I swallow; heat travels through my body as he moves closer, invading my space. His eyes silently ask me if I want this too.
I do. I so do.
A smug smile pulls at his lips, and that’s when I know I’ve given my advantage away; he knows I want it too. I don’t even remember doing it, but my hands are on his arms, and I realize I’m the reason he shifted toward me.
I pulled him closer.
The close proximity to Declan has taken the air out of my lungs, and I don’t even know if I remember how to breathe. I can’t even tell if the music is still playing, and part of me feels like everyone’s left the party because I don’t hear anything other than Declan’s breathing mixing with my own.
Declan’s hand reaches up, and his thumb brushes against my lower lip before pulling me toward him. His breath shoots goosebumps across my skin, and right before I close my eyes—
I see Cam.
I pull back, practically leaping off the counter, and Declan gets the message. He gives me a small smile, and guilt twists in my stomach.
But I can’t kiss Declan for the first time like this… with my brother barely five feet away. Especially when I promised Cam, I wasn’t gonna go there.
“I need to, um,” I point toward the stairs, “bathroom. You know.”
“Upstairs is off-limits,” he teases, and I feel his index finger wrap around one of the belt loops on my jeans, barely pulling me toward him.
God damn, this man will be the death of me.
“Good thing I don’t care.” I regain my composure before walking past him and upstairs. Before I reach the bathroom, I feel a hand on my shoulder and freeze.
This is it. He’s gonna kiss me. There’s no one up here to worry about, it’s just us, and he’s gonna do it. Maybe deep down, this is what I was hoping for in the first place. Maybe it’s the reason I came up here all along.
My excitement is crushed the second I turn around.
“Fancy seeing you here.”
“Mollie,” I reply. “Not surprised to see you here.”
“Duh, it would be a crime if I didn’t come to a party.”
“What do you want, Mollie?” I question. “I actually have to pee and—”
“I don’t know what you think is going on between you and Declan,” she cuts me off, “but it’s not there.”
“I don’t know what you’re talking about.”
“Oh, so you undressing him with your eyes in the kitchen was nothing?”
“Hockey’s his only priority right now.”
I open the bathroom door, but she slams it shut before I can escape. Keeping us both in the hallway.
“Declan needs to blow off steam just like everyone else. Once he has, he’ll move on to another girl. It wouldn’t surprise me if he already has. Wouldn’t be the first time.”
“Are you done?”
“You’re easy, and he knows it. Just like Tanner knew it.” She places a hand on my shoulder and smiles. “I’m just looking out for you, Em. After all, I’m a girls girl.”
“Thanks for your concern.” I walk by her and back downstairs. “Girls, girl, my ass.”
When I reach the bottom, it takes me a minute to find Declan, but when I do, he’s wrapped up in the arms of some girl I’ve never seen. She’s holding on to his arm tight, and as she pushes up on her toes—
He doesn’t pull away.
