AllFreeNovel
Share Us
I blush. Okay, that was presumptuous of me. But the guy is looking at me like he wants to eat me up.
There. I said it. That’s exactly how he’s looking at me.
And no, I suppose we wouldn’t have to date for that to happen…
He finally smiles. One of those smiles from the first night we met. And my heart does a stupid little trippy beat.
“Abigail—”
The back door of the bar bangs open just then. “There you are!” Charlie exclaims. "Are you read— Oh! Torin! Hi.”
“Charlie.”
I swear Torin gives her a little bow. It’s actually imperceptible, but it’s like it’s implied or something.
“I saw you come in, but I didn’t know you were out here…with Abi.” Charlie’s eyes dart back and forth between us. And they sparkle.
That’s not okay. Charlie doesn’t need to be sparkling about me and Torin being out here together.
I’m out here puking. And he just followed me.
And is demanding dancing. Which I don’t want to do.
Much.
You’re such a liar.
“Yes. I’m ready.” I step around Torin. I’m not, of course, but staying out here with Torin is a bad idea.
His hand settles on my upper arm, stopping me. “Actually, she’s not quite. We were just fixing her hair.”
What the hell is he doing? I start to respond, but, as if she’s hypnotized, Charlie nods.
“Oh, okay, sure. Great. I’ll stall a little longer.” She smiles brightly. “See you inside.” Then she turns and the door bumps shut behind her, leaving me with Torin again. Alone.
I spin to face him. “What was that?”
“You’re not one hundred percent not going to puke again, are you?” He digs into my bag. Without asking by the way.
“Well…no.” I can’t guarantee there will be no more puking.
He pulls out a hair tie, then settles his big hands on my shoulders and turns me to face away from him.
“I—”
But I don’t remember what I was going to say because he starts pulling his fingers through my hair, combing it out, and gathering it at the back of my head and I can’t think enough to form any thoughts other than, um, wow.
It feels so damned good. And now…he’s braiding my hair. Wait, what? How does he know how to do that? And why?
“Why are you so nervous about this speech?” he asks.
His voice is low, and he’s really taking his time running his hands through my hair. I could have had it put up in a ponytail in twenty seconds. But his fingers are gliding over my scalp and down the entire length of what seems like every strand of hair and…I don’t hate it.
My eyes slide closed and my head tips back a little, and I hear the breath escape my lips. It sounds like a sigh.
“Um…” What did he ask me? Oh, the nerves and the speech. “I’m just not good at public speaking.”
“It’s your family.”
