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I pull a face and Tegan laughs. I smile back, and she continues eating. What’s the deal here? I’m bloody confused again.
“So, you want to go and chat somewhere on our own?” I suggest.
Tegan pauses mid-chew of her pizza and her eyes widen. She swallows. “Are you serious?”
“Yeah. It’s what you want, right?”
“I don’t know whether to laugh at or be insulted by your proposal, Jaxon.”
Shit, I don’t know how to relate to chicks unless I’m confident they’re interested. “You seemed keen before, things are a bit awkward with your brother around.”
“That was before.”
“What’s changed?”
“I’ve regained my common sense.” She points toward the doorway where Sofia has reappeared. “And you’ve regained your groupies.”
“I didn’t invite her!”
Tegan takes a napkin from the table and wipes her fingers. “It’s all good. You just reminded me why tangling myself with you would be a bad idea.”
I shift closer. “How about one night tangled? I might change your mind?”
Tegan meets my steady look, and the truth she’s trying to hide is there. Nothing has changed from before, and we need to be alone. When Tegan’s focus is on me, the world falls away leaving behind nothing but the need Tegan denies she shares. This girl turns me inside out, and rips rational thought from my mind. How much longer can Tegan pretend I don’t have the same effect on her?
I slide my hand toward hers. Tegan’s reaction to my touch should give me a clue.
“Jaxon Lewis, Miss Sawyer says you’ve been rude to her again!” Will says in a singsong voice as he appears. He elbows me in the ribs, interrupting my hand on its way to Tegan. “You pissed Riley off, you’re in trouble now!”
“Not now, Will,” I mutter.
His mouth makes an ‘o’ shape and he points between us. “Are you two having a moment?”
“Piss off.”
Will laughs. “Living dangerously, man.” He appraises Tegan and stands between us, clapping a hand on each of our shoulders. “We’re organising a little party of our own, you coming?”
Tegan shrugs him off and steps to one side. “Who?”
“Us.” He flourishes a hand in the direction of the growing group of people with Nate, surprisingly including other guys apart from us. “Up for it?”
Tegan wrinkles her nose and looks between us both, then at Bryn and company. “Yeah. Okay.”
“Awesome!” Will hits us both on the back again. “Let’s go!”
He heads off and glances back at us.
“I need a minute,” says Tegan. “I’ll catch up or you can wait.”
“But you’re coming with us?” I say, then regret how over-keen I sound.
Tegan reaches out and pushes a strand of fringe from my brow, her soft fingers brushing my skin. “I was invited, wasn’t I?” she says quietly.
Which invitation is she talking about? I damn well hope Tegan’s gesture means she’s talking about the one I gave her before.
TEGAN
I splash water on my face, lessening the heat in my cheeks and pat my face dry with a paper towel. Why does Jax Lewis have this effect on me? I can only keep him at arm’s length for so long, and then... who knows? Why the hell have I agreed to go to his and the twins’ party? I’m an idiot; we both know where this is leading. I’ve had a couple of beers; time I stopped before my inhibitions loosen. I can be sure I won’t end up in Jax’s bed, but I can’t be sure I won’t end up with my body wrapped around his. I pull out my lip balm and smear it across my lips, tasting the vanilla, dismissing thoughts of what Jax’s mouth tastes like. See? If he knows what lies beneath my sharp-tongued barrier when I’m around him, I’m in trouble.
