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And she dated that peacock?
He kissed her?
Tried to—
Fuck, alright. I’m jealous. Guilty.
Deep breaths, Jace.
The reason I didn’t touch that prick in front of everyone is because I didn’t want to come across as exactly the type he is. Nor did I want to cause a scene. Or ruin the party. Or scare off Lu.
So now I’m annoyed. One, at everyone’s pitying glances at me. Two, at the redhead, Erin, who leans onto me with her big breasts, saying something about California and how she loves LA.
Her voice drones off as my eyes find Lu with a friend by the open doors to the terrace.
The music is blasting. The cigarette smoke from the terrace filters into the room that smells like perfumes, incense, wine, liquor, and sexual tension. There are over four dozen people here, dancing and hooking up.
Lu throws glances at me, then at Erin, and laughs loudly at some joke, too loudly, but her eyes are not happy.
Erin’s voice is too close to my ear. “So, what are your plans for tonight, Jace?”
Oh, I get it. She’s a wanna-get-lost-together-tonight type. And that’s fine, but not my thing. And that’s the reason I feel comfortable around pushy girls—they have no effect on me. Not like Lu, who makes every hair on my body stand on edge just at her mere touch.
I turn to Erin, and her eyes slide to my lips intentionally slowly, her hand creeping to my thigh.
“I don’t think our plans for tonight align,” I say, then I look at Lu again.
Her gaze flickers to my lap, then to Erin. She tosses her head and bites her lip—I can sense her irritation—and she walks unsteadily out onto the terrace.
“Excuse me,” I tell Erin and get up, feeling relieved as her hand slides off my lap.
I lose my beer and follow Lu.
The terrace is packed with dozens of people chatting and laughing in the warm summer air laced with smoke.
And Lu is in the very far corner, by herself, leaning against the railing and—
Lighting a cigarette.
Oh, shit.
She takes a drag and exhales theatrically, then stifles a choke.
Lu doesn’t like tobacco. And she never stands alone at parties. But right now, her arm is wrapped around her waist in a defensive pose.
“Lu?”
I approach and stop behind her, watching her turn. My eyes narrow on her cigarette.
“It’s a great party, isn’t it?” She tries to smile, but it’s the least genuine smile I’ve ever seen.
“What’s wrong?”
“Why do you think something is wrong?”
“Try again.”
She doesn’t look at me but smiles, oh, so fake. Takes another quick drag.
