Page 50 of Yearn

“Never mind. It’s the movie,Moonstruck. I like the lines Cher said and I’ve been dying to say them one day, though I paraphrased.”

He laughed, which made me laugh. “I’ll have to watch it. How was the beach? You still taking crap from the girls?”

“You mean Landon? No, we’re good now. She’ll always be a bitch, but now she’s becoming more my bitch. In a friendship way.”

He shook his head. “That was a turnaround. But I’m glad.”

I fished out an olive and popped it in my mouth. “Funny, I don’t believe you. I think you like the idea of Landon giving me shit so you have another reason to dislike her.”

I waited and watched as my words hit. Right on cue, he jerked back and his face shut down. But not before I glimpsed the flare of emotion in his dark eyes. Oh, yeah, she had him tied up in knots. I’d known Adam was into her from the time we first met. The only reason I wasn’t pissed off at Landon playing him was because she was just as fucked up. Moving in with Max yet in love with Adam. It was like a Bravo show turned up to the 9thdegree.

A jolt of power shook through me. I crossed my legs at the arousal it brought on, knowing I was the one that could change the course for both of them.

For all of them.

Adam managed a half shrug to my comment. “Don’t need another reason––there’s enough to pick from.”

“She told me you were being mean to her at the elevator. When I interrupted.”

Adam didn’t look at me. “Yeah? Well, that’s her whining again.”

“Do you respect her work? Or do you think she’s really an idiot trying for a shot at fame because she can’t do anything else?”

The fire in his gaze lasered at me. “Landon’s not dumb. She just makes sloppy choices.”

My lips twitched in the need to smile. This was so easy. “Like moving in with Max? Do you think that’s a good decision for them?”

“I don’t care. Whatever they want to do to make themselves happy, go for it.”

Bitterness seeped from his tone. I circled my target like a predator playing with her prey. I’d challenged him before, but it was still new, and he’d blown me off. Now I knew so much more.

Perfectly timed, I caught in my peripheral vision the rest of the group moving into the bar, heading toward us, and I spoke up.

“Too bad she won’t admit to herself she’s in love with you, though. Not Max.”

I registered the shock on his face; the way his mouth opened to deny my words; the naked truth in his seething onyx eyes.

Then I grinned and drained the rest of my drink. “Over here!” I shouted, waving them over, giving Adam just enough time to recover.

We fell into easy greetings, paid for the drinks, and headed over to the restaurant for dinner. I noticed Landon stayed away from Adam and clung to Max like he was her security blanket. I studied Adam as he chatted with Max and tried to show her he didn’t care. I noticed Noah sneaking looks at Elle, and how Elle and Cooper’s sexual energy seemed more intense, like something big was about to happen. I noticed Daisy stare at Noah with open admiration, obviously in love. And I watched Max lead us all forward, aware of everything yet nothing, secure in his confidence that everything always worked out for him.

They fascinated me; lured me; disgusted me. I wanted to sink into all of the dynamics and let myself go free within my own rule as newcomer, where the rules hadn’t been written for me yet, and anything was possible.

It was only about how far I wanted to go.

The night wore on. We drank and danced. We swallowed a few pills until the lines got blurred, and everyone pressed against each other, half naked and sweaty and fabulous, drunk on alcohol and sexiness and youth. I kissed Adam and felt Landon’s eyes burn us alive. I watched Elle and Coop sneak away, his hands up her skirt, her skin flushed with arousal and the lure of doing something bad. Daisy sat on Noah’s lap, and made out, but afterward he watched the door where Elle had exited, his face twisted with guilt and longing and confusion.

I watched all of it in the flickering club lights, hyper aware of every move and look between us all.

And I couldn’t wait to light the match.

Chapter Twenty-Four

Landon

Listen to Oh No

by the Commodores

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