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It’s possible that I’m creating something out of nothing. It’s not like I’ve had time for a guy in my life before. Even more importantly, I wasn’t interested.
Then I saw Crew yesterday and everything flew out of the window about what I thought I wanted in a partner and my concerns about something being wrong with me because I wasn’t attracted to guys I met before. Maybe I just have a type and its Crew fucking Ryan. The guy who can’t seem to stand me.
I’m finally able to force my eyes to look away from Crew when I notice just how fake the smile he’s wearing is. It doesn’t reach his eyes and I can see the indignation flaring in his eyes right behind the carefully constructed façade.
Is it there for my benefit? Those around us? Himself?
I want to know the answers, but I’m fairly sure I’ll never get them.
It doesn’t take long for him to take the seat at the head of the table I’m sitting at with Tilly and her parents. While staring down at my pancakes, lamenting the fact that I’ll never be able to stomach them now, I ignore Crew.
I’m doing a damn good job of it until Eleanor’s voice pulls my attention to her, “Son, this is Tilly’s friend and roommate. Elodie, this is my son and Tilly’s brother, Crew. He oversees our little community.”
I offer the man a small smile and his eyes narrow slightly. I want to look straight at him to show him that I wasn’t hurt by what happened yesterday. But I can’t.
My gut is telling me that he’d see right through me. I focus on a spot right above his shoulder while keeping my voice soft. “It’s nice to meet you. Your home is beautiful,” I tell him honestly.
My mind wanders to the simple and cozy guest room I’m staying in. There’s a midcentury modern vibe to it that I’m digging. Modern design tends to be much colder and that is not my thing.
Give me a cuddly blanket and the stuff I need on a day-to-day basis over some ‘it looks like no one lives here’ aesthetic. I don’t have a doubt that feeling comes from having next to nothing while I was growing up.
“Welcome,” he bites out the one word.
I think that’s about as good as I’ll be getting from the guy. If I knew what I did to offend him so much then I might apologize or try and find a way not to do that again. Since I’m in the dark on this one, even though everyone else seems to be in the light, I push Crew, his annoyingly beautiful face, and his bad attitude to a box in my mind.
Eleanor is looking between us with a look of yearning on her face. I don’t know why. Does Crew getting along with me matter all that much? I’ll only be here a week and then I’m back to school until graduation.
As I’m pushing around the last few bites of pancake on my chest, someone knocks into Crew’s chair before a raven-haired bombshell drops, literally, into Crew’s lap. Her giggle is high pitched and rakes against my consciousness. I want to slap her and then push her off Crew’s lap, but I don’t have the right to do so.
It’s such a strange reaction. I’ve never felt the need to be violent before, but right now I would murder this woman right where she sits. It would be fitting for him to be bathed in her blood.
“Aubrey,” there’s a hint of warmth in Crew’s voice that has my heart aching because it’s not directed at me, “good morning.”
Aubrey’s smile widens as she snuggles against his chest. Her fingernails, which are long and perfectly taken care of, start to walk up his bicep like their intimate position is one they’ve been in many times before. They probably have.
Pain flares in my gut and I gasp a breath, unsure why the sharp tearing sensation is happening. Tilly looks at me with concern, but it’s not her eyes I’m concerned about. What wiggles its way into my consciousness as I breathe through the pain is the way Crew’s eyes burn into me.
He makes no move to get Aubrey off his laugh and she starts to go on and on about something, but I can’t focus on her words. All I can feel is the pain. It’s debilitating and doesn’t make any sense.
Even though my body protests, I stand up quickly and look at Tilly, begging her with my eyes. “You ready for that tour now? I need some fresh air.”
Tilly is up and at my side with an arm wrapped around my shoulders before I can blink. I don’t know how she knows I need her support, physically, but she’s there to offer it and I’ve never been more grateful for something in my entire life.
As we walk away, I don’t bother looking in Crew’s direction. He doesn’t deserve my attention. Bitterness snakes its way into my heart even though I know, logically, it doesn’t make any sense.
The longer I walk with Tilly, the better I feel. The sanctuary of her home gives me a sense of peace and belonging that I’ve never felt before.
Still, I can’t help but shake the feeling that something is missing.
CHAPTER 6
CREW
I scrub my hand down my face while sitting in my office and thinking about the scene at breakfast, again. That was not at all how I thought my morning was going to go, but I shouldn’t have been too surprised at one of the she-wolves I’ve entertained being a little too forward and thinking it was going to gain them something.
The look of hurt on Elodie’s face, who I was barely even introduced to when Aubrey plopped herself on my lap. Out of all the females who think they have some hold over me, at least Aubrey is kind. She can be a little showy with her affection, but she isn’t as hungry for power as some of the others.
Like Trina. It was a small blessing that it wasn’t Trina taking such liberties with me at breakfast. Had it been Trina she probably would have kissed me and stuck her tongue halfway down my throat before I even realized what was happening.
