I fear he’s silently fuming, so I position my hand on the metal door handle.
“Piper, slow down.” He laughs, gripping my other hand.
My head flies back, and I find soothing eyes, not angry ones. “I guess I got defensive there.” I’m not about to apologize for what I said though.
“No, I shouldn’t push you to talk to him. You know what? I’ll approach the subject with him tonight,” Where is this Curtis coming from?
I open the door and put one foot out. “That’s a better idea. Thank you.”
“Of course.” A small smile crosses his lips, and he nods.
The click of my heels on the wet sidewalk echo in the night air. Curtis’s hand rests on the small of my back as we follow a group of giggling girls toward the door.
“You look beautiful tonight,” he whispers in my ear.
I wish his voice quickened my pulse as much as the guy who I’m terrified is on the other side of this door.
When we walk in, I swear, the music stops, and everyone turn our way. It’s as though my entrance has shifted what the universe planned tonight. Thankfully, only two people’s sights are pinned to us—Bea and Tanner. I reposition my purse on my shoulder as Tanner slides away from the girl I only suppose is the friend of Bayli’s. Even from this distance, his eyes on my body heats a low hum in me that only he can calm.
“There they are.” Curtis’s cheek rubs against mine as he points to the tables in the back.
Pretending I didn’t spot them first, I break from the contact and smile. “Great.”
I fixate on Tanner until I glance to Bea, noticing her eyes bouncing between Tanner and me as Curtis and I approach the group.
Turn away, and look somewhere else, I think in my head.
But I can’t.
Tanner has consumed my mind lately, and the fact that he peeked up at the door when I walked in, gives me more pleasure than it should.
“About time, girl.” Bea hops off her stool, and her arms wrap around me.
“He’s been waiting,” she whispers. “Ouch!” she shrieks. She backs up, holding the side of her stomach. “You pinched me.” Her eyebrows scrunch together.
I can’t stop the giggle from her reaction, but it has to end. “Stop it,” I whisper, turning around to find Curtis shaking hands and introducing himself to everyone.
“What?” She inches closer.
I grab her hand, leading her to the restroom.
Unfortunately, after only two steps, Tanner steps in our path. God, he’s gorgeous. Even with his ratty old hat flipped backward, those emerald gems he calls eyes spark visions of them smoldering at my naked body.
“Rushing off already?” His arms cross over his broad chest, and his legs widen in a cocky stance.
“We’re going to the restroom.” I tilt my head with attitude.
His tongue sneaks out, licking his lips. He looks down at my body in a tormenting slow pace, picking up my heartbeat. When he finishes, his eyes bore into mine, and I swallow the last amount of saliva in my mouth.
“Love the dress.”
He sidesteps to allow us through, but my body numbly stands there. I’m like a geek in front of the starting high school quarterback.
“Piper.” Bea’s shoulder bumps mine, and she grabs my wrist.
I shake my head, and Tanner chuckles, knowing the effect he has over me. I hate my body for betraying me.
“See you when you get back.” He winks—fucking winks—taunting me.
He’s fully aware what that move does to me.
Bea yanks me, and my body stumbles forward. Once again, I’ve embarrassed myself. Bea and I escape into the restroom, and she positions me in front of her, her hands holding my arms.
“What the hell is wrong with you?”
“Stop texting me about Tanner and another girl. Don’t tell me that he’s been waiting for me. Your words spur unresolved—I mean, I’m with Curtis.” My thoughts are jumbled, and my words randomly come out, making no sense.
“Okay, I can do that.” She reaches for my hands, pulling me into her.
I finally relax and welcome her comfort.
“From this point forward, Tanner doesn’t exist. Do you want me to body block him all night?”
I laugh into her shoulder. Bea truly is a great friend and there’s no way I could get through this wedding without her.
“I’m serious. You want me to be your bodyguard? I’ll keep the mofo out of your space,” she jokes.
Laughter erupts out of me.
“But, Piper”—her tone goes serious, and she pulls back, her hands gripping my arms again—“you have to do your job. You can’t look at him like you want to take him out back and hump him like a bitch in heat.”
“Bea!”
She giggles. “Come on. If you want me to protect you from his flirtatious ways, you have to help me out. Stick to Curtis’s side, for starters.”
“Okay, but it doesn’t seem to deter Tanner.” I turn to look at myself in the mirror. The torment screams in my brown eyes. How does Curtis not see this?
Bea follows my lead and weaves her fingers through her hair.
“Curtis’s dad wants me to get him a meeting with Tanner,” my confession rushes out.
Her head whips my way. “Seriously? That’s awkward.”
“Well, awkward for me, but they don’t know my past with him.” I swipe my fingers under my eyes to get rid of the smudged mascara.
“Imagine if they did. I have to think that Curtis wouldn’t give a shit who Tanner McCain signed with if he knew the two of you used to rock it and roll it under the sheets. Although, I’m starting wonder if the boy is blind. How can he not see the sexual tension between Mr. Olympian and you?” She raises her eyebrows at me.
“Curtis is all on board. I told him I don’t want to do it, but he guilted me by saying it would help him in the firm and with his dad.”
Bea’s the only one who I trusted with the secret from two years ago.
“So, they’ve never heard the rumors?”
She’s referring to what happened our senior year of college, and I shake my head.
“You know Coach kept the incident quiet. No one will ever dig it up.”
“People like Curtis and his dad have ways, Piper. If they wanted it, they’d get it.” She washes her hands and keeps the paper towel.
“They see him as a big paycheck. That’s all,” I assure her.
She cocks her head. “Just keep those walls up with Curtis for a little while longer. There’s something weird going on.” She grips the handle and pulls the door open.
“You trusted Tanner and look what he did,” I say as I sneak through the opening.
“Tanner made a mistake. Curtis is like a cheetah in the grass, ready to sneak up on his prey.”
I stop in my tracks and turn around to face her. “Whose side are you on?”
“Yours. I’m always on your side. But if you really want to know which guy—”
“I don’t.” It’s not hard to figure out whom Bea likes.
In the past five months, she hasn’t shied away from her opinions on Curtis. She believes the money, expensive gifts, and charity functions are all a show. It seems she hasn’t trusted him since their first meeting at the corner coffee shop by her apartment. She’s my best friend, so she’s kept her criticism to a minimum for my benefit.
When I turn the corner, not much has changed. Brad’s at the bar with a few friends, and Bayli’s gossiping with two of her friends in a booth. Dylan and Curtis are talking at the table I whisked Bea away from earlier. The only difference is that Tanner’s missing.
I search the bar but come up empty. Bea walks by me, and I watch her sway her ass toward Dylan. Even when she approaches the table, Curtis’s vision never glances my way, wondering where I could be.
“Looking for me?” Tanner’s chest pushes against my back.
My voice constricts. “No,” squeaks out in a soft voice, holding no conviction.
“Don’t lie.”
My eyes flick to Curtis, who is still enthralled in some conversation with an unenthused Dylan. But I don’t move, even with my brain screaming at me to get the hell out of dodge.