Page 44 of Like You Want It
Susie giggles and Fin reveals a small smile, which he tries to hide quickly by taking a sip of his water.
Dina launches into a story about a time when we came here and a legitimate brawl broke out. Susie is enthralled, her eyes wide with Dina’s blow-by-blow.
Since I’ve heard the story, I bump Fin with my hip and give him another smile.
“Let’s be friends tonight, okay?” I say, my voice loud enough for him to hear over the music, but not so much as to distract my friends from their story time.
I see him take a deep, reluctant breath. Then let it out, long and slow.
That doesn’t really tell me whether he’s agreeing or not. But I’m gonna choose to take it as an agreement. A truce.
Friends.
He takes another sip of his water, his eyes staying focused on mine.
Fin is an… interesting character. I don’t know if I’ve ever met someone who seems both so irritated by my presence as well as laser focused on me when I’m around. His eyes are almost always on me, and I can’t decide whether I enjoy it or not.
Okay, that’s a lie. Flat out. I love his eyes on me. I feel like they’re a constant challenge. Inflammatory. Provoking. He wants something from me and I’m not sure I really understand what it is.
It would be too easy to assume he’s looking because he enjoys watching me. My body. Though watching him and his body is nothing short of a thrill.
Speaking of which, I flick my eyes across his chest, enjoying the handsome view I have before me.
Like a lot of women out there, I’m a sucker for forearms, and this guy has his button up shirt rolled up to the elbows, placing those arms on display for me to take in whenever I please.
“Wanna tell me about your tattoo?” I ask, placing a finger against the warmth of his skin and tracing the dark lines and deep colors on his forearm.
“Another time, maybe,” he says, pulling his arm back.
Jolted slightly, I give him an embarrassed grin. “Sorry. I’m a toucher. Most of the time I’m good at not doing it to people who are throwing up caution tape. But the tequila dulls my ability to notice.”
He shakes his head. “It’s not a big deal. Promise.”
I’m bummed that he’s couched the convo, but hopeful that at some point, I’ll get the story. I really dig tattoos. My dad always told me that one day, men and women with tattoos will just have brightly colored, old, wrinkly skin. He said it like it was a bad thing. And I just responded with,well isn’t it better if your skin is gonna sag to be bright and filled with life?
“I’ll tell you about them,” he says, surprising me. “Another time. And you can tell me about yours.” His eyes flick to my right arm, over the mess of watercolor that has been there since my twentieth birthday.
I nod, thrilled at the idea that he’s gonna share, as well as enjoying his use of the wordthem,meaning he has more than one tattoo. He doesn’t have any others that are visible, so maybe I’ll get another chance to see him with his shirt off.
I bite my lip. “Sounds like a deal.”
“How often do you come here?” Susie asks, and when I glance over, I see her eyes are big as she watches the dancers on the floor.
“Dina and I used to come here every week, but it’s been a while,” I say. “They have a Ladies Night on Mondays that isamazing.Once Finny learns that you’ll be fine without his hovering, you can come with us and hurt your feet stomping the floor.”
Fin’s eyes twinkle, though his expression stays neutral. I consider doing a jig at this huge step up from all the glaring, but I don’t want to embarrass the guy.
“Speaking of stomping the floor,” Dina says, slapping her hands on her thighs and standing. “Who’s with me?”
Susie raises her hand straight in the air. I give it a high five, and a “Let’s go, then, bitches!”
I glance at Fin. “You’re gonna stay here, then?” He doesn’t say anything. “You know, if you ever want to truly shock us, just come on out to the dance floor and cut a rug. But if you’re just gonna hang here and keep an eye on us, you’re welcome to watch me all you want.”
Then I give him a wink and strut off, my stomach instantly rolling over at my forwardness.
I don’t even know where the fuck that came from.
Like, yes I find him attractive. Yes, I’ve been working my ass off to get him to goof around and calm down and just be real with me.
Butyou can watch me all you want?What!?
I’ve only had two shots since we’ve been here. But apparently, I didn’t need much to loosen my lips.
