Page 2 of The Fate Philosophy

I scanned the crowd, my curiosity growing by the second to get my eyes on this girl. Before I could find her, I noticed some buzzcut douche bag pressing up behind Penelope and whispering in her ear.

“Better unlock yourself and go get your gir–” I turned to face Carter but realized he was already gone. I laughed to myself.

I followed Carter down the stairs just in case things turned physical and he needed me. I highly doubted it. That wasn’t his thing. But if the guy said something derogatory or threatening to or about Penelope, he may start swinging.

Halfway down the staircase, I looked out to the dance floor again, doing a double take as I finally spotted her. My feet stopped working. I paused right there on the stairs, nearly tumbling down them at the abrupt halt in my steps that had the rest of my body swaying.

Her head was tilted upward, the harsh lights of the night club shining down on her smooth skin. The smile that graced her cheeks was carefree and blissful. Curls fell down between her shoulder blades and swayed side to side in time with her hips.

Her hips.

She was petite. Thin. But her hips were round. Lush. They were the kind of hips that would look best wrapped around my face. Her body was tight and small. Her fucking dress clung to every curve perfectly. It stopped mid thigh, showing off her flawless legs, and the halter top that tied around her long neck complimented the shape of her body. She moved in perfect time with the music, and was given all the space she needed despite being directly in the middle of the dance floor. People all around watched her. Some with admiration, some with lust, others with jealousy. I found myself wanting to pummel the men who licked their lips and raised their brows with every movement she made, and I hadn’t even spoken a word to her. I knew they were wondering how those movements looked without clothes on, because I was wondering too.

With every swing of her hips, her dress glittered in the lights. She outshined everything around her. There weren’t any spotlights on that dance floor but there might as well have been. Right on her. She demanded to be seen. Her movements were effortless and fluid, as if she was made for this moment. Made to be the center of attention. Made to bring the world to its knees. Her dress shimmered with each roll of her body, and her smile shined like the brightest star in the night sky. Everything about her sparkled. Like a fucking beacon, calling to me.

My feet began moving again. Not toward Carter. He was on his own now. No, my feet began moving toward her. Desperate to see her up close. To see if she’s real. I stumbled down the rest of the stairs, thanking luck or fate or God when I noticed her move to the edge of the dance floor.

She seemed to be in search of something. Her eyes were wide…maybe panicked? They settled to my left and she let out what looked to be a sigh of relief. I followed her line of sight and found our friends huddled close together, whispering in each other’s ears. Buzzcut was nowhere to be found. Macie must’ve been so entranced in the music and her dancing that she lost track of Penelope, and began to panic when she couldn’t find her. I was able to take a deeper look at her face as her features relaxed. Her eyes were a bright, yet deep, hazel color. Her round cheeks were flushed and glowing, her pouty lips pursed as she panted through them. Beautiful. She was deliriously beautiful and I couldn’t stop walking toward her. As my body reached hers, she turned to me. Her eyebrows narrowed as she took me in. Her arms crossed against her chest as she waited for me to say something.

Say something, idiot.

My mouth dropped open, and those brows of hers raised. A small smirk appeared at the corner of her mouth as she looked me up and down. Starting at my feet, her eyes slowly dragged up the length of my body, lingering on my arms and shoulders before reaching my face. They flared just enough that I knew she liked what she saw. Yet, just as quickly, they settled.

“Stop drooling, Dominic.”

I felt my eyebrows rocket into my hairline, my mouth drop open in surprise. Not only does she know who I am, but she unabashedly acknowledged my failure at subtly checking her out.

“You know who I am?”

Her lips twitched, her own failure in attempting to look bored and unaffected. “I had a general description of what you look like and I knew you’d be meeting us here.” She shrugged. “I couldn’t imagine why any other stranger would be sniffing me out like a bloodhound.”She saw me coming?She flicked a brow. “Although, I’m not sure what you need from me, either.

Everything, I found myself wanting to say.

I inched closer to her on instinct. Despite the fact that the building smelled like sweating bodies and cheap perfume, Macie smelled delicious. Like vanilla and something more– something warm and spiced. Cinnamon, maybe. I fought the urge to lean even closer to her and breathe her in. An oasis in a desert of bodies. She smelled fucking decadent.

Pulling myself together, I craned my head to the left. “I came down to help out, but it appears my assistance is no longer needed.” We both turned our heads as we watched Penelope lead Carter to the dance floor.

I shot Penelope with an exaggerated smile and waved again. She gave me an accusing eye roll but waved back. As I turned to Macie, her eyes were positively glowing with equal parts mischief and delight. As if she was elated to see the two of them holding hands.

A grin spread across my mouth.I think I’m going to like her.

She looked back at me, lingering longer than before. She nibbled on her bottom lip as her gaze snagged on my chest and stayed there just a moment too long. Once her eyes found my face again, I smiled at her. She glanced away quickly, as if it would stop me from noticing that she had clearly been checking me out too.

I was already enticed by this game we’d begun playing.

“I like your dress,” I said.

She crossed her arms and picked at her nails. “I know.”

“Do you want to dance?”

She shrugged nonchalantly. “Not sure I should dance with someone who’s been known to make out with my best friend.”

“I–what?”What the fuck is she talking about?

Of all the reactions I expected her to have to that question, that was not one of them. Only a few minutes in and this girl was throwing me off my game completely. She was entirely unpredictable. As if you never knew what would come out of her mouth next.

It was intriguing. It made me want to see what other words I could pull from her.

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