Page 18 of F*ck Steal Kill

I smiled as I leaned back on the bed. “She has hair that’s somewhere between the color of the sun and lightning. Her eyes are as green as the grass, and her smile makes my heart race. I met her today, and she didn’t make me stutter all over myself. She flirted, and it was easy. I don’t know; there’s just something magical about her.”

Quentin kept staring at me, making me nervous. I licked my lips, hoping he had bought it.

“I’ll go with you. We’ll leave in thirty.” He headed to his suitcase, grabbed a different black shirt, and walked to the bathroom. I sighed in relief, happy I’d been able to ward him off for now.

“Oh, and Max, I know there’s something else. You said you’d met her today, but something was bothering you last night. So, let me know when you’re ready to spill the beans.”

The door shut, and I cursed, flopping back on the bed. Why did he have to be so good at reading people? Especially me.

Deciding I’d ignore his statement and hope he’d forget, I changed into a different shirt. Maybe I’d passed for nerdy cool? A few minutes later, Q exited the bathroom and nodded at me as he headed for the door. Grabbing my wallet and phone, I followed as nerves settled into my stomach.

“Stop fidgeting,” he said in the elevator.

“I can’t help it. She’s so pretty and nice.”

“Then trust that she likes you.”

Groaning, I nodded, following him to the pub a few blocks over. My anxiety ramped up, wondering how stupid I was for expecting her to be there, knowing I’d probably have one beer and be back, settled in the room in thirty minutes.

Stepping through the doors, I froze as I locked eyes with her, and she smiled, making everything in me come to life. Maybe this girl would be different.

“There she is,” I whispered, pointing. Quentin followed, taking in Holland as she danced. She spun, staring him in the eyes, and I saw the moment I was screwed.

There had been a flash of heat in both of their eyes.

“Fuck,” Q hissed, stomping toward the bar. “We have a problem.”

Waving, I tried not to let my smile drop as I approached the bar, my hopes and dreams firmly in Q’s hands.

CHAPTER 7

HOLLAND

The moment my eyes met theirs, my pulse skyrocketed, and my legs trembled. For precisely two seconds, I believed my night was about to get considerably more interesting.

“Shit,” I cursed when reality sank in.

How did Mr. Magic Fingers and Max walk in together? Did they know one another? With the way they quickly made their way to the bar, it seemed like they did. Was the bathroom bad boy able to recognize me without the pink hair?

Joy pulled away from the girl she’d been making out with, looking at me with concern. I’d been dancing, avoiding advances from the male population all night while Lacey and Joy got their groove on with their respective partners. I’d been about to call it, not finding much enjoyment when I didn’t want to sleep with any of the guys here.

Which was the first red flag of the night. The second was when two of the guys I couldn’t quit thinking about walked in together. The third was when Max waved me over, offering to buy me a beer.

His counterpart kept staring, sipping his beer as he watched me. I debated whether I should take my chances or just leave and try again another day.

The magnetic pull between them and me was too much to ignore, though.

“I’ll see you girls later,” I mumbled, my feet moving toward a terrible idea.

Max kept smiling, though it wasn’t quite as bright as when he first spotted me. It had to mean his friend told him about our bathroom adventures. Or maybe he didn’t recognize me but was warning him off me. I couldn’t blame Mr. Magic Fingers if that was the case. I would probably destroy sweet Max.

Even knowing that was the inevitable end, I kept walking over to them. Max filled me with sunshine, and I enjoyed feeling that warmth.

I just needed to ensure I didn’t fly too close and burn my wings.

“Hi, Max,” I said when I was closer. I glanced at the bathroom baddie, looking for recognition. His eyes were firmly on me, but I couldn’t decide if it was because he recognized me or not.

“Hey, Holland. I’m so glad to run into you,” he said, his eyes wrinkling at the corners with his genuineness.

---