Page 152 of Break the Ice
I glance over at Jayden, my stare sticking on his as he watches Elijah and I. “Thank you.”
“Twenty-one looks good on you.” He winks at me while Elijah shifts to face him.
The look they share feels so much deeper than a mere exchange of voiceless words, more like a deep understanding. An acknowledgment that turns the air thick and hot.
“Oh. My. Goddamn,” Christina whispers in my ear, leaning in close. A big, suggestive grin cuts her face when I look at her. “You lucky hussy.”
“What?”
Her mouth opens, but snaps shut again when Jayden asks, “What are you girls drinking?”
“Anything fizzy and fruity,” Christina tells him, knitting her fingers with mine before she tugs me toward the restrooms. “We’ll be back shortly.”
I don’t get the opportunity to argue with her. The heels are still new to me, and the last thing I want is to sprain an ankle or break a leg.
The instant we make it through the restroom door, Christina drags me into one of the walled-off stalls and levels me with a probing stare.
“Well?” She finally asks.
“Why did you drag me in here?”
“Why? Really? That’s what you have to say after—” Her eyes bug as she thrusts her arm out in the direction of the bar. “You did not tell me it’s likethat.”
“What’s like what?” I try to swallow down the worry that bubbles up with my question. Because Christina is way too switched on not to sense the tension all round.
“When we talked this morning, I thought it was more of a they want you and you don’t know who you want situation but that…” She pauses, fanning herself. “What I just saw… fuuuuck!” Her tongue hangs out of her mouth as she pants with crossed eyes. “It’s not just you they want, is it?”
I don’t know what to say to her or what Icansay. It’s why I didn’t tell her about what happened last night. How close we all were and how crazy and good and exciting it all felt.
“You don’t have to answer, it’s more than obvious… it’s also really freaking hot, and I totally think you should play bread and filling to that sandwich.”
I choke on my words at her salacious grin. “Jesus?—”
“Oh no, no, no… you leave him out of it. There’s enough going on without adding him to the equation.” The heat flaming my cheeks throbs as I try to come up with something to shrug off her observations. “Your pretty face isn’t sayingyee-hawright now.”
“It’s…”
“Complicated. Right, I gotcha.” Her hands cup my face. There’s no hint of her usual brazen grin when she tells me, “Complicated is a weak-ass excuse for being too chickenshit to take a leap of faith.”
“Is it, though?”
Christina fluffs up my hair before she takes her red lipstick from the purse she lent me for tonight, and lightly dabs it on my lips. “Girl, you’re all about faith, so have some in yourself and explore the possibilities. Okay? Please? For me… because getting railed by two super hot men is a fantasy most women will never experience.”
“Oh—kay...”
“Atta girl!”
Before I can say something to call her down, she’s dragging me back to the bar.
I’m notsure how much longer I can keep up with Christina. Even though my drinks are a tenth of the strength of hers, so she’s told me, my head is starting to swim a little when I take the last gulp from my glass.
“My turn to get the drinks,” Christina announces, pushing away from the high table, straight into a group of raucous players passing by.
As quickly as she made the declaration for more drinks, she forgets it the instant the birthday boy starts flirting with her.
Matheo’s tall, dark, and handsome in a rakish way. He’s Christina’s type—from the boisterous confidence to the way he eats her up with his eyes. That’s her kind of chill—no chill.
“What’s everyone drinking?” Matheo asks, spinning Christina to face the table while his hands anchor on her hips.
