She’s managed to conquer a god.
I’ve been reduced to a mere mortal who’s crushing so hard on a girl that I don’t know if I should wind my ass or check my watch ... that’s not right ... check my ass or wind my watch?Why would somebody need to check their ass?
Jesus. I blow out a harsh breath, putting my hand on Eddie’s shoulder.
“Eddie, there’s this woman ...” I grin. “And she’s leaving me on read ...”
He cuts me off. “Say no more. Women are the nectar of life, and if you’re not careful, you’ll drown in them. Let’s go for a smoke.”
I nod before he turns, and we walk out a side door that opens to the back parking lot. He’s already got his pack in his hand, pulling out his fancy UK cigarettes as I jump up onto a concrete pony wall and plop my ass down before I run a hand through my hair.
“Here’s the thing,” I level. “She fucking hates me. But she’s a goddess.”
He sucks in a drag, standing far enough away that I don’t smell it. “Everyone hates you until they know you.”
I raise my brows, and he adds, “Not me. I fell in love months ago on day one.”
My grin’s ever apparent. “She does know me.”
He exhales a plume of smoke and cocks his head. “Interesting twist.”
I put my head in my hands, tugging my hair a little and groaning before I look back up, all askew.
“Come on,” I bark, shooting my hands out in front of me. “Give me something better than ‘interesting twist.’ You come from the land of Shakespeare and Gordon Ramsay.”
He flicks some ash on the ground, his shoulders bouncing. “What does Gordon have to do with romance?”
I shrug. “The way he cooks gives me a woody.”
“That may explain why she hates you.”
I growl frustratedly, turning my face up to the sky, and stare at the smog for a long beat of silence.
There aren’t any stars in LA. It’s weird.
A frustrated breath leaves me as I look back at Eddie. “I’ve known her for a year and a half, and it wasn’t until six months ago that I even thought I had a real chance. But how do I convince someone who wants to hit me with a mallet to let me tenderize their meat?”
When I look back at him, he’s staring at me, half-amused. “Who needs Shakespeare when you can tell her you want to tenderize her meat? Which sonnet is that from?”
“Shut up,” I bellow and laugh. “You’re not helping.”
He takes another drag and blows out little rings, seemingly deep in thought, before he points the two fingers holding his cigarette at me.
“I hate to state the obvious in your moment of hysteria, but have you thought of just calling and telling her how you feel?”
I cross my arms and draw my head back.
“This is why you lost the war. The problem is, we’re never in the same place. Evie was in LA, working on a movie, and I was in Boston ... then I came here, and she was back there. I tried to text a few times, but I didn’t know what to say, so I left it.”
My phone buzzes, so I reach into my pocket far too quickly to be cool before I look at the screen, not knowing the number. I immediately decline to continue with what I’m saying, but it starts buzzing again, making me roll my eyes seeing the same spam call.
“Get fucked,” I grunt before turning my attention back to Eddie. “Here’s the thing—this fucking chemistry between us. A buzz. I can tell by the way she looks at me that she wants me as bad as I want her.”
I drop my eyes to the asphalt as our dirty little secret comes to mind. If I’m honest, the memory is more of a constant thought, easily pulled to the front of the room anytime I want to revisit the happiest night of my life.
She grips my hand hard as I press the back of it to the wall, holding both of them above her while kissing the delicate indentation on her throat, where her clavicle meets. Fuck, she’s even more beautiful this close up.
I’ll never be able to stay away.
