Page 42 of Infatuated as They Come
“Only a little. I guess I’ll leave you guys alone, I’m catching up with some buddies,” he said, pointing a thumb behind him before eyeing me. “Thanks again for the cigarette, man. I’ll bring my car in soon too, huh? I don’t trust that dealership with my baby.”
“Yeah.” I nodded at him. “Bring it in whenever.”
“Thanks! I’ll see ya!”
He gave us a wave and spun on his heels, running off back to the bleachers and into a crowd of guys who looked like they walked straight out of a frat house. Holly pressed herself up against me some more, looking as pretty as ever in my jacket.
“I know what my dad said is probably still on your mind, but you know I don’t want anyone but you. But if you’re not okay with me talking to Nate…” She let out a little breath. “I mean, if it’s weird for you…”
I had meant what I said to Nate: I wasn’t ever going to tell Holly who she could and couldn’t be friends with. I didn’t trust other guys, but I trusted her, and while Nate had seemed friendly enough during that short conversation, I wasn’t afraid to get my hands dirty if he—or any guy—thought he could make a move on her.
“No, I can’t tell you who to be friends with,” I said, stroking a thumb across Holly’s soft cheek. “That’s not my job. I’m not ever gonna keep youfrom your friends.”
“That’s all he is. A friend. But you?” she asked, brushing her lips up against mine. “I like you much, much more than a friend.”
I smiled at her. “I’m glad to hear that.”
Chapter 10
Holly
“Cold, cold, cold,” I said, turning the heat up in the apartment some more, then I quickly ducked under a heavy blanket on the couch. Phone pressed to my ear, I could hear my best friend enjoying my pain on the other end of the line. “Don’t laugh at me.”
“I’m not,” Annie said.
“I can literally hear you giggling.” I brought the blanket right up to my chin with my free hand, making sure not to knock my laptop on the armrest over in the process. I had just spent the last hour going over my article for The Daily Post before sending it over to Caroline.
“And everyone told me it was a bad idea to give you socks.”
Pushing one foot out from under the blanket, I eyed the fluffy pink material. “You can’t go wrong with socks. Trust me, I’m eternally grateful.”
“You know, I’ve been watching that video of your routine from the other night over and over. You guys were so good. Do you know how hard it is to not cheer anymore?”
I hummed. “You’re not gonna miss cheer when you’re in the middle of performingRomeo and Juliet. What’s happening with all your dance stuff?”
She groaned softly. “My Ballet Technique teacher hates me. She wants me dead.”
“She can’t be that bad.”
“No, she is. I’ve never had someone get so mad at the way I do a pirouette. She said I had a weak landing. Can you believe it?”
“Your pirouettes are always perfect.”
“Well, she doesn’t seem to think so.”
“At least you get to live in that beautiful apartment. That must make it all worth it.”
“I swear I get the best sunset every night.”
“Send me more photos. When I visit, we’re going straight to the beach.”
“I still can’t believe you’re so far away. Literally on the other side of the country. How’d that even happen?”
“I know. Plus these different time zones,” I said, eyes falling to the window. If I craned my neck, I could make out the never-ending sea of beautiful lights that filled up New York City. “It feels like I’m time traveling.”
The front door suddenly opened and I couldn’t help but stop and stare as I locked eyes with Sawyer. He had been coming home later and later the last few days and guilt kept eating away at me knowing he was working so hard. Hair a wonderfully tussled mess as always, he dumped his bag on the ground and flashed me a smile that made my heart leap. He made his way over to me, giving me a soft kiss to the lips before his eyes lowered to my pink socks. Brows raising, he tucked a finger into the elastic and gave a sock a soft tug.
“What the fuck are these?” he whispered.
