Page 110 of Summertime Friends

“A thank you would suffice.” He smiles at me.

“Thank you,” I say sarcastically, but it comes off more playful, almost as if I’m trying to flirt with him. Am I?

We leave the bar and walk over to the ledge that overlooks the lower level. There is a small counter at the top of the metal ledge with enough space to rest your drinks and lean on. We stand next to each other.

Looking down, it’s easy to spot Chloe in her metallic sequin dress. She’s a disco ball, the lights from the DJ booth reflecting off her. She’s moving her body in tune with the beat, a man’s hand wrapped around her waist and another in her hair. Chloe throws her head back. Her smile is big enough for all of her teeth to show. The guy leans his head into hers, whispering something to her that rewards him with another laugh.

“Chloe and Cal seem to be getting on,” Liam says.

“She got over Seth real quick,” I retort.

“When did they break up?”

“Four days ago. He cheated on her.”

Chloe and Seth broke up earlier this week. Clubbing wasn’t exactly what I had imagined for my birthday, but Chloe asked if we could. I said yes, deciding it was a good reason for everyone to get out, relax, and loosen up.

“Shit. That bloody sucks. They’d been properly together for what?”

“Under a year. Chloe had suspicions when Seth visited and finally confronted him over the weekend. I’m happy he didn’t lie to her. It takes a lot of balls to own the truth.” I take a couple of sips of my champagne. “Cal and Chloe do look good together.”

“You and Alec looked good together, too.” I turn my head to stare at him and find that Liam is already looking at me.

“Yep.” My stare doesn’t falter.

“He’s friendly with you,” he says bitterly.

I know he saw us walk in. Then saw us at the bar, where Alec’s hand was still on my lower back, making idle circles on it. Thenback on the couches, how close together we sat. There wasn’t much space to begin with. Alec tried to have me sit on his lap, but that was pushing it. I didn’t exactly want him here to begin with.

“Yeah, friendly,” I respond.

“When did you two get together? Before or after I kissed you.”

It’s been two weeks since he finished it with Natalie, two weeks since he kissed me. This also means it’s been two weeks that I’ve been ignoring every emotion and pull I feel viscerally.

I want him. I want Liam on my best and worst days.

But I’m trying to make sure I want an us too.

Speaking of Natalie. She has been watching the two of us like hawks tonight. However, her expression is hard to gauge.

I roll my eyes at Liam, shaking my head down toward the lower level.

“We aren’t together, Liam.”

“Just like you aren’t actually with him.”

My head snaps back in his direction. I open my mouth to refute his statement, but he beats me to it. “Why is he here, States?”

“I like him.”

“No, you don’t.” He’s shaking his head at me, an insanely hot smirk painted across his lips, one I want to kiss right off his face. “If you did, you wouldn’t have been tense when you walked in. And it wasn’t because you were staring at me. You didn’t like his touch. And you didn’t like it at the bar or when you sat down.”

“Not. . . true,” I say between catching my breath. Liam moves closer to me and places his hand exactly where Alec’s was. An ice-cold shiver rushes over my body, but it doesn’t cool off the heat radiating out from where his touch is. My body impulsively leans into the touch.

Liam doesn’t say anything. Pulls his hand away, though.

I move closer to him, craving to have that touch back. I flutter my eyes several times, trying to clear out the images and thoughts of everywhere I miss and want those hands to be.

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