Hopefully Joel would keep treating her right, or he’d have to answer to me. I wasn’t opposed to grabbing hold and yanking those balls down hard. My self-defense classes had taught me well.
I decided to give Hot Boy one last shot as I passed by him on my way out the door, luring him with my sexiest voice. Unfortunately that meant passing his friend, too.
“Excuse me.” My mouth was close to Hot Boy’s ear, my chest brushing past his arm. He smelled like coconut shampoo. Like warm sand, hot sun, and sex. I wanted to wrap myself inside of his arms, but I kept on moving.
“No problem,” he said without even a glance.
Damn. Rejected again. That made me want him twice as much.
Just as my foot crossed onto the landing, I felt a warm hand reach around my waist. I almost fist pumped the air. Got him.
I turned to greet Hot Boy, my breaths already fluttery. But the smile slid from my lips and slumped to the floor when I realized it was his friend who’d grabbed me instead.
“Hey, baby, where you going?”
“I’m leaving.” I twisted away, hoping to break his embrace.
But he kept in step with me. “How about you hang with me awhile longer?”
“Maybe another time.”
His hands frisked around to my stomach, and normally I’d accept that kind of action—initiate it, even—but for some reason I couldn’t shake Hot Boy’s rejection.
I was more of an emotional train wreck than even I’d realized. Despite Ella reminding me almost every fucking day.
And just as I was chastising myself and changing my mind about hooking up with his friend, I heard Hot Boy’s low rumble of a voice. “Give it a rest, Nate. She said she was leaving, and I’m pretty sure that means without you.”
I blinked in shock. Maybe he’d noticed me after all.
His friend backed away with his hands raised. And then turned to the keg.
Hot Boy gave me a once-over. “You good?”
“Yeah, thanks.”
Wait a minute, this was backward. I was thanking Hot Boy for being all chivalrous. And the boys I hooked up with were so not chivalrous.
Hot Boy nodded before turning on his heels and heading out of the room, leaving my ego collapsing on the cold hard tile.
Chivalrous Hot Boy was so not into me.
I walked the two blocks back to my apartment alone.
I tossed and turned, imagining Hot Boy’s lips on mine, a fire blazing across my skin.
My cell phoned buzzed from the nightstand.
Rob: You in the mood?
Me: Not tonight.
Christina Lee lives in the Midwest with her husband and son—her two favorite guys. She’s addicted to lip gloss and salted caramel everything. She believes in true love and kissing, so writing romance novels has become a dream job. She also owns her own jewelry business, called Tags-n-Stones, where she hand-stamps meaningful words or letters onto silver for her customers. Christina loves to hear from her readers. Visit her online at www.christinalee.net.
Before You Break: Between Breaths Page 22