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.”
Jade’s steps stutter and her gaze flicks up to mine. She hesitates, a wave of distrust passing through her eyes. I don’t know how much she’s had to drink but judging by her inability to filter her expressions, I’m sure it was more than the legal limit.
“It’s just my arm, Sunny. You’re going to end up eating concrete if you keep stumbling the way you are.”
A lopsided grin pulls on her face. “Then I’ll look how you probably do without your fake teeth in.”
My eyebrows tug together. “What?”
“You’re a hockey player.” She narrows her eyes. “You mean to tell me all those perfect teeth are real?”
I snort, shaking my head. “Sorry to disappoint, but I’ve managed to keep all mine so far.”
Jade laughs and my heart jumps. It’s a soft melody, sliding against my eardrums, seeping into my veins. She surprises me as she slips her arm through mine, the inside of her elbow hooking around mine.
We’re both silent, except for the sound of her occasional hiccups as we walk farther down the street, toward the intersection. On the left corner, there’s a small diner and we stop out front when we reach it.
Jade tilts her head back, her auburn hair falling down her back. Her lips move as she reads out the name of the place, but the words are barely audible.
It wouldn’t matter if they were anyway. The only thing I can hear is the sound of my blood whooshing past my ears as my heart pumps harder with every beat.
She’s fucking breathtaking.
She straightens her head, turning to look at me with a sheepish grin. “Would you judge me if I said I’ve never been here before?”
My mouth falls open, my eyes widening. “You’ve never been to Diane’s before?!” I stare back at her, mocking surprise, although she’s too drunk to tell the difference. I bite back a grin, swallowing my laugh. “Not having their waffles is the highest crime one can commit in Hillford.”
“Well, I suppose you’d better turn me in then.”
