Page 27 of Melting Wynter

ChapterNine

Wynter

I could feelthe heat radiating from his body as he followed me into the bathroom. There was an intense spark and desire behind his eyes as he pulled my overly willing body into a kiss. As if some magnetic response outside of my control is attracting me to him like a positive and negative ion.

I did not softly melt into his lips but hungrily staked the claim I had no right to take, begging for more. The scratch of his scruff against me gave me a beard burn, but I relished the heat it brought me.

Feelings like this don’t just happen. They start small, take root, and crawl into every part of you. I don’t allow these types of feelings and won’t allow myself to have them toward him. It’s with no uncertainty though that Weston Croix will be my greatest downfall.

Pressing fingers to my lips, I wait for the apartment elevator doors to open. I can still feel him on my lips. His warm breath against my chin. His fingers touching me.

The silver button on the elevator calls out to me signaling to run is the best response, so I hit it again, my impatience showing. I know lying to myself isn’t the answer, but I do it anyhow. Whether or not I want to believe the lie is a whole fresh story.

The elevators let me out on the bottom floor and I make my way to the street. The hotel is only a block away, I decide to walk.

Billie Ellish’s “You Should See Me in a Crown” breaks me from this daze and I pull my phone out to see Addison’s name lighting up the screen.

“Wyn, what happened?”

“Weston Croix happened.” I clip my response.

“You want to talk about it?” The sound of concern in her voice is clear. Adds has probably never seen me this messed up. Every time I’m around him, I break. I shatter like a fragile pearl necklace. Letting every single feeling crumble to the ground, giving him every opportunity to pick them up and use them against me at a later date.

My head is so fucked up. Weird butterflies take over my entire body when I think about it. When I see him, my breath gets stunted. It’s like he hypnotized me and penetrated the caution tape around my soul.

“Wyn…”

“No, I want to forget.” Another lie. It’s unclear how many have fallen from my lips recently, another thing I blame on him. Forgetfulness won’t come with him, no matter how much I try, he’s always there. Watching me. Waiting for me to slip up. To fall down. To trip and let my heart bleed for him.

“You still want to go out tonight?” A question in her words.

“Yes.” I need him out of my system, out of my head, even if it’s only for the night.

“Well, you pick the place and we’ll go. You and me.”

“Somewhere with dancing.” Dancing, so someone else’s hands can replace every memory that I have of his on me.

She pauses for a minute before she responds, “I don’t really think this outfit is appropriate for any of the places we can go dancing, Wyn.”

“Adds, babe, we wear the same size. I’ll let you borrow something.”

Squealing in my ear, I can picture her jumping up and down. “Deal, you know I’m always down to raid your closet. You have the best clothes.”

“Where are you?” I ask, needing to know how long I have before she gets here.

“I’m on my way now. You left a couple minutes before I did.”

“Okay, see you when you’re here,” I say, hanging up the phone and walking through the door as it opens. For a moment, I miss my doorman and the marble floors of The Garden’s lobby. I miss my home.

My gaze lingers to the bar, and I debate grabbing a drink to start this evening.No, I’m sure we’ll have enough to drink tonight.

We’re dressed for a party.I wear another go-to skin-tight black dress, but instead of my typical statement red stilettos, I pull out my silver So Kate Louboutin Pumps with the red sole. My special occasion shoes.

Adds picks out a dark red slinky dress and my Hot Chick 100 Ivory Glitter Louboutin pumps. We spend an hour doing our hair and makeup, looking fine. Definitely ready to dance our asses off and party like it’s 1999.

We hit a dance club so we can shake loose and enjoy ourselves for the evening. I’m not one for socializing, but tonight things are different. The last thing I want to do is sit around, talk, and dive into whatever this thing is between Weston and I.

Ordering drinks, we grab a booth to settle in before getting our groove on. A couple minutes later, shots are flowing. Nothing a little alcohol can’t fix. Adds pulls me out to the dance floor, and I let her, landing in the middle of the room.

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