by Sydney Lane
"Who?" I know who she's talking about, but I don't want to ruin the night by talking about things that weren't meant to be.
"You know who." A frustrated noise escapes her when I don't answer. "Quincy."
"What do you want to know?" My stomach dips, a slightly sick feeling settling there.
"About you and her. What's the story? Cause I know there is one."
"There's not much to tell. I met her, we went out a few times, and she chose Brody."
"Did you love her?"
"Yeah, I thought I did." I stare at the road ahead. It's getting dark, and there's a slight breeze in the air. The mountains loom dark and majestic ahead of us. This isn't how I envisioned things going. I hold my breath and let it out sharply. "For a while, I thought I was in love, but the more time that passes, I realize we were just friends. I love her, but I was trying to make it something it wasn't."
"What about Brody?"
"What's there to say? He got the girl."
"Did she break your heart?"
"I wouldn't say that. I was more angry and hurt than anything else. If they would've just told me, maybe things would've gone differently. It was the sneaking around, the lying that got to me." Suddenly, I feel better, words I've only thought but never said aloud rolling off my tongue. "I mean, she was still my friend, and he was my brother. Did they think I couldn't handle the truth?"
"Sometimes people hide things, not because they don't think you can't handle it but because they want to protect you. Maybe because they can't handle it." She softly sighs as she stares out the window. "Sometimes, people will walk through hell before they hurt the ones they love." She nervously fidgets with the hem of her shirt, rolling it between her fingers.
I know she's talking about herself, some hidden pain of her own, and I wonder who and what she's thinking about. But I know from experience, the more I press her, the more she will withdraw.
"I get that, Liza, but there's nothing noble about suffering in silence. Just like there's nothing weak about needing someone every now and then."
"What about Quincy? Did she need you?" She arches her brow, her question simple yet difficult.
"That's not my story to tell."
"She's nice. And pretty and innocent. Nothing like me." She almost sounds disappointed.
"That's a good thing, right?" Her eyes shoot to me, filled with questions, and I explain. "She's not the one here with me right now." I reach out, resting my hand over hers on her thigh, and her fingers curl through mine.
She turns the music up, singing loudly about finding a place in this world.
Chapter 38
Eliza
By the time we turn onto the gravel driveway at the cabin, the sun is setting behind the mountains, the whole place even more beautiful now than it was today, if that's possible.
The bonfire glows softly in the dusk, drawing people like moths to a flame. Music blares loudly in the night, country music of all things, while people stand nearby drinking and talking. Declan reaches for my hand and steps close to me, placing a lingering kiss on my lips. A shiver causes my skin to prickle, and I lean into him, craving his touch. A fleeting look of surprise passes over his face before he wraps his hand around the back of my neck and pulls me, deepening the kiss. His hands are gentle but firm, his lips hesitant but possessive. When he pulls away, his eyes roaming over my face, we're both breathless. It's as if the world stands still and we're the only two people that exist.
He eyes are hooded, unreadable, here in the shadows, but I imagine that I see pure, unadulterated passion reflected there. I want him- this- so much I can almost taste it.
New and wonderful and terrifying... these feelings that grip my heart.
His eyes flick over the crowd, and for an instant, I think he wants to leave as much as I do. Instead, he clasps my hand tighter, leading me toward the group. "Hey, I have to go down and do some designated driver duties. Will you be okay for a minute?" His eyes flick to my mouth and back up, a mischievous smile on his lips.
He's not making this easy for me.
"Of course. I need to find Corrine anyway."
"I'll be right back." With one last squeeze, he releases my hand and disappears into the crowd. I catch one last glimpse of his jean-clad ass. Wow.
I easily find Jenna in the crowd, being that she's the tallest girl here besides me. She smiles, waving me over, and for a brief moment, I feel like I belong here. Like maybe I can be the girl who hangs out with her girlfriends without a care in the world or holds hands with her favorite guy without freaking out.
"We were beginning to wonder if Declan kidnapped you!" Quincy steps forward, offering me a drink. I notice that she rarely drinks anything but water, but I don't feel guilty when I reach for the cup and gulp down the contents right in front of her.
