Page 11 of Spar
Spotting Elle smiling at Ryan from the table where she sat, Tori took a moment to watch the way they melted just staring at each other from across the room. The sting of jealousy got under her skin. She wanted that... or a version of it anyway. She wasn’t interested in cheesy, overly romantic gestures, but having someone who lit up when she entered a room — that she wanted. She’d never really had that closeness with Luke. They’d had fun, some good times, but their relationship hadn’t been comprised of the type of love and desire that sent chills down her spine.
Ryan pulled her to him, wrapping an arm around her shoulders. “I’m sorry if I haven’t been a very good big brother lately. I love Elle, but you’ll always be my little sister. I’m here if you need anything.” He gave her a soft squeeze then stepped away and joined Elle at the table.
Tori took her seat at the other end and watched as Charlie returned and winked before sitting across from her. She felt disappointed that Chris had not joined them and decided to make the most of what was left of the night.
“When are you moving back?” Tori asked Charlie, ignoring the impulse to ask about Chris.
“I’m going to be back and forth for the next month, but hopefully by mid-March.”
“What will you do here? For work?” Gretchen asked quietly.
It was the most she’d said all night, and the entire table hushed as they looked from her to Charlie while they waited for his answer.
He shot Gretchen his best smile, the one Tori recognized from his realtor advertisements, and the poor girl turned a faint shade of red. “I’m moving my real estate business to Sweetbriar and the surrounding area. It won’t be quite what I’m used to, but I’m looking forward to slowing down a bit.” He tucked his long blond hair behind his ear.
Tori giggled at Gretchen’s reaction. Charlie had always had a way with the ladies, but watching him so effortlessly make one swoon right before her eyes was too much. Her giggles were quiet and went unnoticed at first, but soon she was snorting and gasping so loudly the group had turned to look at her like she had three heads. Yeah, maybe it was time to stop drinking.
CHAPTER FIVE
Chris leaped upthe steps and slid his phone in his pocket. The nervous energy he’d been carrying around had turned into something else. Hope. Having taken matters into his own hands, he was ready to enjoy the evening.
“Where did you disappear to?” Claire asked as she caught Chris slipping back into the house.
He avoided eye contact and answered, “Sorry about that. I had to take care of a few things.”
“My baby brother is a workaholic,” Charlie teased.
Claire pointed a finger and used her best authoritarian voice. “Well, no more work tonight. Let’s bust open the piñata, and then we are watchingForgetting Sarah Marshall.”
The girls clapped excitedly while the guys exchanged a look that acknowledged they were all drawing a hard line at watching a sappy romantic movie, but they kept their mouths shut. If they played it right, they could sneak away to play cards and drink while the girls watched the movie.
Claire brought in a heart-shaped piñata, and Jake helped her tie it to a hook in the arch that separated the kitchen and dining room. He looked down adoringly at Claire as she ordered him to lower and raise it until she decided it was at the perfect height.
Another one bites the dust.
Searching for Elle and Ryan, Chris found them snuggled up on the couch, talking quietly to one another as if no one else was at the party.
“Charlie, you can go first. Consider it my welcome-back-to-Sweetbriar gift.” Claire bowed her head to Charlie and offered him the bat.
“Aw, shucks. You shouldn’t have,” Charlie said as he took the bat and surveyed the piñata as if it were a baseball he was going to hit out of the park.
“One more thing.” Claire pulled out a blindfold from earlier and motioned for Charlie to lean down so she could tie it around his head.
Charlie was a big guy, nearly as tall and big as Chris. He looked ridiculous blindfolded, trying to find the piñata as he held the colorful toy bat. Taking a small swing, Charlie just made contact with the hanging heart in front of him before pulling back. Stepping closer and positioning his feet, he smiled, and then he exploded toward the papier-mâché. The piñata popped, and pieces went everywhere. The room erupted into laughter and squeals as everyone searched around the room to find the prizes Claire had stuffed inside.
Chris leaned back on the kitchen island and watched as the others picked up mini bottles of liquor, candy cigarettes, and Valentine’s-Day-themed candy, and more. Claire had thought of everything, as she always did.
His gaze collided with Tori’s, and she froze in place, crouched down low to the ground. His eyes went to her hand where her red fingertips grasped a Trojan wrapper, and he lifted his eyebrows, feigning surprise. She narrowed her eyes and stood. She pushed her shoulders back and slipped the condom down the front of her dress, not breaking eye contact with him.
They weren’t fiveminutes into the movie before Tori stifled a yawn, the wine fog threatening to lull her to sleep. After quietly shifting off the leather couch where she’d sat between Charlie and Claire, she waved off Charlie, who’d shot her a questioning glance. The group had been quiet during the movie, an unusual occurrence with the boys around. Normally, she’d be thankful they were cooperating, but tonight she needed the noise and disorder to keep her distracted from the way Chris’ body had felt pressed up against her. Air. She needed to get some air and maybe some coffee. She swayed a little on her feet. First, air, then definitely, coffee.
Padding through the dark kitchen, she became conscious of her feet aching from the strappy, gold pumps wrapped around them. In seconds, she had removed them and pulled on a pair of Elle’s Uggs lying near the sliding glass door. A soft moan slipped out as the soft, warm boots hugged her feet. She shrugged on her jacket and pulled it tightly around her as she stepped outside onto the porch. The cold air was a welcome wake-up. The snow had stopped, but the night sparkled as the moon hit the white landscape. It was eerily quiet out with only the sound of the gentle breeze straining against the snow-covered trees.
“You’re going to catch pneumonia out here.” The gruff voice came from the doorway.
“Don’t tell me you’re worried about me,” Tori said with a sarcastic laugh.
Chris stepped out onto the porch with two mugs in his hand, holding one out in her direction. “Here, drink this.”
