Page 25 of The Masks We Wear

Ticking her hips in tune with the melody circling her, letting her hands drape above her head. It’s sensual as fuck, and no matter how much I despise her ass, I can’t stop looking.

My dick pushes against my pants, and I bite into my lip—eager to feel something other than the painful arousal ripping through my lower body. For two seconds I hold a firm grip, then her eyes collide with mine.

Fuck.

Heat radiates across my cheeks after I snap my face away, finally breaking the connection.

“Are you okay?” Remy tugs at my sleeve, forcing my attention to her.

I swallow around the lump in my throat and nod even though I hate lying. “Sure, but I’m going to head to the bathroom really quick.”

She keeps my gaze, tilting her head as if to make sure I’m being honest. I ignore the drops of sweat beading at my temples and shrug. “Get us a drink?”

She huffs, but releases me, glancing toward the kitchen. “Fine, but hurry up.”

Nodding again, I detach from her side, moving straight for the stairs on our right.

Lily’s house, like all the others in our subdivision, is pretty big. But even with the forty-five hundred square feet and dozens of bodies now between us, I can feel her as though she’s right next to me. My nerves tingle, sending waves of frustration through my veins.

Not one piece of me should care. And yet, my body, more pointedly my dick, could give two shits what I think. Every fucking time I am in her vicinity, all I want to do is move closer. The constant disconnect between my mind and body feels as if they’re literally going to rip me in half.

How fucked up is that?

I sigh and run a hand through my hair, tugging at the ends as I take the steps two at a time.

My heart slams against my chest when I make it to the top. The door to her bedroom sits to the left of the landing. Just a few weeks ago, it was the room I never thought I’d set foot in again, and now, looking at it, I feel sick.

I clamp down on my bottom lip again.

Fuck her.

Turning toward the bathroom, the hairs on the back of my neck stand. I don’t even have to turn back to know she’s there. “What?”

She giggles that same syrupy laugh that curdles my insides. “Well, that’s kinda rude. Considering you’re inmyhouse and all.”

Don’t turn around.

Trying my best to ignore her, I take a few long strides to the restroom door. Lily swings in front of me, pressing her back into it, cutting my quick escape. In one hand, she has a red cup, while the other curls around the doorknob. “Here, let me open this for you.”

My eyes automatically flash down, unable to look at her this close up. I clench my jaw, failing miserably at not grinding my molars. She doesn’t smell like roses tonight. Instead, it’s the scent I remember from when we grew up. A special lavender cream she uses for a light patch of eczema on her ankles. It made her skin so soft, she used it everywhere.

It makes my heart flutter a little faster, pissing me off.

She waits, not moving for a solid minute before finally opening the door, and stepping aside.

I slide past her, careful not to connect with her body, and walk to the toilet. When I glance up, she’s still standing on the threshold, watching me with her head resting against the doorframe.

“Did you want to hold it?” I snap.

She scoffs, “Sorry, I don’t have any tweezers with me.”

My eyes roll back so far they hurt. “Can you just get out?”

The reason I came up here in the first place was to get a break from her, yet here she is, suffocating me with her presence.

Lily thrusts herself off the frame, stepping inside, and closes the door with her black boot. “I’m pretty comfortable, actually.”

Running my teeth along the inside of my lower lip, I consider my next move. I could play this stupid ass fucking game or just ignore her. Hope she goes away. But curiosity gets the best of me.

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