"Now that I know what a wild man he is, I'm gonna keep my eyes on you two." Jenna surprises me when she gives me a quick hug, laughing at my expression. "Oh, come on, you know you love me!"
"Only when I'm drinking," I mumble, but truthfully, she got it right. This girl, like her homemade drink, is addictive. "Have you seen Corrine?" I ask, fully expecting to hear Seth above all the rest.
"She went up to the house with Seth." Jenna suggestively wags her brows up and down. Quincy rolls her eyes at Jenna, and I can't help but laugh. If Seth and Corrine disappeared, I know what they're doing. I'm pretty sure everyone does.
"So tell me... how in the hell did you learn to throw a ball like that?" Jenna reaches over, giving me a high five. "That was freakin' awesome. I think Eric about came in his pants."
"Are you, like, Seth's sister or something?" I joke.
"Oh my God, Liza!" Jenna squeals in delight.
Quincy and I respond at the same time, laughing at the feigned hurt on Jenna's face. "What can I say? My man takes his sports very seriously!" She winks, and I get a horrible mental picture of the two beautiful blondes together. I'm convinced they both take certain things very seriously.
"Did I hear my name?" Seth wraps his arms around Jenna's waist, lifting her into a voracious hug before lowering her to the ground.
"Only because Jenna was being disgusting and Liza asked if you were related." Quincy laughs and Jenna flashed her middle finger in the air.
"Of course we're related! That's my girl right there." He throws an arm around Jenna's shoulders, smiling down at her in an adorable way. "Ever since she got drunk and slobbered all over me, she's been mine. She's happier now that she's gettin' some on the regular, though."
"Seth!" Jenna slaps his broad chest, not the least bit embarrassed.
"What? It's true. She was all 'Sef, I luf you' one minute and passed out in my lap the next. We had a pretty good thing goin' till she hooked up with Blondie." Jenna reaches up, clasping the hand draped over her shoulder. It's obvious they're pretty close.
When he looks over at me, his eyes light up, and he releases Jenna, charging toward me like he's gonna throw me around like that. "Don't even think about it, Seth Henley!" He advances, his arms reaching for me. "I mean it!"
Instead of grabbing me, he wraps an arm around my neck, doing the same to Quincy, and sandwiches himself between us. "Now, I could get used to this right here. I think I've died and gone to heaven." Quincy blushes, her cheeks a pretty rose color as she smiles up at him, her arm around his waist.
"Where's Corrine?" I ask, suddenly curious as to why I haven't seen her. The corners of his mouth slip, but he recovers with a brilliant smile.
"She's up at the house. Needed a minute to recover." He wags his brows up and down. Ugh. I so do not want to know. I swear they're like rabbits. Extremely loud rabbits. With superhuman endurance.
"Come on, Seth. Let's go get the guys to play." Jenna grabs his arm, pulling him into the crowd, in search of Eric, I presume.
That leaves me with alone... with Quincy, the tiny but intimidating spitfire with the uncanny ability to read me like a book. "Want another drink?" she asks, gesturing toward the keg, her eyes scannin
g the crowd around us. There are more people here now that it's getting darker and the fire is raging.
"Sure. Can I have more of Jenna's concoction?" She smiles knowingly and leads me to a large red cooler with a spout. I pour my cup half full, not wanting to get totally sloshed before the party really gets started.
Quincy's smiling from ear to ear, recounting the time Jenna snuck backstage at a Justin Timberlake concert and didn't wash her hand for days after he shook it, claiming she didn't want to wash away his scent. We're laughing together when she suddenly seems distracted, tense.
She's watching a spot over my shoulder, and when I, none too discreetly, turn to look in that direction, I find Brody talking to Whitney. Or rather Whitney talking to him, seductively leaning into him. To give Brody credit, he backs up, putting distance between himself and her generous chest. When she follows him, clinging to his side, his eyes dart to Quincy, penetrating, lingering, and somewhat sensual. He lays his hand on his chest then points a long finger at her, his sexy smile meant only for her.
I feel as if I'm intruding on their moment.
I chuckle when Whitney huffs and walks away. Some girls are so desperate.
