Page 32 of All of You
I try to tug the hem of my skirt lower. “I’m just the new girl.”
“Miles, bro, what’s good?” Langdon’s voice booms from over my head.
“Eh, parents still hate me. Pastor’s still trying to convert me, but I’m determined to be the gayest son of a bitch in this town.”
A laugh roars out of me. “Wow, who needs a back story when you’re in the room?”
“For once, I’m glad there’s a new kid in town, gives the locals something to talk about besides me,” Miles says before laughing.
Langdon’s all smiles. I think he likes Miles. That is until Campbell squats down next to Langdon and says, “Dude, don’t even pretend that this fine piece of ass is going to befriend you.”
Anger radiates off Langdon but he doesn’t say a damn thing which makes my own rage bubble to the surface.
“This fine piece of ass can choose her own friends and Miles, here, is at the top of the list.” Miles’s frown tips up into a smug smirk. “You’re a douche bag,” I say to Campbell. A couple classmates near us snicker. “Miles, I’m thirsty, wanna get a drink with me?”
“You know he doesn’t put out for chicks right?” Niko chuckles. I don’t miss the way Langdon smacks his back a little too hard as we walk away.
“God. Sorry. That was horrible,” I say. Miles pours me a shot at the wet bar and shrugs.
“It’s been like that since I came out. I’m used to it.”
“What?” I squawk. “That’s….”
“A small town,” Miles says. “Where like ninety percent of the population all attend the same stifling church and have the same outdated views. Only a year left and then I’m outta here.” Miles holds his shot glass up.
“To one year left.” I clink his glass with mine. “Cheers.”
Still angry, I down the shot and slam it on the counter as it burns a trail down my throat.
“Another!” Miles says. Normally I’d say no but I’m angry at the idiots in the room and even more angry at Langdon for not shutting the hateful bullshit down.
Before I can do my fourth shot, Langdon snatches it from my fingers and shoots it himself. I don’t even have time to glare at him when Hailie yells at us all to sit the fuck down because it’s Lyra’s turn to spin the bottle.
Miles and I leave Langdon at the bar and sit next to eachother, both warm and giggly from the alcohol. I almost never drink and am feeling the three shots Miles gave me. Lyra stands over the bottle, gives it a powerful spin, then sits down. We all watch it twirl and twirl until it wobbles to a stop.
On me and…my eyes shoot across the circle to the other end.
Langdon.
Hailie pouts before flicking her hair over her shoulder. “Well, hurry up then, we don’t have all night.”
Langdon looks as stunned as I feel as we’re all but shoved into a rather large, narrow closet.
Niko cackles like a hyena. “Enjoy fuckers.”
The door latches closed. The party on the other side—muffled. The music can still be heard, the speaker shares the same wall as the closet.
My heart pounds in my chest. Langdon doesn’t speak—just stares at me. I feel a blush creep up my neck and heat my cheeks. The way he looks at me makes me want to tear at his clothes and taste his skin.The xxstarts playing and I lean against the wall. Everything is too intense. Including his gaze.
I study Langdon’s profile. The angled cut of his chin and jaw. And the soft splay of his lips as they turn up in a smile at me. His dimples appear before his gaze fastens on my neck, then slowly moves down my body like a soft stroke that I swear I can physically feel.
An electric current races through my body, the tips of my breasts tingling in response to his deliberate exploration and I’m certain I might spontaneously combust. I clear my throat, trying to throttle the intense feeling buzzing in my body, and adjust my skirt.
“Well, what are you waiting for?” My voice comes out hoarse. I also don’t know why I said that.
With wetted lips and dilated pupils, his gaze rakes boldly over my torso back to my face. My chest heaves to the beat of the music. I lean my shoulders back against the wall.Take it all in, big boy.The air between us buzzes with static, and as hard as I try to throttle the woozy current racing between us, I can’t.
The lines of his throat tighten with each swallow. I have never wanted to touch a throat so badly as he stalks closer. I’m panting and he hasn’t even touched me yet. He cups my cheeks with warm hands. An avalanche of goosebumps spills down my spine at the contact, and I could swear I hear a slight hitch in his breath. His fingers slide past my jaw and press sensuously into the back of my neck, sending an involuntary chill up my spine.
