Page 50 of Under My Skin

“Listen, after our conversation at Ava’s party, I figured I better invite her myself in case you didn’t have the balls to do it,” Reid admits disappointingly. “You’re welcome. Now go make it right.”

“First of all, stop texting her, Reid. I’d hate to have to punch you.” Reid just laughs like this is all hilarious to him, and all the guys follow suit, which only makes me want to punch him more. “Secondly, I know it was dumb, but I’m going to fix this,” I plead.

“Is that so? Because it looks like Austin might beat you to it.”

I turn my head in the direction Liam is looking and, sure enough, Austin Lance from our high school band is making moves on my girl. He doesn’t have the smallest iota of a chance with Lizzie Montgomery, but that doesn’t seem to be stopping him from shooting his shot.

“He definitely is,” Theo confirms with a frustrated head shake.

“Question is, what are you gonna do about it?” Liam says as he pats me on the back.

24

LIZZIE

As much asI’m kind of focusing on hating him right now, I can still appreciate Cameron’s hotness as I steal glances at him from across the bar. While he was greeting everyone after he first arrived, I took him in as subtly as I could, which I’m sure was beyond obvious to anyone watching. He’s wearing black jeans and a dark gray T-shirt—totally casual, yet he looks like he can be on the cover of GQ. His dark hair is styled to look perfectly messy, his locks tousled just right.

I’m suddenly hit with an onslaught of images from last night’s stargazing escapade and running my hands through his hair while he wreaked the best kind of havoc on my body.

“So, what’s really going on between you and my brother?” Morgan asks, snapping me out of my dirty daydreams.

“Nothing’s going on.” As much as I’d love to tell Morgan, I don’t want to put her in the middle of this.

“Are you sure about that? Because I’m worried that the sexual tension is going to become too much and you’re both just gonna rip your clothes off and go at it here in front of everyone.” The grimace on her face expresses just how much the idea of watching that disgusts her.

“He’s just a little indecisive on what he wants, that’s all.”

“Well, that’s easy to fix,” she says with a shrug.

“That’s exactly what I said,” Lia shouts, beyond excited.

The two of them link their arms while they look around the room before their gaze settles on the same guy grabbing a beer at the bar. Poor Austin Lance appears to be tonight’s pawn. I actually feel bad that I might end up leading him on. He’s super nice but kind of shy. Always respectful without a mean bone in his body. The male version of Ellie, if you will.

He’s got light brown hair and a lean body. A little skinnier than I prefer but still easy on the eyes. If I remember correctly, he was a few years behind Cameron and was super into band. I think he’s an accountant at the bank.

Before I can tell them to stop it, Lia and Morgan are waving him over, and I’m forced to put on a smiling face. I’m going to get them both for this.

“Hey, Morgan,” he says with one of those weird, closed-mouth smiles people do when they’re nervous. “Hi, I’m Austin.” He reaches his hand out to Lia, which she shakes enthusiastically, and then turns to me. “Hey, Lizzie.” Since I never left for college, I’m a town staple and everyone knows me.

“Hey Austin. How are you?” I smile.

“Good, good. Still working at the bank. How’s your pottery going?”

“Good,” I reply.

The silence stretches between the four of us and the awkwardness is brutal. There is no way Cameron is going to be pushed intoAlpha Cameronmode with this sad excuse for flirting.

We stare at each other for a few more seconds, and then I see his eyes flash to something over my shoulder at the same time I catch Lia and Morgan grinning.

I don’t even have to turn around. It’s like I can feel him coming, and damn it, I’m hot all over and trying to tell my body we don’t like him right now.

“Welcome home, Cam. Thanks again for inviting me,” Austin says as he reaches out and shakes Cameron’s hand, and I move so I’m standing closer to Austin for this interaction. I glance at Morgan and Lia and notice that they’re slowly moving away from us but are giving me huge thumbs up.

Can I still get them for this if their plan actually works?

“Of course. I really appreciate all your help getting things squared away with the farm after my dad passed. You were a huge help.” Cameron quickly moves his gaze to me, and I pretend not to notice the jealous look in his eyes and the steel set to his jaw like he’s grinding his teeth in an attempt to keep his cool.

“I’m sorry. Did I interrupt anything?” Cameron asks oh-so-innocently.

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