"Sorry. It's just... umm... I don't think I'll ever get used to that." I turn back to her, fascinated by Quincy's control. I'm not so sure I would do the same in her situation and being that he's one of the sexiest men on this planet, I bet that happens a lot.
"He loves you." It's an observation I never meant to voice out loud.
"Yes." And I see it in her eyes, hear the conviction in her voice. She believes it, knows it. "And I love him."
"Sounds so... easy."
"Not easy, Liza. Nothing about love is easy. I'm an insecure ball of nerves most days, and he's afraid I'll finally realize I made the wrong choice." Her voice is low, shaky but strong.
"Did you?"
"What? Make the wrong choice?" I nod, waiting for her answer. "Not that time." Her voice trails off, her eyes glazing over before she pulls herself together. "He's mine, and I'm his. I'm more sure of that than anything in this world. What I know is that if doesn't make you a little uncomfortable, and it doesn't make you work for it... it's not the real deal. Love is work."
"Any regrets?"
"Lots of them." She takes a sharp breath and exhales smoothly. "I see the way he looks at you, you know." There's no reason to pretend like I don't know who she's talking about.
"It's hard." A familiar pressure builds around my heart, squeezing it tightly. I remind myself to breathe.
"If it wasn't, it wouldn't be worth fighting for." She smiles, laying her hand on my arm. "Look, he's my friend, one of my very best friends, and I miss him so much. I walked away so he could find someone who deserved him, someone who loved him like crazy. He's one of the good ones, Liza. Talk about regrets? I have so many. So many things I wish I could change. I realize I'm the last person who should be giving you advice, but for what it's worth, here it is: Don't let your fears determine your fate."
I attempt a smile in her direction, finding her dark eyes too intense. Her words sting, but I don't find her condescending. In fact, I think she makes a whole lot of sense. I'm not sure I'm where she thinks I am, if I'm capable of feeling the things she's talking about, but I'm not going to burst her bubble.
"Now, let's go grab a drink and dance. Since you have your own personal DD and all." She smirks, taking my hand and guiding me into the thickest part of the crowd.
It's turning out to be an interesting night indeed.
Chapter 39
Declan
When I find Liza, she's dancing with her friends, including Quincy. It doesn't shock me like it once did. As a matter of fact, it's strangely... normal. I watch for several minutes, just taking in her smile, her gorgeous legs, all of her. Seth is currently dancing in the middle of a circle the girls have formed around him.
"Doesn't seem fair for him to be having all the fun." Brody steps up beside me, tilting his head in my direction. He nudges me with his elbow, smiling broadly, and says, "What d'you say we go down and break up his little party?"
That brings a huge smile to my face. I can't think of anything I'd like to do more. "Let's do it." A conspiratorial look passes between us, and we move, together, through the crowd.
Seth groans when he spots us, rolling his eyes. "Girls, it looks like the cavalry has arrived. Just so you know-" He does a smooth dance move, too smooth for someone his size, and smirks. "-your girls were lovin' my hot moves."
With all of us dancing and laughing, it's easy to forget how screwed up we are. Nothing could ruin this moment, not even when Quincy turns and wraps her arms around Brody's neck, pulling his head down for a kiss. I can't hear everything she says, but I hear enough to know she just threatened to punch somebody in the face.
"Baby, I'm all yours. This heart beats for you and only you." Resting his forehead against hers, he teases a smile from her lips. Cheesy but effective. Maybe a tiger really can change its stripes.
I quickly look away, my eyes zeroing in on Liza. She looks amazing tonight. Her eyes are hooded, stormy, as she watches me walk toward her. As soon as I'm within reach, she pulls my head down, initiating a scorching kiss I feel all the way to my groin. Her hand skims my chest, coming to rest just above the button of my jeans. My hands settle on her hips, bringing her against me so she can feel exactly what she's doing to me. She moans against my mouth, ending the kiss, and begins to dance against me.
Maybe I shouldn't have agreed to be the designated driver after all.
The night suddenly goes silent when someone turns off the music. There are groans of protests as people shuffle around to find out what happened.
