Page 18 of After All This Time (A Time For Love #2)
I can almost taste the storm gathering in his forest-green eyes.
“Hey!” Nate’s voice completely shatters the moment of tension, snapping us out of our stare-down.
In fact, hearing us banter with our buddy about his crazy crush on his girl almost makes me think I’ve imagined the whole previous vibe.
Almost.
“That took you long enough,” I can’t help but tease Nate a bit.
“I’m only five minutes late. There was traffic.”
“And here I thought you would be the first one to sprint through the doors.”
Nate stares at me blankly before turning to Liam.
“Please control him.”
“If you think he can be controlled, then I have seriously overestimated your cleverness.”
Liam’s remark, delivered in his low voice, sends a tendril of excitement through me.
“You both know I’m right here listening to you two, right?”
“Yes,” they both answer in tandem.
“Okay, good. Now are we waiting here for the others or should we go inside?”
“Madison already texted me, they arrived a few minutes ago.”
“Then let’s go.”
***
I instantly love the atmosphere inside.
The lighting is low and intimate and there are enough people to make the place busy and alive but not packed.
The bass of the song currently playing makes my body throb, my heartbeat syncing with the dirty beat.
Introductions with the group are next and conversation is surprisingly pleasant and fun with all of them.
If only I was able to actually pay attention to what was being said.
I’m blaming Liam who never leaves my side. I can feel his body brushing against mine every time he reaches for his soda. I can feel his breath making the skin of my ear tingle every time he leans in to tell me something.
It feels like I’m buzzing with no way to turn it off.
I lift my drink to my lips and with every swallow, I feel myself relax just enough that my limbs get looser, my focus gets sharper, and my intentions flirt with this side of danger.
A dark-haired woman has been making eyes at me for the past half hour from down the bar. She’s smiling at me in a sultry way that would have had me across the room in no time if circumstances were different.
But though I’m not interested in anything else, suddenly dancing sounds fan-tas-tic.
I tilt my head at her, motioning towards the dance floor and she nods with a quick word to her friend.
I don’t bother announcing my departure to the group, just stride to meet her halfway.
The back of my head burns and I know that if I turned around and peeked, Li’s eyes would be pinning me to the spot, twin pits of dark-green abyss that would eat me whole and never let me break the surface.
So that’s exactly why I keep my eyes straight ahead.
The beat of the music takes me somewhere else, somewhere I feel wanted. To warm, summer nights, and rustling leaves, and life-changing soft touches.
The woman I’m dancing with seems to be on a mission to touch as much of me as she can but sadly my blood doesn’t boil for her, and my breathing doesn’t pick up at her soft touch.
The second song ends and I murmur my thanks in her ear before we smile at each other and part ways.
I do everything in my power not to seek Liam’s gaze, to just walk over there breezily, like someone who had the best dance of his life with a gorgeous woman rubbing all over him.
And I do a terrific job at it if the anger that rolls off in waves from my left is of any indication.
I bite my cheek to stop myself from grinning wildly in pure satisfaction, and instead down a glass of cold water to help me cool down.
The rest of our night out passes quickly and when it’s time to leave, we say our goodbyes and head over to our respective cars.
The sky is thick with clouds, a storm brewing above our heads.
Liam and I have parked a few blocks away, so when a few errant raindrops start falling, they catch us dead-on.
Our walk is silent but my head is louder than it’s ever been.
The light rain feels like a balm to my overheated skin, soothing my hot face, but it does nothing to dissipate the tension that vibrates between us like a taut string ready to snap at any moment.
I let my steps slow down, until I’m stopping and tilting my face up, letting the sparse drops fall on me, breathing in the thick scent of petrichor.
Liam takes several more steps ahead of me before he realizes I’m not following.
He halts and I can feel the way my heartbeat drums in my ears.
He glances over his shoulder, his expression dark and ominous. Exciting.
I fucking love that expression on him.
I’m speaking before I even know what I’m saying.
“Out with it.”
A spark of something flashes through his eyes, though it could easily be the flash of lightning that cuts the sky.
He turns fully towards me, the light drizzle steadily soaking through his white shirt, drawing my helpless gaze there.
His eyes darken further as he registers where my eyes have wandered.
“I don’t know what you’re talking about.” His voice is calm and steady, much steadier than I thought it would be, considering his gaze hasn’t lost its earlier predatory glint.
I can feel the way he tracks my lips as they tilt in a taunting smirk.
Our eyes remain locked as I move towards him in measured steps. Lazily. Like I have all the time in the world.
I don’t stop until I’m right in front of him and I’m speaking my next words on his lips.
“Is that right?” His pupils are so blown they have eclipsed his green irises. “And here I thought you were finally done running.”
I see the moment he breaks. The moment he lets all pretense go and his control snaps.
His hand fists my already wet hair and tugs my head back, baring my throat to him, while his other arm wraps around me bringing my body flush against his.
The move makes me gasp out, heat flooding my veins.
He’s so close.
I feel every hard inch of his body against mine, every point that our wet bodies are touching. His lavender and orange scent wafts to me steeped in rainwater and I feel more intoxicated by this than by the drink I’ve had.
A tremble goes through me that has nothing to do with the cold rain.
We’re so close that we’re breathing the same air.
“Please,” I whisper for his ears only, letting my desperation show.
He lets out a shaky breath, and I see nothing but him as his lips descend on mine.