“John—”
He waved me off and headed back to his blond.
Shit.
CHAPTER EIGHTEEN
MAIA
As I spun on the dance floor to Queen (the music was a great eclectic mix of new and old hits), my mind spun too.
Baird’s erection situation had been hot. Then funny. Now it was confusingly hot again. He was a young guy. Twenty-six. But … John was right. This was a situation a teenage boy might find themselves in. Somehow it wasn’t off-putting. It was … it was seriously hot that Baird found me so attractive he couldn’t get a handle on his hard-on.
However, that also meant that Baird genuinely wanted to have sex with me.
We couldn’t have sex.
I mean, we could, and it would maybe defuse the heat between us.
God, that kiss … My lips still tingled.
No. I shook my head. A one-night stand would ultimately make me feel icky.
I wasn’t built for casual sex.
Right?
Or did I justthinkI wasn’t built for casual sex?
There was no denying that my underwear was now damp from the best kiss a man had ever given me. I was wet from a make-out session. That had never happened!
While I tried to untangle my increasingly confusing crush on Baird, Ainsley had sidled up with some redheaded girl and started dancing beside me. Baird’s sister gave me a knowing smirk that I ignored, but I was grateful to her for keeping me company while Baird buggered off to the bar.
Four songs passed, and he didn’t return.
That wasn’t exactly the plan for damage control.
My gaze swept the bar, dreading seeing him chatting to some other woman. When I found him, relief moved through me. He leaned his back against the countertop, nursing a beer, and watching me with uncharacteristic broodiness.
That was hot too.
I was just about to make my way over to him, telling myself it was because there were eyes on us and we couldn’t look like we had fallen out, when the track changed. A recognizable tune blasted through the speakers, those first pop synth notes slamming into me so hard I stumbled to a stop.
“Kids” by MGMT.
When the lyrics hit, my chest tightened as memories slammed through my mind. My skin tingled and I was suddenly lightheaded.
I could see Mum dancing across from me in the kitchen as we shouted the lyrics to each other. My happiest memories of her—and my worst.
I hated that goddamn song.
It rarely ever played anywhere.
But when it did …
I needed air.
Stumbling toward the exit, I was vaguely aware of Ainsley calling my name, of people cursing at me as I shoved them aside.
