His quivering breath dances over my exposed neck, and I shiver when he drops his mouth to my ear and whispers so quietly, I barely hear him, “I came back for you.”
Another round of goosebumps decorate my limbs, this time savage andout for flesh.
I slide off his lap, turn around, and place both hands high on his thighs. He relaxes back into the seat. His stark blue eyes are hard as he stares at me and I stare at him.
Harlen licks his lips, biting his bottom one back into his mouth. Bringing my lips down to his ear on Chase’s side, I breathe my words out, shaking without any control. “And then you left.”
The moment I shove aside the suede black curtain and step out onto the stage, they start clapping. I didn’t bother changing. The only thing I swapped out was my cherry pointe shoes for my red Chucks.
Violet and Cleo, along with Caleb, all knew something was up tonight. I didn’t tell them the full story, just that I needed to play with someone. They were here for it and couldn’t believe I had backflipped off the stage right into his lap. And honestly, I couldn’t believe it myself.
It’s crazy what adrenaline can make you do.
I amble toward the edge of the stage, not sparing Harlen a single glance when I sit down, preparing to jump off. Ty shoves up from his seat and grabs my waist, yanking me into him. A smile lifts the corners of his lips, his deep obsidian eyes sparkling with what looks like pride. I wrap my legs around his waist and hug my best friend tight when he spins me around.
“Fuck, B, I’m so proud of you.” He’s genuinely happy.
Tyler is the kind of guy who sits back and watches, his face the perfect depiction of stone,expressionless.Though with me, he has always been different, a little soft, malleable. It’s nice to see that he hasn’t changed, even after so many years, so many months, weeks, and days apart.
I run my red nails through his inky hair, pushing it out of his eyes. “I’ve missed you so much.”
His arms dig into my ribs that little bit tighter, squeezing me. “I’ll make it up to you, okay.” He draws his head back, and when he looks at me, I can tell he means it.
We are two entirely different people now, and as tragic as Laney’s passing has been, it’s like she had a message for us. She knew I had to find my way back to him,just as I did Cameryn. So when I tilt my head back and stare at the cherry and silver stripes above me, I thank her silently with tears at the backs of my eyes and a heart so full,beating again.
My feet hit the gray timber flooring, and I’m instantly wrapping myself around Cameryn. We both laugh.
“That was fucking insane, Cherry,” she states, a devilish grin across her lips. She jerks her chin to the side, and I fightwith myself not to follow the movement, because I know what’s about to happen, yet I can’t make it obvious. So I gaze over my shoulder.
Harlen’s sitting at the edge of the stage, his black ripped jeans tight around his legs when he lights up a blunt. He pulls it away from his mouth and turns toward me, his heated eyes locking onto mine with heightened need. He doesn’t try to hide his desire; he literally surrenders to it, in front of everyone. Harlen licks his lips, then he blows a stream of smoke out of his nose, his eyes taking a slow, determined ride down the length of me before returning to mine.
“Fuck, Harlen, you look like you want to eat her,” Cameryn states around a free laugh.
He shrugs, unfazed, shoving the blunt back between his lips, taking another pull.
I think Tyler knows what he’s up to because he points at him almost immediately and says, “Don’t say it.”
Harlen just grins. It’s sexy as hell, and I shiver when he says, “Kinda do.” His words are whispered on an exhale, and I don’t miss the way the muscle in his jaw flexes.
My chest draws tight, and it’s like he can read my thoughts because his gaze only heats, his smile deepening.I have to turn away.
“Well, that’s Harlen. He’s an asshole,” Cameryn says with added dig. She wants a bite from him, and it makes my chest loosen slightly.
“She kn–” Harlen starts to say, and I cut him off.
What the actual fuck.
“I’d say it’s nice to meet you, but I’m almost unsure.” I raise my brow and bite into my trembling bottom lip.
Motherfucker.
Chase snorts, and the sound rings off around the room, Ty’s laugh accompanies the noise too.
“Didn’t seem like it when you quite literally fell into my lap.” Harlen’s smile never falters, and I want to punch him in the throat.
I feel a pinch at my forearm, and I snap my head away from Harlen, sighing a breath of relief, and feeling an immense amount of gratitude for the interception. Harmony is standing in front of me, her black locks in perfect waves and the platinum money piece in the front plaited and pinned beneath the mass of hair. Her emerald eyes gleam bright, and I feel a little star-struck, words dissolving at the tip of my tongue.
She pinches my arms again, then hugs me, and I can’t help but notice how sweet she smells, like jasmine and grapefruit.
