Page 25 of Scars of Anatomy

I lean in close, letting my lips brush against the shell of her ear. “Well, then, you better put on one hell of a show.”

I hear her soft little gasp, and I can’t help but grin. She grips my biceps, momentarily stabilizing herself before her body gives way to me.

Holding her firmly but gently, my hands still planted on her hips, I draw back and give her an encouraging look.

Using slight force, I sway her hips from side to side, trying to get her tense body to loosen up.

It takes her a song or two, but eventually she finds the rhythm.

By the third song her hips are moving freely, but I can tell she still has her guard up.

I take a step closer, our bodies brushing against each other as we move to the beat. Placing my hand on her lower back I pull her closer, and she momentarily stiffens, her hands landing on my chest. She looks up at me, her big brown eyes clouding over.

I grab her hand, twirling her around until her back is pressed up against my front, anything but friendly thoughts now entering my brain.

My eyes lock on her long, exposed neck, which glistens with a light sheen of sweat, and all my restraint flies out the window.

Dipping my head, I place a featherlight kiss to her bare shoulder, skimming my lips up to her neck where I let my tongue softly poke out to taste her salty sweet skin before kissing just below her ear.

Olivia gasps, spinning around and staring up at me with a mixture of shock and fascination.

I give her a wolfish grin, then grab her hands and hook them behind my neck. My hands drag down her arms, her ribs, and land back on her hips, rocking them to the rhythm. I lean forward, resting my forehead against hers, and she looks up at me through her thick lashes, unblinking.

Suddenly, I feel a pair of hands land on my shoulders, running down my back seductively. I look over my shoulder to see Adrianna’s green eyes boring into mine, her body now pressing into my back. She flashes me a malicious grin, like a black panther ready to catch its prey.

Stunned, I feel Olivia start to slip from my grasp. I snap my head back around to see her slowly backing away, dazed, eyes that were just clouded over with desire now clouding with shock and confusion.

Adrianna takes the opportunity to squeeze herself between us, her back against my front as she grinds against me. I try to move away but she raises her arms back, clasping her fingers tightly behind my neck, like an octopus wrapping its tentacles, unwilling to let go.

Olivia shakes her head, as if snapping back to reality. Mortified, she takes a few steps back before turning around and briskly walking off the dance floor.

“Olivia!” I call after her, trying to untangle myself from Adrianna.

“What the fuck, Adrianna?” I growl, having to use a bit of force to successfully pry her hands off me.

“Bronx, wait. We were having fun!” she says, catching my arm, but I yank it out of her grasp.

“Finch!” I yell, running in the last direction I saw her go.

I exit the dance floor, heart pounding, and scan the club, my eyes finally landing on her picking up her coat. Running as fast as I can, I nearly take some people out trying to get to her.

“Finch, wait,” I plead, my hand gently grasping her arm. “Stay.”

She shakes her head, looking frantic. “I should go,” she insists, grabbing her keys from her coat pocket. “I’ll see you Monday.”

I watch her take off, her head bowed in shame as she fights her way through the rowdy crowd, some wandering eyes skeptically watching her.

I look over my shoulder at Chase and Brennen, who sit up straighter, giving me curious glances.

Throwing a glance back over to the dance floor, I see Adrianna grinding against some random dude, dancing so raunchy that it makes me cringe in embarrassment.

She catches my gaze and throws me a devilish smile, and I turn my attention back to Chase and Brennen, who witnessed the exchange.

We all give each other an Are you fucking kidding? look.

Balling my hands into fists, I shove my way through the crowd and find the exit. The cold air smacks me in the face the second I push through the door, and I scan the parking lot to see Olivia halfway to her car.

“Finch!” I jog to catch up with her.

She stops in her tracks, turning around to face me.

“Don’t go.”

She shakes her head, giving me a forced smile. “Go have fun, Bronx. I’m okay, I just—this isn’t my scene. In there, with you—I don’t know . . .” She gives a helpless shrug, not knowing what to say.

I take another step toward her. “What?”

I see the storm of uncertainty brewing behind her eyes, and she backs away, pulling away both physically and emotionally.

“I only want to be here if you’re here,” I confess, taking the last few strides to reach her.

My eyes bore into hers. “I know this isn’t your scene and that you’re uncomfortable.

I get it. I’m not going to force you to go back in there, but I know there’s something else bothering you. Talk to me,” I plead.

She stares up at me, contemplating. Then she takes a step back, and another. “I’ll see you Monday,” she repeats, her voice almost a pained whisper.

You’re losing her , my mind screams at me. Do something!

Watching her hightail it to her car, I go into panic mode.

Brain on the fritz, I check my surroundings to think of something, anything, to get her to stop. I look to my right and spot a couple of guys perched against the wall, sharing some beers. Without a second thought I snatch a bottle from one of their hands and down the remaining contents.

“What the fuck, man?” the guy yells.

Once I’m finished, I let the bottle fall from my grasp, the glass shattering as soon as it hits the concrete.

Olivia spins around, her eyes landing on me.

I steal another guy’s beer, downing the contents and dropping the bottle like the last one. Then another.

Olivia looks at me, baffled. Like I’m insane.

Maybe I am.

