Page 13 of Ember Meadow
Shocker, he doesn’t look happy.
His jaw clenches but he holds my gaze, fire behind his eyes again. I wonder if he realizes how mad he always looks. Is it just around me? Does he hate me so much that he can’t even bear to smile?
Not one to back down, I don’t look away. We are trapped in an awkward staring contest neither of us can break away from. I can’t imagine what it looks like to an outside observer. His stare passes over me like licks of a flame. I can already feel my body temperature rising.
Annoyance and something else angrier flashes in his eyes, watching as I dance with Dean. I look away, reaching up to play with Dean’s hair and whisper in his ear about how much fun I’m having. Taking my hints, he pulls me in, our bodies clamped together as close as we can get.
I push away another flashback to Salt Lake City, when Miles and I were this close. I still remember the heat radiating off of Miles, almost burning me on contact. He’s like a magnet, when we were together I never noticed how drawn I was to him until I pulled away. Unfortunately, that feeling is hard to shake.
I feel a prickling on my shoulder. Looking up towards Miles again, I find him still staring a hole right through me. If looks could kill, I’m sure I’d be long gone by now. His jaw ticks in frustration. So dramatic.
I throw him a saccharine smile I know he’ll hate. The bigger I grin, the more his scowl grows. If he’s going to glare at me all night, I might as well have some fun with it.
The stare-off finally ends when his friend claps him on the shoulder, leaning in to tell him something. Miles breaks eye contact with me to nod and reply to his friend. They both get up and head over to a pool table with a few other guys.
“I’m a little thirsty, do you mind if we grab a drink?” I say to Dean. Now that Miles is here, I’m going to need one. We head over to a table near the bar and I start to fall into a stool. I’m a bit dizzy from drinking without food on my stomach. Rookie mistake. Before I can sit, Dean whisks me over to his lap, nuzzling into my neck. Giggling, I lean into it. He’s a nice enough guy and I need some fun.
“Can’t have you falling out of your chair, can we? I think you’re much safer over here,” Dean laughs, “Do you need some water? Food?”
“Water would be great,” I tell him. I gulp it down as soon as the waitress brings me a glass. I’m already feeling much better now that I’m out of Miles’s immediate orbit.Don’t think his name,I tell myself.Focus on Dean.
Dean’s friend, who’s name I cannot seem to remember for the life of me, comes back after his game of pool is over. Dean’s hands travel up and down my back as they talk, giving me goosebumps again. We are alone again when his friend heads up to the bar to order another drink, Dean catches my eye and smiles.
“Can I kiss you?” he asks. I smile and nod, excited by this fun little turn of events. Kissing a stranger in a country bar on my first night in town. Hazel will love hearing about this.
His lips gently brush against mine, testing the waters. I kiss him back, inviting him to go further. It’s a bit awkward, and he pulls away way too soon. There’s just not a spark.
The second I lift my head, I feel Miles’s gaze on me again. Sure enough, I look up in time to see him white-knuckling a glass of beer. As soon as I catch his eyes, he looks away quickly. Nice try, bud. I can practically see the steam rolling off his shoulders.
For someone who pretends not to care, it sure seems like he cares a lot about what I’m doing. I don’t know what I did to make him hate me so much, but I could really do without his judgment of my every move.
“You know what,” I start to say to Dean. “I’m gonna grab us another round. Be right back.” I hop up out of his lap before he can protest and walk over to the bar, Miles trailing me as soon as I stand.
Playing right into my hand, Miles shows up next to me at the bar just as I’ve thanked the bartender, drinks in hand.
“Double fisting drinks tonight, Mac? Why am I not surprised?” He grumbles, brushing my shoulder slightly with his arm. I ignore the goosebumps, lifting my chin up in the air. This asshole is not getting to me.
Then, he does something I’m not expecting. He surveys me from head to toe, his eyes lingering a beat too long on my lips. It’s not anger in his eyes this time, it’s just heat. The weight of his gaze leaves a trail of sparks on my skin. I’m not sure if he even knows how obviously he’s checking me out. I smirk at him and he immediately looks away.
“Just trying to have a good time while I’m in town,” I say, hoping I don’t sound too breathless.
“You know, there is such a thing as having too good of a time.”
“Is there some problem you have with me, Autry? Got your panties in a twist?” I ask with another smile, turning towards him. It’s answered with another frown. He turns to face me as well, but it seems absentminded. Magnets, and all that.
“No, do you?” Miles shoots back, taking a sip of the new beer that showed up in front of him. My gaze lands on his throat, just below his beard, as he takes a drink.
“Not wearing any,” I quip. Miles chokes on his beer, eyes wide. “See you around,” I wink, walking back over to Dean.
Knowing he’s still watching me from the prickling on the back of my neck, I set the drinks down on the high top table next to Dean and plant an exaggerated kiss on his cheek.
“Come here, girl,” Dean laughs, grabbing my hand and pulling me around to the front of his stool. “Next time, I’ll buy. My momma wouldn’t let me live down the day I let a lady pay for my drinks.”
“You bought the first round, it’s only fair,” I say.How very 1950’s of him.I think as I lift the glass to my lips. I’m standing between his knees now, a fairly comfortable position.
Two drinks and one country swing dance that I don’t know any of the moves of later, I feel myself hitting a wall. I’ve had fun tonight, but right now, all I want is to curl up in bed and read until I fall asleep.
Dean pulls me into his lap at our table, and I can’t quite get comfortable. I glance up, wondering where Miles went off to. He’s got a comfortable shoulder. If he wasn’t such an ass to me earlier, I’d love to curl up and fall asleep on him.
