There’s a fire in them when she finally locks eyes with me, though I don’t have that tingling sensation darting down my spine that tells me I kindled the fire.
No. Someone else did, and it makes the hairs on the back of my neck stand at attention.
“Where’ve you been?” Sylvia asks, taking her eyes off her magazine. It’s the first time she’s looked at anyone other than me.
I can make a guess by looking at her clothes, at the spandex that fits her body like a goddamn glove, the sheen of sweat on her forehead, and the lingering flush on her cheeks.
“Campus gym,” is all Violet offers.
“Oh, well, there’s pizza,” Sylvia tells her, looking back down at her magazine. The others offer a quick greeting and then Violet twists for the kitchen, her body disappearing behind a wall that separates the two rooms.
It was out of line for me to storm off when she was trying to help me with my flat tire. I left without a thank you, and fuck, is the guilt building up like a game of Tetris. Block after block, until I push up and find myself heading in her direction.
I mumble out, “Getting another slice,” as I pass by the others.
They ignore me for the most part, except for Sebastian who asks, “Bring me one, will you?”
I don’t bother responding because he already knows I’ll do it. It’s just going to be a minute.
Violet’s face is in one of the pizza boxes when I round the corner, her backside to me. My eyes fall to the curve of her ass and how her leggings do one hell of a job rounding it out. I’d be willing to bet it comes from the time she spends in the gym, rather than the material that cloaks her in a way that makes me feel like I’m sinning when I look at her.
She twists around, her ponytail swaying when she catches a glimpse of me at the other side of the kitchen. My eyes lift to hers quickly. I’m leery of getting closer because outside of my fuck up with her, it’s been a while since I’ve been intimate with a woman, the consequence of having a schedule that doesn’t offer much down time. That, and I’ve always struggled with the aspect of getting too close. Violet, though, her body could act as the ultimate distraction.
But no one deserves to be in the quicksand with me.
I wouldn’t forgive myself if I dragged someone down the way my mom has me.
Besides, I don’t even know her. I only know what I see.
“Hope you like meat pizza,” I say, realizing how dumb it sounds as it comes out of my mouth. “Because that’s pretty much all Sebastian ordered.”
“I can see that,” she says, turning back to the boxes.
“The one all the way to the right is plain.”
She pops the cardboard lid to it and slips a piece out. Turning as she lifts it, she faces me, nibbling at a string of cheese hanging from its point. She chews slowly as I watch. I came in here to talk to her without the others hearing, but all I want to do is observe her body language and figure her out. And maybe wonder what it’d be like to have her under my strong body.
I press my back against the counter and sink my hands into my pockets.
She takes on the same stance, propping an elbow on her opposite hand while she eats. She licks her lips two bites in and points out, “You’re being nicer.”
I dip my chin. I don’t like being shitty to people. Deep down, it’s not who I am. Sometimes I don’t stay true to that but we’re all human, right? And humans make mistakes. Being so cold to her was one of them.
“Woke up on the better side of the bed today,” I joke weakly.
She lifts a brow, ignoring my attempt to lighten the mood. “How’s your car?”
“Seen better days.”
She hums as she takes another bite. Her presence reminds me of the guilt coursing through me. I’ve been sorting through a lot in my life, but I’m better than taking my frustrations out on her.
“I was only trying to help,” she explains.
“You were, and I was being unfair.”
“Just unfair?”
If I were a dog, my tail would be between my legs. I never wanted to make her feel like shit for helping.