Hell, here I am, going to drastic measures to not let her leave like this, without talking to me and telling me what else is bothering her. I think that automatically puts you in the insane category, moron .

But I need her to talk to me.

I stride up to her. “I need a ride home,” I say, knowing she won’t be able to turn me down. She won’t chance letting me drive with alcohol in my system.

Her shoulders sag. “Bronx,” she sighs, overwhelmed.

I know what I’m doing is manipulative and wrong, but I swear my intentions are good. I can’t have her run away like this on bad terms.

“Please, Finch?”

Silently, not tearing her gaze away from mine, she hits the Unlock button on her key fob, the rear-end lights softly illuminating her face for a moment as they blink.

She turns and walks to the driver’s-side door and opens it, and just when I think she’s going to leave my dumb ass behind, she looks over her shoulder at me expectantly, waiting.

I waste no time reaching her passenger-side door, opening it and slipping inside the vehicle. A fresh, clean scent engulfs me, and I spot the air freshener clipped to one of the air vents. I observe the rest of the interior of her car, noting how clean and pristine it is.

Olivia gets behind the wheel, turns on the engine, and cranks up the heat. Wordlessly, we both put on our seat belts and she slowly, cautiously, backs out of the parking space and turns onto the main road.

It’s quiet as she drives to campus, the tension between us like a rope tied around my neck. In the intimacy of the dark, in her small car, I struggle to find the right words. I know I’m running out of time as we approach the campus at a steady pace.

“Where’s your jacket?” she asks, her voice cutting through the silence, startling me.

Huh?

I look down at my body and realize I must have left my jacket back at the club, and I can’t help the smile that tugs at my lips, despite the rather serious situation.

“I must have left it back at the club.”

A frown etches her features, making me smile more. Only she would care about that right now.

“Finch, pull over.”

“What?” She steals a glance at me, looking at me like I have three heads.

“Pull over.”

No questions asked, she pulls into an empty parking lot, staring at me.

“Put it in Park,” I instruct, knowing this is going to take a while.

She does as I say, throwing the gearshift into Park and then staring down at the wheel.

“Look at me, Finch.”

Hesitantly, she turns her head to me, but her eyes don’t find mine. I twist my frame, planting my elbow on the center console and gently grabbing her chin, angling her face until I find her eyes. “I’m sorry about Adrianna.”

She shifts her eyes, and I lose her gaze. “It’s not that.”

“What is it?” I ask gently, patiently.

She sighs, pulling her chin from my grasp and fixing her gaze on something past the windshield, looking contemplative.

“I don’t know,” she says helplessly. “I guess . . .”

I reach over and place my hand on top of hers, giving it a reassuring squeeze.

“I’m not used to going to places like that, and going with you . . . I felt like everyone was staring at me, like, who’s this girl hanging out with him? We’ve never seen her here before. Why is he giving her the time of day?”

I frown, crushed she feels this way.

“I just felt like all eyes were on me. Judging me.” She takes a deep breath. “And when we were dancing . . .” She trails off, looking uncomfortable and embarrassed.

“I’m sorry, Finch, I crossed a line,” I admit. “I didn’t mean to make you feel uncomfortable, I just—” Now it’s my turn to struggle for words. “I got too caught up in being that close to you. You look beautiful and you smell fucking awesome. I guess I just got carried away and lost control.”

Even in the dark I can make out her blush. She shakes her head. “No, I guess I got lost in all of it, too, for a bit,” she admits shyly, her confession so soft I almost don’t hear it.

I try my best to tamp down my triumphant smile. So she didn’t hate it? Did she maybe even enjoy it a little?

“I guess it’s a good thing Adrianna intervened,” she says, her tone kidding, trying to lighten the mood, but a flash of anger strikes me.

“Yeah,” I grumble, clearly bitter.

I can’t help but wonder what would have happened if Adrianna hadn’t ruined the moment.

Olivia cracks a smile, eyes laughing. “She’s pretty determined.”

I let out a frustrated breath, raking a hand through my dark hair. “Tell me about it,” I grumble. “I’m sorry tonight was ruined. I’m sorry I even made you go in the first place.”

Olivia’s smile softens. “You didn’t make me do anything.”

“Why did you come anyway? I lost the bet.”

The side of her mouth quirks up. “Yeah, and you were pretty upset about losing,” she points out.

“Of course I was.”

She lets out a sigh, leaning back in her seat, her eyes fixed on the visor above her head. “A part of me wanted to go. Finally have a legit college experience. Delilah and even my parents tell me that I need to get out more, live life not so uptight.”

“Why don’t you?” I ask.

She shrugs. “I guess I’m scared.”

I furrow my brow. “Why?”

She gives another meek shrug, her eyes drifting to our still-joined hands.

We sit in silence for a few moments.

“Can I propose something?”

“Hmm?” She turns her head to look at me.

“How about for the next bet, you set the wager. Come up with something crazy, something you’ve never done before. Anything you want, and I’ll do it with you.”

She smirks playfully. “And what if you don’t like it? How do I know you’re not going to sabotage me and purposely get a bad grade to get out of it?”

“I would never do that to you.”

Her features soften. “Can I have some time to think about it?”

“Take all the time you need.”