Page 10 of Keep Me
Britt, still talking to Hayden, hadn’t noticed either of us, but Cowboy Hat was getting closer.
I walked as fast as I could, and as he was about to tap her on the shoulder, I cleared my throat, drawing Britt’s attention to me.
When she smiled, my mouth went dry, and I lost my train of thought. I shot Cowboy Hat a warning glance and he tipped his chin in acknowledgment before turning on his heel and walking away.
Good. He got the message. Britt was all mine, even if she didn’t know it.
Where the hell did that come from? Was I finally ready to shoot my shot with her?
I was single. So was she, but for how long? A girl like Britt didn’t sit around waiting for things to come to her. She took things by the balls and made them happen. She wasn’t given head broadcaster for the football team this year by doing nothing.
“Matty?” Her voice was so breathless and smooth I thought she sounded like AI. You know, perfectly pitched and drawn out for your pleasure. However, Britt could burp the alphabet, and I’d still think it was amazing.
She fluttered her lashes, emphasizing her big blue eyes, waiting for me to speak, but I only came here to stop Cowboy Hat. I needed to think of something before it got awkward, and as if someone heard my plea, the music changed to a slow song, giving me the perfect excuse to hold my hand out.
“Can I have this dance?”
It was cheesy as fuck, and I felt like I was trying to be some dashing prince but failing miserably since I was neither dashing nor a prince, but for Britt, I would try anything.
She looked at my hand, and I hoped it wasn’t obvious how badly it was shaking. The faintest of smiles pulled across her lips before she rested her palm in mine.
My fingers twitched, the mere connection causing a seismic shift in my being.
“I’d love to,” she said. Well, that was easier than expected. I helped her up and led her to the dance floor. When we were in the middle, I placed my hands on her hips, my fingers tingling against the satin of her dress. We’d been friends for a long time, but I’d never had an excuse to touch her like this before, so I was making the most of it. Britt wrapped her arms around my neckand glanced at me with a coy smile, then my chest constricted again.
Why had it always felt so right between us?
Too focused on Britt, the music faded into the background.
“Thank you for asking me to dance. I was beginning to feel like a single pringle out there.” She tipped her chin in acknowledgment when Adam and Hayden started to dance next to us.
How convenient of them.
I caught Adam’s eye, and he wiggled his eyebrows at me before looking down at Hayden with a smile. He clearly wanted front-row seats to the show to see if I’d grown enough balls to tell Britt how I felt.
What an idiot.
When my eyes connected with Britt’s, reality settled in. She was in my arms, concentrating solely on me.
The only word I could think of wasfinally.
“You are so beautiful,” I blurted, then chuckled in hesitation.Way to play it cool, Matty.Shaking my head, I started again. “What I meant to say was that I don’t think I’ve had the opportunity to tell you how beautiful you look tonight. Not used to seeing you in a gown.” It made me sound marginally less obsessed with her, but I’d take it.
Britt answered with a smile before looking down at the floor, then her cheeks pinkened. “Blue really suits you.” And damn, it really did. It brought out the blue in her eyes and the red in her plump lips, and apparently, I was going to spend the rest of this dance complimenting her. Why the hell not? I doubted I’d get another chance like this.
“Thanks,” she muttered, and looked over my shoulder, then to her left. Basically, she was trying to look anywhere but at me, which was a little hard since she was swaying in my arms. “So, uh, I haven’t seen Olana yet. Is she around? I should say hi.”There she was, always being a dutiful friend. She hated Olana. Everyone did, but as my best friend, she never told me that. Instead, she always made an effort because of who she was. Kind. Compassionate. Friendly. Everything Olana wasn’t. Olana was spiteful, jealous, and one of those girls who peaked in high school. I was led to believe that she made my life easier, and after spending time with Britt, I realized how different it could be with someone you actually had things in common with. Britt made my heart skip without even trying. I wanted to be close to her, and now that I was single, that need was becoming so strong that it was embarrassing.
“We broke up.” I’d said that statement a lot tonight, but this was the first time I felt like it had real meaning. I was officially single for the first time in college, and Britt was in my arms. I had to be doing something right.
“You did?” Her lips quirked ever so slightly, and I couldn’t deny that her eyes lit up. Like I couldn’t deny how attracted I was when I saw her at the bonfire. I could have ignored her, but something about her called to me. By the time I realized I was sitting next to her, tapping my marshmallow against hers, it was too late. I was too far gone for her.
There was just one thing standing in my way—Olana. She’d been by my side for so many years. It wasn’t like a girl as incredible as Britt would be into me anyway. So I pushed all those feelings for Britt to the darkest recesses of my mind, only visiting them when no one else was around.
When I nodded my confirmation, Britt said, “Oh, I’m sorry to hear that.”
“I’m not. Girl was a nightmare.” I cracked a smile, and Britt’s eyes widened, but she didn’t defend my ex. She knew Olana was annoying. We all did. I was just too caught up in the past to do anything about it.
Britt laughed awkwardly, still swaying along to the music that I couldn’t hear. My heart was beating too loudly. “I guess that means you’ll be able to enjoy the single life for your senior year?” Did she think all I wanted to do was get laid by random women? If so, then she didn’t know me at all and I’d have to question our friendship.
