Page 36 of Reckless Hearts
Once I reach the safety of the restroom, I grip the sides of the sink, staring at myself in the mirror. What the fuck am I doing? I’ve got a gorgeous guy to flirt with, potentially go home and hook up with. That’s what I wanted.
Why am I overthinking this? Why the hell can’t I get Seb’s face out of my mind? Why can’t I stop his words from earlier circulating in my head?
Do the guys know they’re part of a game?
I just need to stop thinking.
I come out of the restroom, scanning the dancefloor for Louis.
But he’s not on the dancefloor anymore. Instead, he’s over at the booth talking to Seb.
Immediately, my shoulders seize and I’m stalking through the crowd toward them before I can stop myself.
“What are you doing?” I demand.
Louis raises a perfect eyebrow. “I’m just talking to your friend’s little brother. He’s telling me he’s at university and wants to be a biologist.”
Affection swirls inside me. But the warm feeling dies abruptly as Louis looks between us and speaks. “Why don’t you both come back to my place for some fun?”
“Yeah, that’s not going to happen,” I say as I grab Louis’s arm and pull him away from Seb.
“What’s the problem with my suggestion?” Louis tosses his head, smirking as I drag him back to the dancefloor. “Your friend’s little brother seems up for it. I think we both could have some fun with that green ass.”
I stop still, rage flooding through me.
“Leave him the fuck alone,” I growl.
Louis’s eyes widen. “Ah…you do not like to share. Is that the problem here?”
Holy fuck, I want to clock the guy. Which is a new emotion for me.
I don’t do jealousy. I’ve always adopted a “the more, the merrier” policy when it comes to sex. Watching other guys hooking up when I get to play too has always been high on my list of fun times.
But the thought of Louis’s grubby hands on Seb, of Louis getting to see that blush lighting up Seb’s creamy skin, of Louis getting to kiss Seb’s lips, sets off something almost primitive inside me.
“He’s your boyfriend, then? Is tonight just about trying to make him jealous? Is that the game you’re playing?” Louis asks.
Game.
There’s that word again.
The word pulls me up short. Because I can’t deny I’m someone who likes to play games.
But nothing about tonight has felt like a game.
“He’s not my boyfriend,” I manage.
“Ah, but you want him to be, right? You’ve spent half the night looking at him.”
“I don’t do boyfriends,” I reply.
Louis raises an eyebrow. “So you’re just trying to make him jealous for the sake of it?”
“No…I’m…”
I’m what? I’m trying to protect Seb from me. I’m trying to show him exactly who I am so he’ll stop looking at me like I hung the moon.
Because the last person who looked at me like Seb looks at me…I failed them completely.
