AllFreeNovel
Share Us
Sitting there now, watching the chemistry spark between them, I was suddenly hit with years of regret. Why hadn’t I ever made a move? Why hadn’t I at least tried? Cory and I were friends. If he knew I was attracted to him, but he didn’t return that attraction, it might be awkward for a little while, but we could weather it. And maybe that awkwardness would be worth it.
It couldn’t be any worse than this crushing regret. This white-hot anger at myself for being too much of a coward. This resignation becausesomethingmight have been, but I’d been too scared to find out.
They’d just met, though. They were a song and a half into whatever might happen between them. Plenty of time for it to fizzle out or go awry, though I hoped for Cory’s sake it didn’t. I wasn’t so sure I could handle watching his heart break again.
But it wasn’t fizzling tonight. Not with the way they were holding each other close, talking to each other over the music and almost—almost—kissing.
If itdoesfizzle tonight,I promised myself,I’m shooting my shot.
Resignation suddenly melted away, leaving nothing but determination behind. No, I would never sabotage anything for Cory. But if this connection he had with this stranger didn’t last the night…
Then I was going to find the courage to make that move.
Chapter 11
Cory
Eric was hot. Definitely. He had a smile that made my knees weak, and those eyes—my God. I even wondered if he might be a magic user; eyes that beautifulhadto be the result of sorcery.
But asking meant speaking, and I wasn’t so great for that right now. With his hands on my hips and our bodies this close together, I was lucky I could breathe. My heart was going wild, and every time he tilted his head like he might move in and kiss me, I almost melted. When he licked his lips… oh, God. So hot.
And yet…
I felt…
Nothing.
Yeah, there were physical reactions. He gave me goose bumps and made breath hard to come by. He made my pulse race and my legs unsteady.
But beneath all that was an emotional flatline.
I didn’t need to be in love with someone to sleep with them. I had plenty of casual sex, and the whole friends-with-benefits thing was totally fine with me. But this wasn’t just a lack of a connection to Eric. It was… somethingmissing. In me. A void that was somehow both empty and heavy.
What is wrong with me tonight?
Ugh. Who was I kidding? There was only one man in this club who was going to provoke more than a physical reaction from me, and he wasn’t on this dancefloor.
Suddenly I didn’t want to be either.
I slowed my steps and sighed. Eric’s smile vanished in favor of concern, which made me feel even worse about backing away from him. He seemed like a nice guy. Which also meant he deserved someone who was way more engaged than I was, even if he was just looking for a hookup.
“I, um…” I shook my head, avoiding his eyes. “I’m not sure I’m…”
“Hey. It’s okay.” He gave my arm a little squeeze and stepped back, giving me some breathing room. “If you’re not into it, you’re not into it.”
I met his gaze again. God, he really was a nice guy. I’d met plenty of dudes who’d cop an attitude or turn into Mr. Hyde at a moment like this, but aside from some unmistakable disappointment, there was only concern in his expression.
“I’m sorry,” I said.
“Nothing to be sorry about.” He squeezed my arm again. Then he vanished like a mirage into the crowd.
A surge of regret tried to send me after him, but I knew it was pointless. My heart wasn’t in it tonight. End of story.
What I needed in that moment was a drink.
I was almost to the edge of the floor when a hand gently caught my elbow. I turned, readying an apologetic rejection… and froze.
“You’re not done dancing, are you?” Matt’s grin made my knees shake.
