Page 118 of Love Thy Neighbor

Our eyes lock.

Everything falls away.

The bar, the loud music, the dancing bodies…it’s all gone.

It’s just us.

God do I miss that.

I miss his touch. His laugh. His kisses.

I misshim.

He lifts his drink to his lips, taking a sip but never pulling his eyes away from me, almost like he’s challenging me to look away first.

I do.

I toss my hair over my shoulder and turn back to the bar, seeing Shayla’s dropped off our drinks.

I pick mine up and instantly take a healthy swig.

“Caroline…” River says quietly when I turn back around. “We can go if you want. This is supposed to be a night about clearing your head, not being forced to deal with your issues.”

“No.” I shake my head. “It’s fine.I’mfine.”

“Good.” She smiles. “Now, let’s drink.”

“Oh, wait! Let’s do a toast,” Maya says.

“To what?”

She lifts her glass, and River and I follow suit.

“To dumbasses—menandlandlords!”

And we drink.

19

Cooper

Caroline’s here.

I felt her the moment she walked in the door.

She didn’t notice me, but I noticed her. My eyes tracked her as she moved through the crowd and to the bar, River and Maya at her side.

My hand clenches around the drink I’m holding. Paul’s talking in my ear, but I don’t hear him.

She’s all I can see.

She must have stopped by the apartment before she came because this sure as hell isn’t what she was wearing this morning.

A new navy blue dress I haven’t seen before stops mid-thigh, hugging every inch of her body. There’s a slit cut up the side that gives the most delectable glimpse of her skin, and she’s wearing those fucking boots Istillhaven’t gotten to take off her.

I want to wrap a jacket around her and strip her bare all at once.

I have to fight with myself to not stalk over to her and demand her attention.

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