Page 8 of Green Lights and Obsession
CHAPTER FOUR
JAY
His grip on the railing tightened as his eyes roamed across the open space. Music thumped, pulsing along the walls, chandeliers slowly moving to the beat. People continued to pour in from the large double front doors. It was the same every weekend, a party to attract her. Only he expected her this time, because he invited her the day before.
Of course, she thought it was by chance he showed up to her cousin’s house. It was his idea to arrange it from the start. Let her question what a small world it was, while he made sure the world was even smaller than she could imagine. He’d gotten to know his neighbor for longer than it appeared.
The party had been going for an hour at that point. The only thing keeping him sane was noticing neither her cousin nor best friend were here. Three faces he could see in the crowd and know she shouldn’t be far behind.
He saw her profile first. The slight upturned nose and plush lips. She turned to talk to someone behind her. Her long blonde hair was pinned to the side in a twisted manner. She turned back around, her bright blue eyes growing big with excitement.
Jay was thankful to see only two with her. His neighbor, Nick, was wearing his standard dark suit that always seemed to suit the guy. Her best friend, Jordan, in a flashy dress he’d seen her wearing in the club before. Jordan led the trio further into the room and all he could do was smile as Nick looked up and saw him on the balcony.
Fucking finally.
He made his way down the curved staircase, grabbed two glasses of champagne at the bottom and approached the group.
“Gatsby, wonderful party as usual.” Jordan smirked.
He chuckled. They would be of the few in his home that even knew who he was, and he liked it that way.
“Your place is,” Daisy glanced around. “How many people live here with you?”
Jay passed Daisy a glass of champagne. She was hesitant to accept it but quickly swallowed down her rejection.
“A little staff and myself.” He raised his glass to cheers.
Jordan quickly grabbed two glasses and passed one to Nick. “Come on, Nick. There’s someone I want to introduce you to.” She looked back at Daisy. “We’ll be around.”
Daisy forced a smile.
Jay held out his arm for her to take, but she only motioned for him to lead the way. That wouldn’t be enough, not in a crowd like this, not ever.
“Daisy,” he warned.
“Uh uh.” She shook her head. “You don’t get to pull that tone with me anymore.”
He could see the twinkle in her eye. That one little golden spark in a pool of blue. It was only a matter of time until she was right where he wanted her.
“I just don’t want you to get lost in the crowd.” He continued to hold his arm out.Take it.
She lifted her face higher, eyes narrowing as she thought about it for a moment. A sigh escaped her lips as she nodded then looped her arm in his.
He leaned in close to her ear. The smell of her perfume was even more intoxicating when mixed with her natural sweet aroma. He knew the stuff she wore now was different from that beautiful time they shared five years earlier. There were plenty of new things she wore and used that he already knew about. Ever since he started having someone follow her when he heard about the arrangement. Before he even moved into this place.
“Good girl.” He pulled back and watched as the goosebumps rose across her shoulder and down her arm. Her neck and chest grew flush. He couldn’t hide the smirk as he led them through the crowd.
Jay had considered giving her a tour the day before, but there wasn’t enough time. She was at her cousin’s and he was prepared to invite them both over. The rain started the delay and then the three of them enjoyed shallow conversation. Like none of them wanted to say what they were really thinking.
“Do you really know all these people?” Her eyes moved around the room.
“Not all of them.” He led her out the back and past the pool. “See that?” He dipped his head past the lake.
She squinted her eyes. “Is that?”
“Your house.”
Most people didn’t go beyond the pool area in the back. The sound of people and music growing further away with each step they took on the dock. Until they reached the end of it and could hear one another more easily.
