Page 57 of Steeling Her
“Please, I never even took you on a date. Stop acting like we were together, I think your legs had more of a chance of being together than we ever did.” Her eyes narrow once again, staring at the guy standing behind me. I feel a small giggle release by itself and I cough to cover it up, not looking at her. People are laughing at what he said. Nick pushes me over to Haley and TJ, and I make my way over to them. This is so awkward for me. Why am I the talk of this argument? Why is she bringing me into this?
I feel her eyes follow me with every step as I near Haley. I stand behind her, who’s behind TJ, so I’m out of sight. If I can’t see her then she can’t see me. “We both know you’ll come back to me, Nick. You always do . . .” she proudly says to her audience.
I hear Nick snort at her and he takes his sister off of TJ and pushes her out back to get some air. I stand there, still behind TJ, silently pleading he doesn’t move so she can see me.
“Ignore her, she likes to claim things that aren’t hers. You’re not a stalker.” TJ winks down at me with a beaming smile. I whisper back a thank you to him and he nods in appreciation.
We all stay longer at the party. Maya hangs around us without actually talking to us. I sit with Danielle and start watching people with her. She’s doing this thing where she’s commenting what each person is thinking and it has TJ laughing so hard at her. It’s pretty funny to listen to her, but I can’t take a drink. I’m afraid I’ll spit it out.
“Do him!” TJ points to the guy in the corner playing beer pong with his friends, you can barely see him with the amount of people gathered around the table.
“Okay, let’s see . . . ‘I really need to get laid.’ ”
“Danielle!” I smack her arm with a gasp.
“What? Come on, he looks like he needs his gear stick to be fuc—OW!” I hit her again while TJ has his hand up to his face, laughing. I reach over her to hit him too.
“OW! What did I do?” he asks innocently.
“You’re laughing!” I giggle and he points at me. That smile creeps back on to his face and he sends me a toothy grin.
“So are you Steel!” he teases me about my slip up. He pokes my cheek and I swat his hand away.
“Okay, as I was saying before I was rudely interrupted . . . Hmm . . . he’s totally singing ‘Let’s have some fun, this beat is sick, I want you to take a ride on my disco stick!’ ” she sings, bouncing up and down while TJ pinches his eyes laughing at her.
“You’re crazy, Danielle,” he says between laughs.
“Tell me something I don’t know.” She rolls her eyes playfully at him. I yawn intensely next to her, feeling my body craving sleep again. My head is thumping with the beat, and I feel like I’m not getting enough air.
I’m tired and I want to go home, but I know everyone wants to stay here. So I’ll stay with them. I open up my eyes when I feel a dip in the seat next to me.
“Tired?” His husky voice feathers my ear. I close my mouth and nod, smiling shyly back since he caught me. He’s so close me. It’s a bold move, considering the amount of people occupying the space around us. “If you want, I can you take you back to the dorm?” I look in his eyes to see if there’s anything behind that, like if he wants an escape. “Not like that. Shit, I promise it’s not like that!” He sighs as he thinks about something. Then it clicks with me. He thought I thought he was trying to sleep with me. I feel myself heat up from embarrassment. So he wouldn’t sleep with me? It’s a bittersweet thought. Then it registered with him once more when he widens his eyes, linking my thoughts.
“No! I would do it with you—I mean, fuck! I’m sorry. I keep putting my mouth in it . . . Uggghhh,” he groans in frustration. I find it kind of cute. I cover my laugh with my hand, making his face dart back to mine hearing it.
“It’s fine, Nick. If it wouldn’t be too much trouble, can you? I could really go to sleep right now. I’m exhausted.” I raise my voice back over to him. The music gets cranked up another notch, and we decide it’s time to leave.
I’m dying for my cozy bed right now.
Chapter Thirteen
A Perfect Fit
Nick
I’m leaving the house as the beat fades away from us. I can’t get that kiss out of my head. The feeling of her hand running through my hair heightened the tingles I already felt when I pressed my lips to hers. The warmth I felt with her was a warmth I have never felt before. I dreamt about kissing her for most nights.
Okay, I’m lying.
Every damn night.She’s the reason for my sleepless nights when I know she’s upset, be it with me or something else. The itch I feel to have her lie with me gets stronger each night. The images that run through my head are sending my excitement for the next time I see her into overdrive.What the hell is happening to me? When did I become such a pussy?
She clears her throat, snapping me out of it. Her hand roams up her arm, almost like she’s feeling awkward.Well, you have been silent ever since you practically told her you’d sleep with her.I mentally punch myself to being so stupid.Talk about throwing your dick in her face, Nick. I look over at her as she faces forward. In her yellow top and black jeans, she looks like a cute bumble bee. Her head whips to my gaze and I see her cheeks flame up.
“Fuck. I said that out loud, didn’t I?” I ask her and watch her send me a toothy smile and a small nod. She averts her eyes back down to her feet, still smiling. Hearing her heels click along the pavement, I say to her, “You do . . . look like a bumble bee . . . and you are . . . cute . . . ” I rub the back of my neck after realizing how stupid I sound.Fuck, what is it with her and making me say stupid stuff? I sound like I’m in kindergarten again.
“Thanks, I guess?” She laughs at how weird that was.
Fuck me, this is not how I planned the night.
