and I—”
“Matt, are you okay?” She touched his face. “What’s wrong?”
He swallowed. “I just needed to be here. With you.” He held her gaze, though it seemed to be a struggle. “Is tonight’s offer still open?”
She gulped too. “Of course it is. Come on in.”
As he released her, the relief in his posture was palpable—his shoulders relaxed, and he exhaled like he’d been holding his breath all night.
Dara stepped aside, motioning for him to go ahead.
As he came into the house, she wanted to drag him upstairs and put that tux on the floor where it belonged, but she hesitated. Why this sudden shift?
She shut the door behind them and faced him. “What happened with the wedding?”
He ran an unsteady hand through his hair. “I just needed to get out of there.” He wrapped his arms around her. “I needed to be here.”
I need you here.
She put her hands on his chest, partly to touch him, and partly to keep some space between them until she’d made sense of things. “Are you sure you’re okay?”