Page 399 of Rock Me All Night
"Shit. Since when?" Tom asks.
"Since always. Where did you think me and Trent went off too after practice?"
"Trent too? Fuck. No wonder he wanted to go to the beach all summer. Probably getting his jollies checking me out in my speedo." Tom nudges his friend. "You had illicit thoughts about me, didn't you?"
Matthew blushes.
I lose interest in their banter. It's a lot more fun picturing Tom in a speedo. The weather is set to get hot as hell. He's the type of guy who's game for anything. I'm sure I can convince him to get in a pool at some hotel. Maybe even to skinny dip.
"Hey, kid." Tom nudges me. "If you're gonna think dirty thoughts, think them about some hottie. There's plenty of hotties here." He looks to Matthew for confirmation.
Matthew nods. He motions to a shorthaired guy in a sweater vest. "Heard he's on the rebound."
"There. Go." Tom nudges me towards Sweater Vest. "Now or I'll have to get involved."
Please, no. Tom is trying to be helpful but I do not want him involved. "Okay. Fine." It won't kill me to have a conversation with the guy. He's wearing a sweater vest. He's got to be harmless.
I bump into him as if by accident. "Oh, sorry."
"No problem," he murmurs.
His posture shifts as he turns to me. He takes his time checking me out then moves closer.
He's interested.
He's interested, and he's cute.
Why won't my body respond to that?
"I'm Willow," I say.
He looks down at me, checking me out. "You with the band?"
"Just a friend." I take a long look at Sweater Vest. My body refuses to find him attractive. Oh well. No sense in being rude to the guy. "You?"
"Friend of a friend." He looks down my tank top. "You need a ride home or anything? My roommate is out of town this weekend."
Okay. Sweater Vest doesn't waste any time. Better to get this over with before he gets the wrong idea. "No thank you. I came with someone."
I glance at Tom. He's watching intently, but the expression on his face is unreadable. When our gazes meet, he nodsgobut I can't bring myself to take the suggestion.
My body refuses to cooperate. It screams at meI ask for Tom and you give me this? Are you even trying?
Forget it. I nod to the couch. "Nice to meet you. Excuse me." I shift past Sweater Vest and take a seat. This flirting thing is overrated. I'll have to find some other way to get over Tom.
Sweater Vest plops next to me. His arm finds its way around my shoulder. Tom is still watching. Not proud. Not excited by my progress. But...
No.
He's jealous.
The devil on my shoulder urges me to use Sweater Vest's interest to my advantage.A girl has to take what she wants. Make Tom jealous. What's the harm? This guy is thinking of you as a piece of ass. He doesn't give a fuck about you.
Sweater Vest shifts closer.
He leans in to whisper in my ear. "I'd like to kiss you."
My stomach clenches. No sign my body is interested in his. "Maybe later."
