Page 16 of Midnights
Everything around me goes quiet as a sharp, piercing ring cuts through my right ear, slicing through the noise. It’s been happening more and more lately, or maybe I just started to notice it. But before I can linger on it, just like that, it’s gone.
Something feels off, but I push the thought away, forcing my attention back tohim.
He’s walking right toward us. Paralysis creeps through my body like wildfire and my hands start to tingle. Heat blooms beneath my skin, seeping into every nerve, as every inch of me tightens under the sudden weight of his attention.
Shit.
Those deep brown eyes pin me in place like a blade pressed to my throat.
Eye contact.ABORT. ABORT.
Before the moment can spiral into somethingIknowI won’t recover from, I whip my gaze away, pretending to be deeply, profoundly interested in absolutelynothingon the other side of the bar.
But two seconds was enough to sear the details into my brain. The freckles dusting his face, the rich brown of his eyes, and the flash of perfect teeth when he smiled.
I can only hope I’m radiating a soliddon’t speak to mevibe, because right now, I'm not sure if I'm capable of forming actual words.
Just keep walking. Just keep walking. Do NOT stop and talk to me. I chant silently.
And thank God, he doesn’t.
He doesn’t look at me again, doesn’t acknowledge me, just keeps walking straight back to the dart game behind us.
Relief floods my system, even though I have zero reason to feel it. It’s not like I was in danger of throwing myself at him, but I also don't have the willpower of a saint here. I'm more like a little baby chipmunk out in the wild for the first time. Spooked.
The music swells or maybe it never stopped. It’s like someone hit mute for a second, then cranked the volume back up to full blast. The noise of the pub rushes back in all at once and the loudest sound is coming from the crazy brunette I call my best friend.
Rachel is standing in front of me, wide-eyed, waving her hands.
“HELLOOOO!” she practically shouts.
Oh, great. She saw that.
“Welcome to Scotland,” I mutter, raising my glass and sinking a little further into my chair.
You’d think I’d never seen a good-looking man before with that grand display. I shake my head, tap my glass against hers, and sigh.
This night is either going to be an adventure… or a complete bust when I inevitably embarrass myself.
Perhaps tonight wasn’t the night to try drinking for the first time.
It's far too late for that now.
We lose track of time, falling into easy conversation. We talk about all the things we want to do on this trip and laugh about my near-death experience with the handsome stranger in the corner.
There’s so much we want to see and explore, but we refuse to be tied down by strict planning, so we’re taking it day by day. Which, honestly, isexactlymy kind of vacation.
“Holy shit, it’s late! How long did it take you to get ready?”
Rachel laughs, dodging the napkin I send her way.
“It’syourfault for sleeping the day away,” she teases. “However, we're not going to focus on that.”
She winks, then nods toward the open space in the back of the room. “What weshoulddo is go over there and dance!”
The dance floor is conveniently located right next to the group of men playing darts.
The same group of men that the gorgeous idiot happens to be a part of.
