Page 37 of Keep Me Never
I peek inside, spotting a glimpse of Cameron slipping off the elevator, so I shoot forward and catch the door, holding it open.
I smile at Cameron as she saunters off with too much sass for one person, her red dress tight and long and guaranteed to make Brady puff out his chest like the proud fucker he is, ready to flaunt her in front of any and every one he can get to look her way because he will definitely make a scene just to get people to notice the girl he gets to call his.
She spots me and her smile turns into a smirk that has my eyes narrowing.
“Chaser.” She pecks my cheek as she walks by, whispering, “You can thank me later.”
Her words are lost on me, but I chuckle as I watch her go, facing forward again just as Ari slips past.
She smiles her hello, but her eyes go forward instantly, and she squeals as she runs off, likely straight into Noah’s arms, but I don’t look. Couldn’t if I wanted to because in that same moment, Paige comes into view. She pauses to say something to her dorm RA. My gaze slides over her from head to toe.
Her dress is a deep blue—the same shade of blue as my jacket and slacks. She’s not wearing it by chance. She chose it, chose to match me tonight—the thought has something that feels a lot like satisfaction zipping down my spine.
The dress is far too tight, wrapped around her like a spandex blanket yet somehow lying as elegant as silk. It might be silk.
Her back is fully exposed, her hair ends teasing low on herspine and curled in those kinds of waves you see in old Hollywood photos on the wall at the Hard Rock. There’s a tiny strip of material that comes up along her shoulder blades, the only thing keeping the dress from slipping right off.
It would be so easy to peel it from her skin. It would fall in one swoop, puddling around her tiny feet in those sparky black heels…
I’m a little taken aback by how vivid the image is, by how real I want it to be.
I’m not supposed to want her this way.
She spins then, and something knocks against my ribs once. Twice.
Man, she is… Wow.
If she’s wearing makeup, it’s done so faintly, you can’t even tell, other than this little sparkle of something that draws my attention straight to her eyes. She looks up, her eyes meeting mine, her smile slow and shy, and when she blinks, it’s like her lashes sweep in slow motion.
Her eyes—they’reso bluetonight. Clear and sharp and trained on me.
I think I’d like to keep them there.
“Hi.”
Her smile tugs deeper, though she fights it. “Hi.”
I don’t want her to fight it. I want to see how far those laugh lines can reach.
How far the blush that’s slowly appearing goes.
She blushes so easily.
For me or for everyone?
A hand clamps on my shoulder, and I jolt, head yanking to my right.
Brady is grinning like a damn fool. “Love you, bro, and as much as I’d like to stand back and let you stare till you got your fill, there’re people waiting to get past you, but they’re too nice to say it.”
What…
I blink, looking around, and realize I stepped forward without knowing it, my body now half in the doorway, completely blocking her from stepping all the way out, leaving no room for anyone else to go in or out.
Well, that’s fucking embarrassing.
I clear my throat, looking away as I move to the side.
Slowly, Paige passes, but in my peripheral vision, I notice how her eyes hold on me until they can’t. “Oh my god, Noah!” she shouts. “Hi!”
