Page 48 of Pinky Promises

Chapter 20

Brynn

“What’swrong?”Calleansover and whispers against my ear as the elevator rises to the sixth floor. Tonight, we are celebrating Asher’s birthday. We don’t know exactly what we are doing, just told to wear comfortable clothing and to meet at their place at 6:30.

“It’s nothing.” I stop playing with the hem of my shirt and wipe my sweaty palms on my jeans. I don’t dare to make eye contact with him, so I stare at the buttons on the wall.

“Hey, talk to me. You act like I don’t know what every expression on your face means. Right now, I can tell that your brain is running so fast you just took first place in a 5K. Now talk to me.”

“It’s just I don’t know how to act around our friends right now. What if they all see right through it all.”

He brings his palm up to my cheek and looks down into my eyes. I instantly melt for a moment before pulling myself back together. See, this is precisely the problem. We agreed no one could know, but the way he makes me feel lately, it’s hard to keep this to myself.

“Just take a deep breath, B, and calm down. It works out in our favor that we’re already kind of touchy-feely. I’ll just try to deny the urge to kiss you.” He leans in to press his lips to mine just as the elevator dings.Saved by the bell.I make a quick exit and head down the hall toward Hadley and Asher’s apartment.

“Hey,” Cal shouts as I’m about to knock on the front door. He grabs my hand and yanks me to him, threading his fingers in my hair and giving me an anything but friendly kiss. I have to suppress the moan trying to climb up my throat and the urge to press my pelvis against his and savor the kiss even longer. When he pulls away, he presses a quick kiss on my forehead.

“Umm, what was that for?” I ask, trying to catch my breath as if he hadn’t just kissed the wind right out of me.

“Well, if I can’t kiss you in there, I needed something to tide me over until I can kiss you again.” He gives me a panty-melting—no, panty disintegrating into a million pieces—smile and raises his hand to knock on the door.

The door opens to reveal Asher wearing a T-shirt that reads “Property of a hot girlfriend.”

“Nice shirt, dude.” Cal chuckles as he holds his hand out and does that weird man-hug thing the guys do where they bump shoulders and pat each other’s back. I don’t understand why they just can’t choose a normal hug or shake hands.

“Thanks, Hadley gave it to me this morning, and I thought I’d wear it tonight. I mean, it doesn’t get much truer than that.”

I smirk.Oh Lord, that man is so whipped.I press up and wrap my arms around him in a hug when Cal moves aside. “Happy Birthday!”

“Thanks, come on in. Girls are in the kitchen. Ben is—umm.” He looks around. “Well, I don’t know where he is, but the apartment isn’t that big, so he’s here somewhere.”

My hand brushes Cal’s as I pass him and head into the kitchen to see the girls.

“Is it hot outside or something?” Hadley asks with a twinkle in her eye.

“No, I mean, it’s nice out. Why?” That’s a strange thing to ask.

Hadley smirks, shaking her head. “Hmm, no reason, you just seem a little flushed.”

I run the back of my hand along my cheeks and neck. “Oh, no. It was just super warm in the elevator. Maybe you guys should let the main office know or something.”

“Hmm, I bet it was.” Lexi hides behind her drink, but the creases around her eyes tell me she’s smiling wide.

“Hello, ladies.” Cal strolls into the kitchen and heads to the fridge, with the other guys following moments later. My eyes hone in on the way his jeans cling to his ass as he leans over and grabs a beverage himself and hands one off to the other guys. He twists the beer cap off and steps up next to me. Our shoulders barely touch, but it’s enough to send electric jolts through my veins.

The girls’ eyes bounce back and forth, playing a ping-pong game between Cal and me, trying to read the situation. I give them a look telling them to knock it off.

My vision keeps bouncing back between Callum and everyone else as they talk. Every time I look at him, he’s already looking at me. The man looks like he’s ready to devour me at any second, not giving a damn that our friends surround us. I mouth, “Stop it,” and he only chuckles as he brings the beer bottle to his lips.

“So, who’s excited to go out tonight?” Asher claps his hands together, rubbing them back and forth like he’s planning a diabolical plan of some sort.

“Well, are you ever going to tell us what we’re doing, or are you just going to keep it to yourself all night?” his brother asks.

“In due time, brother, in due time. Okay, everyone, finish their drink, and then let’s go! Our Uber will be here soon.”

Surrounded in darkness, I try to even out my breathing. My heart is beating so loud in my ears it’s blocking out the music playing in the loudspeakers.

I tighten my grip on the handle of the gun as I peer around the corner. It’s clear to make a clean break for it. I just need to make it a little further. Asher’s big plan for how he wanted to spend his birthday is every twelve-year-old boy’s fantasy, and no, I don’t mean hanging out at the playboy mansion. We are spending the evening playing laser tag equipped with Kevlar vests and black lights.

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