Page 53 of The First Time

My eyes follow Layla as she walks out a minute later. No one else can see the difference in her, but I see the extra spark of excitement in her eyes and the slightly swollen lips. Her eyes catch mine from across the deck, and I wink.

She bites her lower lip as she smiles and looks down. I chuckle to myself.

I try to mentally be present for the rest of the party, but it’s hard. I keep finding Layla across the room, my eyes like magnets to her. Once everything starts to wind down, I start to say goodbye to everyone, saving Layla as my last goodbye.

I wrap my arms around her. “You better be at my place soon, Freckles. I’m feeling very impatient right now.”

Once again, I don’t leave time for her to respond. I walk away backward and wink again as her jaw falls.

Making her mine is going to be fun.

Chapter Eighteen

Layla

I shouldn’t be following his orders like a puppy. I should be standing my ground and telling him he can’t just tell me what to do.

So, why am I speeding across town to get to his place? Because apparently, my vagina is calling the shots, and she is telling me to get there fast.

I pull into the driveway of his two-bedroom home. It’s a cute house with hundred-year-old trees towering over it, creating a nice feeling of seclusion. I’ve only been here to pick up Asher before; I’ve never actually seen the inside.

His front door opens just as I’m getting out of my car. He’s changed into his sweatpants and a shirt. The sight brings me back to our hotel room.

He smiles as I walk tentatively up the front porch. “Hi, Freckles. Get over here,” he says with open arms.

Who is this guy? Here I am freaking out over what this means, and he’s acting like me sneaking over to his place is completely normal.

“Hey,” I wave like an idiot as I approach then he wraps his big arms around me.

“I’m glad you came. Come on in. I bought some wine on the way home. I figured you would want a glass.”

“Thanks.” We walk inside, and he closes the door, leading me over to the family room.

His place is decorated nicer than I expected. I thought it would be a bachelor pad with mismatched furniture and nothing on the walls. I was wrong.

The brown leather couch is decorated with dark blue throw pillows. Pictures on the walls match the theme of brown and blue. It all seems to work really well together.

Two glasses of wine are on the tray on top of the dark blue ottoman. He motions for me to take a seat.

I don’t know why, but my nerves just multiplied by a hundred. This is not quite what I expected for the evening. I thought maybe he’d pull me in and bring me straight to his bedroom.

He takes a seat and smiles up at me. “You going to sit down or just stand there like I’m gonna bite you?”

“Sorry, I just feel like I’m in some alternate reality right now.”

His eyes grow with amusement. I sit down next to him and grab a glass.

“Please, tell me how this is an alternate reality,” he says as he leans back on the couch.

His casual demeanor is starting to become a bit soothing. My muscles start to loosen slightly to match his comfortable mood.

“You know, a reality where you and I are not only fooling around but like…getting along.”

He seems slightly offended by my words but does his best to adjust himself and recover. I feel bad, but it’s true. This is not how we act towards one another, at least not here, back at home.

His head falls forward as he lets out a soft laugh.

“What’s so funny?” I ask skeptically.

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