“Yeah, pretty well. We met freshman year.”
“He’s a dog when it comes to girls.” He flattened his lips together and all traces of his previous smile was gone. “You don’t want to get involved with someone like that.”
“Someone like you, you mean? Flirts with everything and never calls them?” I replied, immensely proud of my immediate comeback. When it came to others, I could be witty and defensive, but when it came to myself, I’d spend hours plotting the perfect response.
Jeff’s only reaction was a slight eye roll. “I’m just saying, since you’re trying thisdatingthing, he’d be the last place I’d start.”
“I’m not really doing the dating thing, Jeff. You know this.” I took a deep breath and already was annoyed with him. It was our new routine. Banter, flirt, annoy. “Listen, I think I should get back with my friends.” I pointed over my shoulder to Laney and Marissa, but he shook his head.
“You said we’d talk later. It’s later.” His voice came out deeper than normal, causing me to glance up at him and for the second time that night, I got tingles all the way across my skin at how handsome he was. It made no sense. “I want to hear about yourlunch.”
“We’re at a party.” I gestured around us and gave him an incredulous look. “Wouldn’t you rather get drunk and screw around? We can catch up tomorrow.”
“Call me curious, Amber. Desperately curious.” He placed his hand on my lower back and gently nudged me in the direction of the basement. “Ten minutes?”
“Fine.” I motioned to my friends I’d be right back and they grinned when they saw Jeff. He just waved and gave a sheepishgrin—a grin I never was privy to receiving. It was too carefree and flirty for me to be the recipient. “Ten minutes then I’m back up here. I came here tonotthink about all this for one goddamn night.”
The lines around his mouth tightened and he leaned forward. “I know the feeling.”
His warm breath hit my exposed neck and I couldn’t prevent my shiver. If he saw it, he didn’t react, but his grip on my lower back tightened. His hand never left my body as we headed downstairs and through the crowd of people. Clearly we both had been to the hockey house before because he weaved us through the party area and into the backroom that was typically used for hook-ups.
I bet he knows how to give great orgasms. Oh my god, stop it!I blamed the room.And the fact I haven’t had one that wasn’t self-induced in months.
He shut the door and turned the lights on in the room and when I looked at him, I forgot why I didn’t like him. His heated gaze felt like a caress on my skin and I hoped he couldn’t see how much I started sweating. The only seating options were a hook-up futon, a loveseat or the floor. I chose the loveseat and hid my surprise when Jeff sat down right next to me…so close our thighs touched. “Really? Couldn’t sit somewhere else?”
“On the hook-up bed? Nah, I’m good.” He leaned into the cushions and took a long swig of the drink. My mouth dried up watching the way his throat moved as he swallowed the liquid and my entire body felt on fire with awareness. Every breath he took, I felt. Every time he shifted on the couch, I wanted him to touch me.
I had to get out of there.
“I’m sure it’s at nine minutes now.”
“Right,” he said, adding a small chuckle at the end of it. “How was lunch with your uncle?”
“It was great.”
“You know what I’m asking, Amber.” His gaze flicked from my eyes to my mouth and it lingered there. “What did you two talk about? Did you get any new information?”
I hesitated for a second and Jeff noticed. His features shifted and his anger almost radiated off him. “Amber…fucking tell me.”
“We tend to grab lunch once or twice a month when he’s on campus. He always told me it was business meetings with potential clients that brought him to our college town. Never thought anything of it. Not once. Why wouldn’t I trust the only person in my family I like?”
His face softened for a second but then he said, “Okay, so?”
“I probed about what type of business he was in and used the ruse that I was confused about my major and graduation. Hell, Iamconfused about my lack of career options, but I tried asking in a way if I could work with him. He derailed the conversation or changed the subject instead of answering. He’s never done that in my entire life.”And that’s what hurts the most.
Jeff sighed and finished his drink. He set the bottle on the ground near his feet and gave me a long look. “Thank you for sharing that with me.”
“You’re welcome.”
He stared at my mouth again and said, “I’ve been thinking…”
“Yeah?” My response came out like a whisper.Is he going to kiss me? Do I want him to? Yes. Yes I do.
“We need to show a picture of your uncle to some of these non-athletes. If they recognize him or know him, it would be another huge lead.”
No kissing. Uncle Martin.Get a grip. I forced myself to relax and let his words digest. All that goddamn teasing about the kissing messed with me. I cleared my throat and hated how he made sense. “You’re probably right.”
“I didn’t think you’d be up for it, actually.”
