That had been the plan — dance with Lisa or any other pretty girl and get my mind off the stunning blonde stuck forever in my thoughts.
When I’d first arrived, Lisa had spotted me right away. She had dragged me to the center of the living room and gyrated against me. Tessa should have been ejected from my head, all attention focused on the eager-to-please girl painted all over me. But no such luck. I’d learned the hard way that Tessa was in my head to stay.
“Dude,” Brad nudged me, speaking into my ear and facing away from Lisa. “What’s the problem? She’s begging for it. Go. I’ll hold your drink, so you can get to it.”
I moved my drink out of his reach and laughed it off. “She’s drunk enough, she’d even do you. Here, I’ll hold your drink.” I snagged it from him and jerked my head toward Lisa who hung one arm around my neck. “Lisa, Brad needs to talk to you. It’s important.”
“What’s wrong?” she slurred, then staggered off with him without a glance back. A few steps later, she entwined her arm with his and looked at him adoringly.
I scanned the room for Tessa. By the time I made a full circle, Brad and Lisa were making out in the corner.
The front door opened and Tessa stepped over the threshold, eyes searching the room. I tensed. Her gaze met mine and she made a beeline for me.
On her left, a guy attempted to intercept, but backed off when he spotted me.
She stopped in front of me and grinned. I loved her smile. “Party looks like it’s in full swing.”
“I didn’t think you’d show.” But she did. My arms had never felt so useless, dangling at my sides.
“Wasn’t planning on it.”
I’d never had a problem talking to girls. I started a conversation about them, said something nice without sounding like a pervert and the girl did the rest. This time, being charming didn’t come easy. I was too overcome being so close to her again. “You look great.”
“Thank you.” She smoothed her skirt and gave me a shy smile.
“What made you change your mind?”
“Cabin fever.” She nodded and scanned the room.
My tongue had been paralyzed somehow — along with my brain. When I didn’t say anything else, her eyes wandered the room.
“Let’s dance.” She reached for my hand.
“No. You don’t want to dance with me.” Didn’t she realize that I wouldn’t be able to keep my hands off her?
“True.” She nodded thoughtfully. “But no one will ask me while you’re around. So you’re it. C’mon.” She laid her palm on my arm, then led me to the center of the living room. Only two others were dancing and they were wasted. Come to think of it, everyone was wasted. I went along with Tessa, not because it was smart, but because I wanted to be near her.
Tessa seemed oblivious to how she should’ve been dancing to the old disco remake. Instead, she swirled in deliberate and seductive circles, lids half closed as she tilted her head to the side. Although the song was much too quick for her movements, it all worked. And it was unbelievably sexy.
The tempo pounded away at my senses. Keeping my distance, I mimicked her movements. Not a good idea to watch her do things with her body that I wished involved me — things that weren’t going to happen. If only I could see other girls the way I saw her, it would be so much easier. I hoped the dancing bored her soon. I didn’t know how much longer I could hold out.
The music slowed and so did she, which made her moves even hotter. I stepped forward and pressed my hands to her hips. Her eyes opened as if I’d startled her. Not wanting her to bolt, I held her firmly.
She placed one hand on my bicep, the other on my shoulder and boldly watched me, hypnotizing me. I couldn’t read her expression and wondered what she thought. She’d reminded me over and over that my morals weren’t up to her standards, but those thoughts weren’t what I saw in her eyes when I touched her.
What did she smell like tonight? Roses or wild flowers? If I moved a little closer, I might find out. Taking my time, I slid a hand to her lower back, inching her toward me. She didn’t resist, but I figured that was only temporary. In a moment, she’d realize what was happening and disappear.
I wanted to kiss her. But how much could I push before she either gave in to me or freaked and fled? As I contemplated my next move, her hand slid around my neck.
Her eyes still hadn’t left mine.
My hand on her hip made its way up her side, stopping under her arm with my fingers splayed under her shoulder blade. Hers glided over my shoulder and behind my neck. I pulled her even closer, not breaking eye contact until her forehead brushed my cheek.
Wild flowers.
Turning my face into her hair, I inhaled again. Tessa reached her arms higher, her face almost touching mine as she lifted her chin. My body simmered like water on the verge of boiling, our lips so close. It would be too easy to kiss her now and I had the feeling she might be into it. Hell, she looked like she wanted a kiss as much as I did. I moved enough to cut the rest of the distance between us, but the song ended and a fast one took its place.
Tessa dropped her arms and so did I, officially killing the moment. If I’d acted faster, we’d be making out now. Exactly what I’d hoped to avoid. Exactly what I burned for.
“I have to go to the ladies’ room.” She dashed off and I shadowed her, waiting outside the door. Four minutes passed and I wondered what was up. Had someone been waiting and dragged her through the bathroom window?
My hand shot out for the doorknob.
Chapter Twenty-five
Tessa
I leaned over the sink trying to gather my wits. When Hayden’s hands were on me, all his crimes were forgotten. I’d almost kissed him.
“Almost done,” I yelled when someone rattled the doorknob.
“Tessa, what’s going on?” Hayden yelled from the other side.
Just as my fingers wrapped around the knob, he blazed through the door, almost knocking me aside. “Everything okay?” He pulled the shower curtain open as if looking for someone.
I nodded, shocked at his urgency. The noise filtering into the hallway must have drowned out my earlier reply.
“You were in here a long time. Thought you’d been kidnapped or something.” His eyes darted to the closed window.
What was it about Hayden? I didn’t go for bad boys. They were bad. Nothing but trouble. I wanted a secure and peaceful future, maybe eventually get married and have kids. That wouldn’t happen with a guy like Hayden. Oh, but he was beyond sexy. I wanted him, bad or not.
“Hey,” he said softly, closing the space between us. He brushed a few strands of hair out of my face, then skimmed a thumb along my temple. Instead of withdrawing, his palm rested at my shoulder as if to support me. “What’s wrong? Did something happen?”
Yep. I’d fallen for the worst guy imaginable. I’d probably never be okay again. Then there was the arrival of my dead grandmother. But now wasn’t the time to go into what happened with my visitor or the fact that I’d used up all my resistance to Hayden.
Maybe he was right and if we gave in, we could work the inferno of desire out of our systems. Maybe next time he kissed me, it would be different and I’d see I wasn’t missing anything after all. Then I could move on. I tilted up my chin and focused on his charcoal eyes.
He shuffled his feet and drew closer. “You want me to take you home?”
“Not yet,” I whispered, still watching him. “My car’s here. Don’t want to leave it.”
He seemed unsure what to do as his eyes searched my face. Then he shifted closer, our bodies nearly touching. Pulling me into his arms, he rested his chin on the top of my head. “We can stay here until you’re ready to go back out there. Or until you want to leave.”
I pressed my cheek against his chest, grateful not to see his face. Surely, I’d kiss him.
“What happened?” he asked.
My grandma news could wait. And the last thing I wanted to tell him was how lonely my house had been without him. Besides, he’d had his chance to kiss me on the dance floor and again a moment ago, but he hadn’t done it. I couldn’t imagine Hayden taking the higher road. More likely, he was no longer attracted to me.