Page 119 of Wish You Were Mine
“Thank you,” I murmured, my voice husky as heat coiled low in my stomach, unbidden images flickering through my mind of what his hands might feel like on the rest of me. “You’re a miracle worker.”
“No problem,” he said, his eyes locking with mine. “It’s the least I could do.”
And in that moment, I forgot how to breathe. Because that look…it made me think that if I were to tell him I wanted more, he’d give it.
And boy, did I want more.
So much more.
Wished I could take his hand and pull him into one of Theo’s spare bedrooms and pick up where we’d left off in the hot tub allthose weeks ago.
To go back to that magical night when the stars just seemed to align perfectly and there weren’t all these extra complications.
His hands moved to my other foot, his thumb brushing the curve of my ankle bone, and a full-body shiver rolled through me.
What is he doing to me?
Each stroke, each squeeze, each gentle press of his fingers melted into my skin like warm water on aching muscles. And it felt so good. Too good.
I glanced toward the front of the room where the guys were still hollering at the game. They thankfully seemed oblivious to the fact that we were even in here with them.
When I turned back, Owen was already watching me, his expression unreadable but intense.
What would he do if I lean over and kiss him right now?
He wouldn’t be touching me like this if he didn’t want more…right?
Would he pull me into his lap like he had that night under the stars? Would he trace his lips along my neck, his breath hot against my skin, sending shivers down my spine as he whispered that he’d been dreaming of doing that since we met?
I studied the way his chest was rising just a little too fast. The way his eyes had darkened to stormy slate, hunger flickering just beneath the surface.
When his gaze dropped to my mouth—and he licked his lips before meeting my eyes again—my heart nearly stopped.
Would it really be so bad if I pulled him away right now? For just a minute. One stolen moment in a quiet corner to take the edge off this unbearable tension simmering between us.
But just when I thought he might actually reach for me, just when it felt like this moment was about to tip intosomething reckless and unforgettable, Theo’s voice broke through the fog with a, “Hey,” and I jolted like I’d been electrocuted.
I snatched my foot back from Owen and straightened in my seat, my heart slamming against my ribs like I’d been caught doing something illegal.
“This party has been amazing,” Theo said, totally oblivious to the charged moment he’d just crashed. “Seriously, Lucy—thank you for putting it all together. I honestly can’t believe you were able to find the time with everything else you have going on.”
“You’re welcome.” I swallowed hard, my pulse still drumming in my ears with the adrenaline of almost getting caught in a heated moment with his friend—my professor. “Professor Park helped a lot, too. Gave me the contact info for the caterers.”
Hopefully, using his title in front of Theo would keep my brother off the scent—keep him from realizing just how familiar Owen and I had become these past six weeks.
“Thanks, man,” Theo said, stepping in farther and giving Owen a casual fist bump.
“Happy to help,” Owen replied smoothly, his voice perfectly neutral again.
But when Theo looked toward the front of the room a second later and I caught Owen’s eyes, his gaze seemed to reflect exactly what I was thinking: that we’d been way too close to getting caught.
After the party died down and most of the guests were gone, I stayed behind to help clean up while Theo got Charlotte tucked into her bed upstairs.
I’d just finished putting the leftover cake in the fridge when Owen stepped into the kitchen.
“What can I do to help?” he asked, sleeves pushed up, hands tucked in his pockets.
My heart jumped at the sight of him. I’d assumed he already left after helping the caterers from The Garden load up their van. But here he was.
