Page 48 of Stealing Summer

He grinned, his fingers trailing lightly up and down my back. I shivered at his touch, and my heart was racing. We held each other’s gaze, the rest of the world fading away.

In this intimate moment, I was extremely aware of just how close we were. I could feel his breath tickling my ear, his body heat radiating into mine. I never wanted it to end.

“Chandler...” he began, his eyes searching mine.

My breath caught in my throat. “Yes?” I whispered.

He opened his mouth to continue, but suddenly a group of boys approached, eager to chat with him. Bringing us back to reality. The moment was over, leaving us both wanting more. He gave me an apologetic look before following them, his laughter fading into the pulsing music.

I sat at the nearest table, my eyes scanning the dance floor.

Moments later, Blair dropped into the seat beside me. Her red dress glittered under the lights as she tossed her hair over one shoulder. I wondered who her date was, or if she was important enough to get invited on her own.

“Hi. You’re Chandler, right?” she said with a tight smile. “Having fun?”

I nodded, not wanting to make conversation with her, and glanced around for Reese. His teammates formed a circle around him, their boisterous laughter overpowering the music.

“So...” She traced her manicured nails over the white tablecloth. “You and Reese seem cozy tonight.”

My cheeks grew warm as I thought back to how Reese was just holding me close during our dance, our bodies fitting together perfectly.

“Uh, yeah, I guess so,” I said, fiddling with my necklace.

She let out a sharp laugh. “Oh, honey. You don’t actually think he’s into you, do you?”

I froze in silence as she smirked. I opened my mouth to respond, but no words came out.

Blair leaned in close, her floral perfume cloying. “Let me clue you in. Reese doesn’t care about you.” She examined her manicure. “You were just a pawn in his little game to get back at Boston. Trust me, long family history there. You might want to ask him about it.”

Family history? I knew they had a rivalry, but what did it have to do with their families? She was probably just being spiteful, but I still wondered if her words had any truth to them.

I shook my head, willing the sting behind my eyes to disappear. “That’s not true. You have no idea what is going on between Reese and I.”

“Please.” Blair rolled her eyes. “He’s been using you this whole time. But I’m sure you’ll figure that out soon enough. Just thought you should know.”

With that, she pushed back her chair and then disappeared, leaving me alone with my swirling doubts. I sat there stunned, with her words echoing in my mind. Reese had been using me? Not the Reese I knew.

But the more I thought about it, the more I wondered. He picked fights with Boston at the games, and it always felt like his issue with Boston was something deeper than baseball.

Did Reese really care about me? Could I be a pawn in some twisted rivalry with Boston, a way for Reese to get under his skin? I felt the tears welling up as the thoughts sank in. Could I be that blind to Reese's manipulations? The seed of doubt that was growing inside me began to spiral out of control.

My hands trembled, and I quickly set down my glass before I dropped it. I couldn't stay here and let Blair think her words got to me. Pushing back my chair, I fled from the glittering ballroom, Reese's laughter was echoing in my ears.

I burst through the nearest door, gasping for air. The night sky enveloped me as I stumbled into the moonlit courtyard. My heart was pounding. Could he really do this to me?

Before I could spiral any further, the door creaked open behind me. I turned around to see Reese slipping outside, his brow furrowed with concern.

“There you are,” he said softly. “I wondered where you went.”

My hands balled into fists as he approached. “Don’t come any closer. Just tell me the truth. Have you been using me this whole time to get to Boston?”

Reese froze, his eyes widening. For a long moment, he just gazed at me. His expression was unreadable. Finally, he sighed, running a hand through his dark hair. I took a step back from him, my heart pounding, aware of how the dying light made his features even more striking. The gravel crunched beneath my shoes, echoing the restlessness that churned inside me.

“It’s complicated,” he began slowly. “For a while, all I cared about was baseball and beating Boston, at everything. I didn’t really have parents around, so I put all my focus into being the best. When I first talked to you, it was... it was just to piss him off. To get under Boston’s skin,” he confessed, and his gaze dropped to the ground as if the words were too heavy to uphold.

I recoiled as if struck. My worst thoughts were confirmed. Fresh tears sprang to my eyes. A part of me still felt like I didn’t want to believe this even though I heard it from Blair and now I was hearing it straight from Reese.

“But the more time we spent together, the more I realized you weren’t just some girl I could use to get to Boston,” Reese continued urgently. “You’re so much more than that, Chandler. You’re smart and funny, and I ended up liking you more each time I was around you.”

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