My nose screws up when Jenni fans her flushed cheeks. While biting down on her lip, Nicole nods. Blinkers light up the dark night sky when Jenni pushes the unlock button on the keys in her hand. When her empty hand wraps around the door handle of a slick new BMW, I cough, signaling I’m still in their presence.
Their attention snaps to me in an instant. In silence, their eyes roam over my body before they drift back to my face. Then they burst out laughing.
Ouch!That’s a slap my ego never anticipated.
As their laughter dies down, Jenni removes the tears tracking down her face before connecting her eyes with Nicole. “Give me a minute?”
Nodding, Nicole curls into the passenger seat. Jenni waits for her to latch her belt before shifting on her feet to face me. “I’m sorry about the beer.” Her tone is a mix of sympathetic and amused. “And the clothes.” The humor in her voice simmers when she notices my ruined shirt and jeans.
I hate the regret in her eyes. “It’s okay; I’ve heard beer is fantastic for split ends.” The blush creeping across her neck nearly knocks me on my ass. “You can make it up by going out with me.”
She holds my gaze for several terrifying seconds before shaking her head. “I don’t date players.”
“Oh, come on, I just saved you from a huge beast.” I don’t know whether it’s my shouted words that stop her from entering her car or my honesty. Whatever it is, I’m grateful. “What about if we go out as friends? We could go to the movies? Or grab a bite to eat?”
I’m not a “dating” type of guy, but I’ll say anything if it increases my odds of discovering if it’s just her neck that blushes when she comes or her whole body.
It feels like a thousand years pass as she takes her time absorbing my face. When her gaze lowers to my body, I stand taller. I’m definitely not as built as my bandmates, but I wouldn’t be considered scrawny either.
I swear she can read my thoughts when she murmurs, “I don’t sleep with friends.”
Smiling, I nod.We’ll see how long your defensive wall stays up.
“Pick me up next Friday.”
She paces toward me with her hand held out palm side up. It falls to her side when I reply, “I can’t do Friday.”
I shouldn’t love her angry face, but I do. “My band has a gig every Friday night, but I can do Saturday?”
As her plump lips curl into an uneasy grin, she raises her hand to its original position. “Phone,” she informs my shocked expression.
I yank my cell out of my pocket, unlock the screen, then hand it to her. When she goes into my contacts to add her number, I pray for her not to scroll through the names displayed. Nearly every number in my phone belongs to a girl.
My prayers are left unanswered when she asks, “Should I put my last name or where we met?” I pretend I’m confused by her statement when she adds on, “So you know which Jenni I am? There’s already three Jenni’s in your phone.”
“I’ll know which one is yours,” I reply, my tone cocky.
I’m planning to add a note the instant she leaves.Jenni, the firecracker with the knockout smilewill be her display name.
I snatch my phone out of her hand before she can delete her number, then give her a frisky wink. “See you Saturday.”
Chapter Six
Jenni
Is there such a thing as a taste for players? If so, I must have it. Why am I attracted to guys who happily admit they’re players? You’d think I would have learned my lesson with Christian. But no, instead of ignoring my stupid neurosis, I’m lying in my bed striving to work out how I agreed to go on a date with a guy who’s still nameless.
During my trip home from the Dungeon, it dawned on me that I hadn’t asked him his name. I don’t even have his contact details, for crying out loud. I guess it's lucky we’re only going out as “friends.”
Leaning over, I grab my phone off the bedside table and send another message to Emily. It’s my fifth the past ten minutes. When Nicole and I arrived home last night, we realized neither of us had received a text from Emily to say she made it home safely. Worried out of our minds, Nicole called Emily on repeat. After several long, painstaking minutes, we discovered she was out with Noah—the guy she's been lusting over the past few months.
I knew there was more going on with her last night than she let on. I just don’t know why she needed to be sneaky. She could have told us she was leaving the club with Noah, and Nicole and I would have been fine with it. She's an adult who is capable of making her own informed decisions. We wouldn’t have babied her—much.
Not long later, my phone dings with a message. Peering down at the screen, I see it's from Emily.
Em:Going on a date with Noah. I’ll call you with all the juicy details tonight. My phone is nearly dead. Love you xx
I smile, glad she’s having fun. She hasn’t dated anyone since her disastrous date with Zander years ago. Could you imagine giving your virginity to a guy, then having it broadcast to the entire school?
