Page 11 of You Found Me in the Dark
“Totally. Just needed to clear my head.”
Cam nodded, but his concern was still hanging in the air. “Be safe. And Wren, if you guys need a ride back, just call.”
“Always,” I said, offering a small smile.
As I was about to turn toward the door, I felt someone else’s eyes on me. I glanced over.
Reed was staring. His gaze dropped from my face to the V-neck of my shirt, paused, then moved slowly down my torso to my shorts. His eyes lingered right where the rips revealed bare skin. His lips parted slightly, and without even seeming to realize it, he ran his tongue over his bottom lip. That small, involuntary movement sent a flicker of heat straight to my pussy.
Then our eyes met. For a second, neither of us looked away. There was something quiet but electric in the air. It felt like something in the space between us. I blinked and looked toward the door. Too worried Cam would notice us eye fucking in the middle of the living room. God, the tension was ridiculous. I turned away quickly.
“Bye,” I said, tossing a quick wave over my shoulder, my voice just a little higher than usual. “Don’t wait up.”
I didn’t look back, but I could feel Reed’s eyes on me as I stepped outside. The cool night air kissed my skin, grounding me again.
My phone buzzed.
Harps
pulling up now. you better look hot!!
I smirked to myself, already walking toward the curb as her headlights came into view.
“Trust me,” I whispered to myself. “Mission accomplished.”
Harper’s car rolled to a smooth stop at the curb, music thumping low from the speakers. The passenger window slid down, and her face popped out. Her hair was pin-straight and pinned back with cute butterfly clips. She had redyed her hairrecently, it was magenta with platinum blonde pieces framing her face. Harper had these big amber brown eyes that sparkled beneath long, natural-looking lash extensions. She looked like she belonged on a magazine cover. Her eye makeup was a bold, very sparkly pink that perfectly matched her outfit. Her smooth golden brown skin sparkled. She really did love body glitter. As usual, she showed even more skin than mine. Her spandex shorts looked painted on but they looked so adorable with her cropped white tank top.
She looked like the embodiment of Friday night chaos. In the best way.
“Well damn,” she yelled, giving me an exaggerated once-over. “You trying to ruin lives tonight or what?”
I laughed, slipping into the passenger seat and pulling the door shut. The heat was already on, making the interior cozy against the cool night air.
“Just felt like shaking things up,” I shrugged, buckling my seat belt.
Harper raised an eyebrow, mouth curling into a smirk as she threw the car into drive. “Shaking things up? Babe, you walked out of your house like you invented danger. That shirt? The shorts? I’m obsessed. But who are you, and what have you done with my modest, hoodie-loving bestie?”
I rolled my eyes but couldn’t help the grin that spread across my face. “I don’t know. I just… needed to feel different tonight.”
Harper glanced over at me at a red light, her teasing softening just a bit. “Something happen? Or are you just finally realizing how stunning you are?”
If only she knew this was all to get my mind off of her brother. I shrugged, looking out the window for a second beforeanswering. “The walls were closing in, and I guess I just got tired of hiding. Thought, maybe if I looked good, I’d feel good too.”
She reached over and squeezed my knee. “You don’t just look good, Wrennie. You look like a whole problem. Like someone’s going to write a love song about you tonight.”
That made me laugh way too hard. “Okay, calm down with the hype. I’m just here for snacks and loud music.”
“Yeah, sure,” Harper said, eyes twinkling as she turned up the volume. A bass-heavy beat filled the car. “And I’m just here for dick and free pop. Let’s be real, babe, because you’re not fooling anyone. You stepped out lookin’ like that, and some poor soul is about to have a life-altering moment.”
I leaned my head back against the seat, the excitement bubbling up in my chest now. Harper could always turn my nerves into fire and doubts into thrill.
“I don’t even know what I’m hoping for tonight,” I said over her loud music. “I just needed something.”
“Well,” Harper said, as we turned the corner onto the street leading to the party, lights already glowing up ahead, cars lining both sides of the block, “you came to the right place. Tonight, we don’t overthink. We dance. We laugh. We drink. And maybe, just maybe, we get into just a little bit of trouble.”
Harper turned down her music when we got a bit closer. The house came into view, pulsing with music, silhouettes moving behind the windows, the bass already vibrating in my chest.
Harper killed the engine and turned to me, eyes wide and bright. “You ready?”