In that brief moment, I watch Liza. She gulps from the cup in her hand, her eyes blazing at me over the rim. Her throat moves sensually as the liquid rolls down her throat, and I have the sudden, intense urge to kiss the erratic pulse visible there. Her eyes hold mine, even when Eric strums a few chords on his guitar and the girls cheer for the band.
Silently, placing my hand on her lower back, I turn and lead her out of the crowd and into the darkened shadows of the trees. There, I kiss her like there's no tomorrow. I kiss her like she might vanish, because I'm certain she might. Her tongue flicks mine, matching my desperation one stroke at a time. I breathe her in, fisting her hair in my hands to, if possible, pull her even closer. Sex is the language she knows so I love her the only way she'll let me.
Her hands move lower, palming my hardness through my jeans, and I reach down, pressing her hand firmly against me. "God, Liza, that feels so good," I whisper against her lips, kissing my way across her cheek to the arch of her throat, my hands roaming up her shirt to her bare breasts, my thumbs roughly grazing her nipples. The noises coming from her become more frenzied, louder, and she fumbles with the button on my jeans.
When she lowers my zipper, the sound rips through my night, much louder to me than it really is. I slowly become aware of where we are, what we're doing, and I put my hand over hers, stopping her movements. "Not here, Liza." She protests and continues trying to undo my jeans while kissing my neck, her teeth nicking my skin. "Liza..."
One moment, she's standing before me, our hands and mouths ravaging each other, the next, she's on the ground, kneeling at my feet. She reaches up, her fingers grasping my jeans and working them lower. I watch her, wondering how far she'll go, when her eyes meet mine. She bites her bottom lip, as she continues to tug on my pants, exposing my erection.
"Come on. Not here..." My mouth says one thing, but my body wants this more than it has ever wanted anything else. All sense of reason dissolves when her lips wraps around me, her eyes still on mine. I inhale sharply, my head falling back, as her mouth glides up and down, her hand moving in tandem. I reach down, placing my hands on each side of her face, holding her in place, but she shrugs me off, shaking her head. I release her, digging my palms into my thighs.
Hot. Wet. Those lips... Liza's lips.
It's so damn good, so unbel
ievable. I feel the familiar pressure building in my gut within minutes. "Now," I breathe, warning her. But she doesn't stop. If anything, her movements become more avid, more frenzied, taking me deeper into her throat. "Now, Liza!"
I can't stop the rush as I spew into her mouth, and she continues to work me until I'm completely drained. I take several calming breaths, coming to my senses. Liza slowly stands, a satisfied look on her face. When she licks her lips, I can't resist kissing them. My lips never leaving hers, I reach for my jeans, pulling them up, and she swats my hands away to button them herself.
She finally pulls away, backing up to gaze into my eyes. "What was that all about?" I question, both satiated and confused.
"I just wanted to do something for you for once. You're always doing things fo-" I. Can't. Resist. My mouth crashes into hers, bruising our lips, as I steal the words from her tongue. I wrap my arms around her waist, and she lifts her legs around my hips. Turning, I push her back into a tree, my mouth plundering hers.
I'm unraveling. She does this to me, has a way of making me oblivious to everything around us. Makes me forget to be the nice guy. Makes me forget to breathe. Makes me forget everything but her.
"My turn," I whisper, shoving my fingers up the legs of her shorts. I push her panties aside and plunge into her. Her body bucks against the tree, her legs tightening around me. Her breathing is uneven, ragged, but I don't stop kissing her, touching her. No reprieve. The sounds coming from her urge me on, and I pump harder, faster until I feel her clench around me, her body convulsing in my hand. Then, and only then, I pull away from her, capturing her eyes, and lower her to the ground.
"Don't ever say that again." My chest rises and falls rapidly, my heart pounding against my ribs, as I scold her. "You've already done more than you'll ever know."
She fights to regain control, a weary, anxious look passing over her stunning features.
What she doesn't realize is that this scares the hell out of me, too. But right now, I just have to worry about how I'm going to go back to the party and act as if this didn't just happen, about how I'm going to keep from grinning like an idiot every time I look at her.
