Page 47 of Hyde and Seek
We danced a minute more before he leaned down. “I gotta get back to Rye.” He kept his arm wrapped around me as we headed to the bar.
“It was cool seeing you.”
“Yeah, you too, darlin’. Call me?” He phrased it like a question, but didn’t wait for my answer. Leaning down, he brushed his lips slowly across my cheek. “Ladies,” he said with a chuckle, giving a glimpse of dimples before he walked away.
I turned to my girls and saw what he found so amusing.
Sitting at the bar, they were attempting to look casual. Since this involved looking anywhere but where Rhys and I were, all while whistling jaunty tunes, they were also failing.
All pretenses dropped once he got far enough away and they let out a collective girly screech and squeal.
Lily grabbed my arm and pulled me closer. “What was all that?”
“And what was with that kiss? How does he make a cheek kiss look obscene?” Marcy asked.
“We were just continuing a conversation from before,” I said, not sure how much detail I wanted to go into.
“About?”
“What do you think about? He obviously wants more of herdesserts,” Ray said, using finger quotes as she wiggled her eyebrows.
“Is that what the kids are calling it these days?” Lily asked, giggling.
“From the looks of it, he wants some more of Piper’s glorious cookies.” Ray grabbed her own chest for emphasis. “So, what’s the story?”
“He wants to go out but I don’t want to jump into anything,” I admitted.
All three made various noises of disbelief.
Ray shook her head. “No, no, that’s understandable.” Lowering her voice, she leaned in closer. “From what I hear, jumping in with Rhys is like diving into the deep end of sex. It’s intense for one night and then that’s all she wrote. Or, I guess in this case, that’s all he humped!”
We all burst out laughing, which reminded me how badly I had to go.
“Alright, I’ve had to go to the bathroom for the past three songs. I’ll dish when I get back!” Their girly talk and giggles faded as I walked away but still left me smiling.
When I finished in the bathroom, I turned in the hall towards the bar. I let out a startled yelp as I found myself suddenly pressed up against the wall.
I pulled my fist back and was ready to swing when I looked up into a pair of intense, green eyes.
“What the hell?” I put my hand to my chest. “Are you trying to give me a freakin’ heart attack?”
“I said your name. I thought you were ignoring me.”
“No, I just wasn’t paying attention. Lesson learned for both of us.”
Jake tilted his head. “Both?”
“Mine is to not zone out. Yours is to stop sneaking up on me or I’ll open a can of whoop-ass on you. Maybe even a case of it.”
“I’ll try to remember that.”
“Good, be sure you do,” I said, distracted at the way his eyes lightened with humor before going dark again.
“Havin’ fun?”
“Yes I am. You?” I was proud of how even my voice sounded since I was feeling anything but with the way he was pressed close.
So close.
