“My bad.” I cleared my throat and pushed down on the gas pedal, fighting the urge to look at her again. At least until we were parked and out of the car, so I didn’t cause a head-on collision trying to catch a glimpse of her smile again.
I couldn’t get enough of her. Her smile, her laugh, her mannerisms, her sweet, sweet scent of jasmine and fresh linen—
Fuck sake, calm down.
I found an empty parking space a couple cars down from the gallery entry; a hole-in-the-wall type joint that looked like a refurbished warehouse. People were coming and going from inside — extremely artsy people. A far cry from the usual people I was used to.
Some believed they were entitled to the entire sidewalk as we passed them (and quickly changed their minds when they realized I wasn’t moving either), while others spoke in enthusiastic detail about the art they viewed inside. Lily didn’t really fit into either of those categories of people. She was content with being there for a friend, who was waiting with the douchebag beside the gallery doors.
As we got closer, and Lily picked up her pace to greet Kira, I noted the way another douchebag glanced at her legs in passing. I clenched my jaw when it was his turn to pass me and let him walk by unscathed.
I wasn’t going to be that guy; the easily jealous, impulsive type that would just embarrass Lily if I beat a random pervert into a pulp on the sidewalk.
As tempting as it was.
The craving to inhale smoke into my lungs and get that nicotine fix wasn’t exactly helping. Neither was the gum that tasted like shit. To say I was a little tense was an understatement, but I was committed to this. Even if going cold turkey after smoking for eight years was easier said than done. But Lily's company helped ease the itch to reach for another cigarette. Not that I had any to reach for. I smoked my last one several days ago and hadn’t bought another carton since.
The second I joined the others and Aiden opened his mouth, I suddenly wished I did have something to smoke. Not a cigarette but something that made interacting with him easier.
“Dean. It’s good to see you again.” He smiled as if he knew me. It didn’t reach his eyes and I found myself wanting to punch him in the face just for talking.
I’m doing this for Lily.
That doesn’t mean I have to be nice to him though.
The only response I gave him was a subtle smile and a nod as I buried my fists into the pockets of my jeans. I brought my attention to Kira instead as she bounced on her feet and grabbed Aiden by the arm.
I still couldn’t figure out why a girl like her would date a guy like him.
“Come on,” Kira grinned excitedly as she dragged Aiden to the door. He rolled his eyes but fell into step behind her as they went inside.
I looked down at Lily right as she looped her arm through mine and spoke so only she could hear. “We could leave. They wouldn’t know.”
Her mouth twisted with a smile as she walked us forward, adjusting her shoulder bag across her body.
“I know Aiden is...a lot, but I promised Kira I would come,” she said, shrugging one of her bare shoulders as we walked into the air-conditioned space. “We could just pretend we’re here on our own for a little while.”
I smiled a little as I looked over the gallery crowd, scanning every face — a force of habit. “That’s easier said than done when you can’t see the man bun bobbing over people’s heads.”
She laughed quietly, bumping her hip into my thigh before she walked ahead of me. Taking my hand from its pocket as she did, she turned on her toes and began moving backward into the space. “Would it help if I walked out here?”
My eyebrows quirked up and I dropped my gaze to where the hem of her sundress brushed lightly against her thighs. “Yes, it would.”
The gallery was a rabbit warren of makeshift hallways lined with abstract sculptures and portrait collections varying in size and color. All things I had no interest in, but it made Lily happy. So while everyone else was admiring the art, I was admiring her.
She was with Kira as I stood back and watched. The two of them were attempting to re-enact the poses of the people in the paintings, laughing quietly between themselves as they took photos for comparison, and then acting like they weren’t up to anything whenever a stranger walked by.
I caught myself smiling too.
Until Aiden stepped in beside me.
He crossed his arms, watching the girls as he kept his voice low. “Hey, so, I wanted to apologize for what happened over the weekend, man. I didn’t know what I was thinking, picking a fight with you and Seb. I just get a little passionate sometimes.”
My jaw clenched. He was apologizing to the wrong person and hadn’t even attempted to sound sorry for the questions he asked about my tattoo. Then again, I didn’t really care if he did. I had already started looking for a way out of this conversation while he took my silence as an invitation to keep talking.
“I don’t understand how people actually enjoy this stuff,” he scoffed quietly, nodding to a sculpture beside him. “What the fuck is that supposed to be anyway?”
I rolled my eyes while he wasn’t looking and focused on Lily instead. “Art.”
