I shake my head. “A friend of a friend. I just met him tonight and don’t plan on ever talking to him again.”
Matteo tilts his head to the side, his eyes doing a slow scan of my face. They don’t stop as they run down my bare neck, along the scooping neckline of my dress. “Did he hurt you?”
“No, no.” I swallow roughly, meeting his gaze as his eyes bounce back to mine. “He just misread the situation and thought I was interested, which I am not.”
I don’t know why I added that last little piece. It doesn’t matter to Matteo. He doesn’t need to know whether or not I’m interested in some guy he doesn’t even know.
The room shifts. I feel like I’m going to overheat. Warmth surges through my veins. I only had a few shots and one mixed drink, but I don’t have much of a tolerance.
“I’m gonna head out.”
Matteo’s brows furrow. “Are you here alone?”
“No, my friends are somewhere,” I explain, waving my hand dismissively, not bothering to look for them. I’ll text them; they’ll understand. “I’m only a ten minute walk from here, it’s fine.”
I pull open my purse, finding my phone and a hair clip. I gather my hair, pulling it away from my neck to secure it with the clip.
“I’ll walk you.”
My heart skips a beat, my eyes widening slightly. “What?”
“It’s dark outside. I’m not letting you walk alone.”
“I—uh.” I pause, looking around the room. The music is still pounding, people are still dancing, and the lights above are still flashing. “What about whoever you’re here with?”
Matteo smirks, cocking his head to the side. “Are you worried I might be here with another woman?”
The air grows thick around us.
“I’m not worried about anything that concerns you, Matteo Ford.” I pause, lifting my brows. “Besides, if you were here with another woman, why would you be leaving with me?”
His lips part, his tongue darting out to wet them, and my traitorous heart stumbles again. His eyes are hooded, slowly searching mine, like he’s taking a moment to choose his words carefully.
“I’m not here with anyone else,” he says, his voice low and hoarse. “I’ve been hoping I’d run into you again.” His fingers brush against mine as he takes my coat, opens it up, and waits for me to slide my arms in. I do, turning around as he slides it up over my shoulders.
He leans in. “Come on, Sunny.” The side of his face brushes against mine. He moves beside me, his hand brushing against mine, but he doesn’t slip his fingers through mine.
The back of his hand rests against mine, as if he’s testing the waters. It’s like he’s silently telling me it’s okay, he’s not going to push me. He wants me to be the one to make a move. He doesn’t pull away. He stays there, the heat radiating from him. A hint of a woodsy yet bold scent infiltrates my senses.
My heart beats harder, skipping a beat every three beats. It’s because of my heart issues, not because of him. My heart wouldneverbetray me like that.
I straighten my fingers, the backs of my fingertips grazing his. The music is so loud, but I swear I hear the sharp intake of his breath. “I don’t want to go home.”
He arches a brow. “No?”
I chew on the inside of my cheek, shaking my head. “I just want to get out of here. It’s too loud, too crowded.” I pause, the corner of my mouth lifting. “And there’s no food.”
A ghost of a smile drifts across his lips. “I know just the place.”
CHAPTER SIX
MATTEO
“Clara Foss challenged every idea I suggested. We couldn’t agree on anything... and the entire time, she was sliding under my skin without me noticing.” - Julian Hart, Painted Inferno
Jade bumps her shoulder against mine, stumbling to the right, in my direction. “Sorry,” she mumbles, hiccuping and then letting out a soft laugh. “I don’t normally drink.”
I glance down at her, my expression softening as she accidentally bumps into me again. “It’s okay,” I say, bending my arm to offer her my elbow. “Here, hold onto me.”
