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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.
What had I been thinking? I pushed against his chest. “I’m fine now.”
His arms dropped and he backed up.
I couldn’t be alone with him any longer, but didn’t want to leave him yet either. “I’ll stay a while. I just got here.” Tomorrow I’d be rested and would see things more clearly. Slim chance I’d be less attracted to him — but I could hope. No doubt though, soon enough he’d once again become the jackass he was born to be.
“Hey.” He stared at me like he needed to say something.
“Yes?”
He rested his palms lightly at my hips. “Let’s try.”
“Try what?” Staying focused was difficult with his hands on me.
“The boyfriend-girlfriend thing.”
For an instant, I stood there, mouth parted. “What? You mean you want to be my boyfriend, like officially?”
“Yes.”
Breathing became more difficult than it should have been and I already anticipated his lips on mine. Maybe he had a different definition for boyfriend than I did. For all I knew, he meant that he’d dump me tomorrow. “But with no strings attached?”
“Not if you don’t want strings.” His fingertips skimmed along my neck. “But when I said boyfriend-girlfriend, I meant with strings. That’s usually the way it’s done, right?”
He’d probably never had a girlfriend before and didn’t understand all the ramifications of what he was suggesting. “If there were strings, then on Monday everyone at school would know you’re off the market. You’re okay with that?”
“Whatever it takes.” Hayden’s eyes smoldered.
“So…” Hayden was inviting me into a real relationship? If I gave in and we made it public, would I be ridiculed by his friends and possibly the rest of the school once it was over?
I couldn’t agree to his offer. It would only end badly. But was I capable of rejecting him at this point? “Whatever terms I want?”
His fingertips brushed my cheek. “We’ll play it however you say.”
“You have to agree to exclusivity,” I said.
Hayden’s brows furrowed.
“Meaning you won’t be with anyone else,” I said.
He looked into my eyes, both hands cupping my face. “Easy. What else?”
A huge part of me needed to say no, to protect myself, but who knew how long I could keep that up? Better to fall into a relationship when I was in control than to slip into it accidentally and lose my advantage. “That’s my only condition — for now.” I gri