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The rest of the evening is full of small talk, but it’s actually a nice time. Honestly, I’d do anything to get the fuck away from Riley for a couple hours. She’s been blowing up my phone since we got here, but I’m a master at ignoring her.
“You guys ready?” Mitch asks, glancing at me, as I shove my phone into my pocket for what feels like the hundredth time tonight.
The girls respond with a ‘yes’, but I don’t say anything. He knows I’m not looking forward to getting back to the house. Who the fuck knows what to expect when I get there.
The four of us walk outside to the truck, Delaney climbing in the front, and Marley grabbing the seat behind her. I get in the back, next to Marley. It’s dark inside of the truck, aside from the lights coming from the dashboard.
I glance at Marley next to me. She’s leaning back in the seat, eyes closed, completely relaxed. She’s got one hand on the door and the other on the seat. I sigh, leaning against the seat myself.
My pinky brushes against her hand and the air shifts between us. I don’t have to see her to know that she’s frozen on the spot. I turn my head to look at her, at the same time she’s turning to look at me.
The cab of the truck is filled with this electric energy.
She looks in my eyes, before glancing down at our hands, barely touching. I watch her chest move up and down nervously.
I glance up front, Delaney and Mitch are lost in their own conversation, completely oblivious to the tension in the back seat.
When I look at her again, she’s almost pleading with me with her eyes to put a stop to whatever’s happening. But I won’t. I can’t shake this magnetic pull I’ve felt towards her since she waltzed back into my life.
Mitch turns the music up, and I glance back up front as he and Delaney both sing along, laughing.
I take this opportunity to inch my hand closer to hers, my pinky fully covering the top of hers. Even though the music is loud, I still hear her sharp intake of breath.
We’ve both unintentionally moved our heads closer together, and I can smell the mint gum on her breath.
“You’re beautiful,” I whisper, almost mouthing the words instead of saying them out loud.
She doesn’t say anything, just continues to look at me with that same look in her eyes. The one that is silently telling me to stop this before it gets out of hand.
Lights suddenly illuminate the inside of the truck, when we pull into our neighborhood. Marley jerks herself away from me quickly, and I immediately miss her touch.
“Did you guys fall asleep back there?” Delaney asks, turning around in her seat.
“Almost,” Marley responds hoarsely.
“You missed an epic karaoke session,” Mitch says, laughing.
“We didn’t miss anything. That’s why I couldn’t fall asleep. You sounded like two dying animals,” I say, making the two of them laugh even harder.
“I don’t know about you, Mar, but I could definitely use a drink now that we’re home.” Delaney sighs, climbing out of the truck.
“I’m with you,” Marley agrees, following her into the house.
“You good?” Mitch asks.
“Yeah, why wouldn’t I be?” I ask.
“Because we’re back at the house, and who knows what that means for you,” he says, mirroring my thoughts from earlier.
“Maybe she’s asleep,” I say, even though I’m not convinced.
“You keep dreaming, buddy,” he says, slapping his hand on my shoulder.
I follow him inside and watch him walk into the kitchen to join the girls for a drink. I know that’s not in the cards for me unless I want Riley to make a fucking scene. Sighing, I walk down the hallway, after throwing my hand up in a wave to Mitch.
When I open the bedroom door, she’s sitting on the side of the bed, on her fucking phone, of course.
“How was your night?” she sneers.
