Page 208 of Hooking Up
"Hey." Ryan fixes his hair. "I know you're desperate for any edge you can get, but don't fuck with the hair."
"An edge?" Dean cocks a brow. "Really?"
"Yeah. We both know all the women here are looking at me," Ryan says.
"Say they are? What's it matter? You haven't looked twice at a girl since… it's a party. I'm not gonna bring her up." He turns to Leighton. "Usual?"
She nods. "Yes, please." But there's something in her voice. A frustration. Her gaze shifts to Ryan. She studies him like her life depends on it.
He takes a long sip of his drink and lets out a soft sigh.
Her teeth sink into her lip.
She's into a guy she'll never have.
And Ryan is still heartbroken over his ex.
That must be it.
Dean turns to me. "What's your poison?"
"Just orange juice, thanks." I force a smile.
Dean shoots me a curious look, but he still turns and moves to the bar.
Leighton makes a point of pulling her gaze away from Ryan. "How long has it been now? You and Walker?"
"A few months." I do a quick check of the math in my head.
Her eyes get dreamy. "Damn. I never thought I'd see the day. You two look good together."
"Everyone knows that." Walker steps toward us. He goes straight to me. Slides his arms around my waist. Brings his lips to my ear. "Tell me you're not wearing anything under that dress." He drags his fingertips over my hips, feeling for panties.
"Would you really want to know that?" My skin buzzes from his touch. "You have to wait."
He shakes his head and motions to the back room.
Dean clears his throat. He hands a drink to me, hands another to Leighton, sips the third.
Walker shoots him areally?Look.
Dean nods. "Yeah. Make it really fucking loud. You know I only watch amateur porn."
Leighton laughs. "Everyone in California knows that."
Dean looks to me. "Did you know that, Iris?"
"I got it the tenth time you mentioned it." A lot of the last month of awesomeness has involved hanging out with Walker's friends. Even talking to them one-on-one. It feels good, being accepted by the group, communicating with people who aren't obsessed with grad school or sobriety.
Walker presses his lips to my neck as his fingers skim the hem of my dress. "Not sure if I can bring myself to torture Leighton like that."
She's making a point of not sleeping with anyone.
She says it's because she makes bad choices with guys.
But, really, it must be because she's into Ryan. Though, being into Ryan does suggest she makes bad choices with guys. He's the dictionary definition of emotionally unavailable.
Ahem. I'm not shrinking her. Or him. No matter how fascinating it is. From a psychology perspective. It's not that it's juicy gossip. Not at all.
