I do what’s asked of me, but realize when I’m done that my hands are lingering, resting comfortably on his chest. He’s so much taller than me, his chest feels so firm under my palms.
His deep, emerald eyes look into my hazel ones and my pulse quickens while my knees quiver, and suddenly Laney’s words replay in my head.
"There is no right or wrong time to move on,"she’d said to me, and every moment I spend with Harley, the more and more I want to give in.
To take whatever he’s offering me and just run with it.
Live in it.
Let myself be free in it, but befree withhim.
He smirks on the right side of his face, revealing his single dimple that I used to obsess over as a teenager, cocking one brow as if he just read my thoughts, and I can feel all my blood rush to my cheeks.
His confused and amused expression doesn’t deter me, despite our past conversation by the creek.
Where I told him that I wasn’t ready.
That I just wanted to be friends.
Yet, my feet refuse to move, no matter how hard I try to force them.
Dropping his forehead to mine, I watch as his eyes close and he inhales deeply. I can feel the rise and fall of his chest beneath my palms as he attempts to steady his breathing. His hands slowly gripping onto my waist.
I know the ball is in my court.
I know I just have to say the word, and he’ll give me whatever I want.
Walk away,I try to convince myself, but nothing happens.
My feet are betraying me by tip toeing against my will, edging my lips closer to his, and he doesn’t back away.
He’s letting it happen.
Closing my eyes, I try to pretend that it isn’t.
Out of sight, out of mind.
But it doesn’t work, because I want him, and I’ve never been surer of anything.
His breathing gets heavier and heavier, closer and closer to my skin. He’s gone ninety. I just need to go ten.
"Knock knock." The words startle me, and I leap out of his arms.
Of course, just when I’d decided to go for it, the universe sends his mother as a roadblock.
"Hi, Ms. Wingrove." Smiling at Joanna, I flatten my hair with my palms, trying to hide hints of sexualanything.
"Cassandra." She smirks the same smirk as her son, while clearly enjoying the sight of me being uncomfortable.
"I’ll leave you both to it. I’ll see you at the airport," I say, closing the door behind me, hurrying back to my office, where I can hopefully dig a hole big enough for my body to hide in forever.
twenty
Cassandra
"Are you sure Jennadoesn’t mind that we’re here?" Bea asks, as we head up the stairs of The Velvetine, the current hotspot for celebrities in California. Given that my best friend is the hottest hair stylist in Los Angeles, I thought the venue suited her perfectly.
"Of course, it’s okay. She’s excited to meet you both."
