Page 70 of Meant to Be

“Hey, man!” Nick grins, going in for a one-armed hug. With his other hand, he makes a sweeping motion towards me. “This is Josie.”

“Hey,” he says casually. “You’re not from here.”

“I was. A while ago.” I force a smile.

“Ah, apologies. Welcome back.”

When his eyes move more than a couple of times to my chest, I push away from the pair and exit the room, forgetting that it would have been polite to at least make up an excuse. I dart upstairs and use the bathroom. When the door swings open, Harley stands outside of it, his forearms resting on the top of the frame. My eyes wander over his muscles, before sliding back to his eyes.

“Hey.”

“What do you want?” I exhale.

“Simply came here to go to the bathroom.”

“Uh-huh.”

He offers me a wolfish grin, bits of his dark hair splaying across his forehead. “I’ve been a bit distracted tonight.”

“Oh yeah?”

His eyes move south, soaking in my appearance, but not in the leering way the previous boy was. This was appreciation in its finest form. Heat explodes all over me.

“Yeah,” he murmurs.

“Excuse me,” I say, glaring off to the side, refusing to let him see me be bothered by him.

“You’re excused,” he says, removing his arms from the frame and stepping back.

Swallowing, I side-step around him. My feet feel heavy as I walk down the hall. When I reach the staircase, I glance over my shoulder to see Harley smirking at me as he disappears behind the door.

Thoughts and images bombard my mind with each step, reminding me of the last time Harley and I were alone at a party together. I mentally shake myself. I’mnotgoing there tonight.

Pushing through the crowd, I pluck an empty plastic cup from the bench top and fill it from one of the bottles I brought. I drain the entire thing in one gulp, and refill it.

Belle is still hovering on the edge of the kitchen with Jess and Rianna by her hip. Annoyance flashes through me becauseshewas the one who broughtmehere. Sighing, I move out of the room and into the next, feeling like I’m floating, my head is so light.

Nick is out the back, talking amongst a small group. I flock to his side. His face lights up when he sees me, and guilt tramples through my stomach. Nick introduces me to familiar and unfamiliar faces. Some remember me, some have heard of me, some have no idea who I am. It’s a rush of blurred faces and names.

When I escape to fill my drink again, a guy from one of the earlier groups joins me.

“Hey.” He smiles. “Liam.”

“Oh, yeah.” I nod. “Hi Liam.”

“You came here with Nick?” he questions, quite obviously attempting to be casual.

“Not really, no.” I shake my head.

“But there’s something there?”

I sigh. “There was before. Maybe again.” I rake my fingers through my hair, the edges of my vision blurring.

Liam peers at me with a mixture of amusement and curiosity. “I’ve heard some rumours.”

“About me?”

He nods. I smirk.