Page 31 of Playing for Keeps
I can’t tear my eyes off her. The way she moves to the music, her hips swaying, her arms in the air like she’s completely carefree. I take a pull of my drink. The beer’s cold, but it barely touches the heat spreading through me as I watch her.
It isn’t until the booth shifts beside me that I realize Seb’s slid in next to me.
“You wanna talk about it?” he asks quietly.
I glance over. “Talk about what?”
“Ivy,” he says simply. “And the fact you’ve had your eyes glued to her since she stepped onto that dance floor.”
I hesitate before taking another long sip, buying myself a few more seconds. “You’re seeing things.”
He snorts. “Come on, man. You forget who you’re talking to. I know you too well.”
I groan, raking a hand through my hair. “How did you figure it out?”
He gives me a knowing look. “Same way you clocked my feelings for Sophie. Maybe it’s a twin thing. Or maybe you’re just that obvious. You’ve been staring at her all night.”
“Yeah,” I admit under my breath, “I can’t help it.”
“So, when did this happen?”
My gaze drifts back to Ivy, still laughing, still dancing, and still completely unaware she’s undoing me with every move. “The night of the auction. Something changed. I don’t know how to explain it… It was like my eyes were suddenly wide open and she was all I could see.”
“You tell her?”
I drag my eyes away from her and meet his. “No. She doesn’t feel the same. To her, I’m just Ash’s big brother.”
He bumps my shoulder. “You don’t know that.”
“I do,” I insist. “She’s never looked at me that way. If I say something and she doesn’t feel it back... it’ll ruin everything. She’ll pull away. I’d rather have her like this than not at all.”
He raises an eyebrow. “Didn’t you ask her to be your realtor?”
I nod. “Yeah.”
“You think that’s a good idea?”
I frown. “Why wouldn’t it be?”
“Because you like her, Wyatt. Spending time together is just going to make it harder, surely?”
I shrug. “At least I get to see her more,” I say lamely.
He lets out a low whistle. “Damn, Wyatt. You’ve got it bad.”
“Yeah,” I say, my eyes drawn back to her again. “I guess I do.”
“You should talk to her.”
“It’s not that simple.” I glance at him, my voice quiet. “You’ll keep this between us, yeah?”
“Of course. But for what it’s worth, I think you’re making a mistake.”
“Noted.”
My gaze snaps back to Ivy, and every muscle in my body goes rigid.There’s a guy standing with her now, leaning in close, saying something that makes her throw her head back and laugh. His hand grazes her bare arm and something tight coils in my gut. He’s standing too close and looking at her like he wants more.
“Who the hell is that?” I mutter, tension curling tight in my chest.
