Page 29 of Fear of Love
In one quick motion, he jumped up, hooking his arms around the rod iron rails. He pulled himself up over them and dropped in front of where his mom stood.
My eyes pricked as he pulled Evelyn into a hug so tight her feet almost left the ground. When he pulled back, she cupped his cheeks, whispering something that had Mateo smiling. Not wanting to intrude, I shuffled back a step, giving Landon, Evelyn, and Wyatt a moment to celebrate with Mateo.
“Dude,you didn’t tell us there would be hot chicks here,” one of Mateo’s friends and roommates whispered to the others that were here celebrating the teams win. The kid was trying to benonchalant, but the way all four of Mateo’s friends kept staring at me as I made my way to the fridge was anything but obvious.
“They're all taken. Trust me, you don’t want to make a move on them,” Mateo said. “My brother and his friends would more than kick your ass for flirting with their girlfriends.”
My lips twitched at his words. Funny how he was warning his friends, yet he did exactly that when it was just him.
“I could take them.”
I glanced over my shoulder to see one of his friends puffing his chest out while looking at Trevor, Wyatt, and Bryton in the living room. It was cute he thought so. He had nothing on the three of them, even if he was a little bulky from playing football.
“Dude, they’re professional hockey players. You’d be toast,” another guy said, shoving the one who made the comment.
“The only single one is Lydia.”
I quickly turned my head back around as my name was said, the feel of eyes on my back.
“She’d tear you apart.” Mateo laughed, to which I almost nodded. He wasn’t wrong.
“I like a challenge.” I could hear the cockiness in his friend’s voice and feel the way his eyes were roaming my backside. Loving a good tease, I grabbed the beer I came for and shut the fridge before I turned to face all five boys standing in Evelyn’s dining room.
With their eyes glued in my direction, I purposely headed their way, adding an extra sway to my hips as I went. I already knew the table behind them had a bottle opener, and I saw my opening.
“Excuse me, boys.” I touched the shoulder of one as I squeezed through to grab it. I didn’t miss the way they went quiet. The one I touched going as far as gulping. I knew teasing them was wrong, but I couldn’t help myself.
“Sorry to interrupt.” With the opener in hand, I stepped back, my arm grazing the one closest to me. “Great game, by the way.” I sent him a smile, secretly loving the way he seemed to freeze at the attention.
“T-thanks,” he stuttered slightly.
With a flick of my wrist, I popped the lid off my beer before bringing it to my lips. I fought the urge to smile as they, Mateo included, watched in fascination. It was probably cruel but at least it would give them all something to think about later.
“See you later, boys.” I gave them a wink before I turned on my heel and left, walking to the living room where the others were at, hushed whispers coming from behind me. A quick glance over my shoulder told me Mateo was shaking his head at me, his eyes flashing in amusement.
A wide grin graced my face as I made my way toward Josie and Tasha.
“That was mean,” Josie teased when I came to her side.
“I didn’t do anything.” I gave them an innocent look to which they both just snorted.
“Well, someone doesn’t look too thrilled,” Tasha said around the rim of her glass. Following her gaze, I found Landon leaning against the doorway, beer in hand, as his eyes narrowed in my direction.
We hadn’t said a single word to each other since Mateo’s game. After our little moment was ruined, a moment I could almost convince myself didn’t happen, we all got so focused on getting out of the stadium and driving over to Evelyn’s that there was no time to talk.
I wouldn’t say Landon was actively avoiding me, but we also hadn’t been left alone to even have a conversation about what happened at the stadium. First with him flirting with me—something I was still trying to wrap my head around. Thenthe way my stomach clenched when I thought about it. It was enough for me to wonder if I was having a stroke of some kind.
I, Lydia Ellis, didn’t get all gooey over a man. Let alone Landon Boone.
And then Mateo won. The way he held me paired with the look on his face… It was like he was finally going to kiss me. The crazy part was I would have kissed him back if our friends hadn’t been right there to ruin it. That alone scared me because Landon had the knack of peeling back my layers and embedding himself in them.
“Landon doesn’t care,” I said, although a part of me wished he did.
Tasha snorted. “Oh, he cares.”
“Don’t think we didn’t see your little moment at the game.” Josie gave me a smirk.
“Cause we did,” Tasha added.
