Page 2 of Ivory's Ruin Romance
Grabbing Nia’s hand, she led them through the horde of grinding ghouls and ghoulettes. Strips of her purple, hand-crafted witch’s robe sashayed around her back and legs and dispersed some of the stifling body heat, but not nearly enough. “I know just the thing. Or—” She giggled again. “Maybe it’s more for me than you.”
It was about time she had some fun at this party, too. Tonight was supposed to be her break. One evening when she didn’t have to worry about acing tests and finding her place at college as a quiet freshman.
Another cup of the house special—tropical margarita mix with a heavy dose of tequila—was just what she needed to take her mind off the disappearance of her shadow man.
He wasn’t coming back any—
Oh. No.
She froze mid-step. Scratch that. He was here.
Right here, in fact.
One glimpse of the long auburn hair and black leather jacket on the man rummaging through the fridge brought her to a screeching halt.
Nia smashed into her back with a groan. Stammering out an apology, Ivory dragged them both into a corner before he could look in their direction.
“Oh my gosh, I didn’t mean to shove you.” Ivory fumbled with the brim of her witch’s hat as it contended with the wall in a losing battle. “I wasn’t expecting…he hasn’t been…” Words rushed out as she pressed a hand over her chest, attempting to contain the panic coursing through her system.
He hadn’t been around in an entire month. He wasn’t supposed to come back. At this point, it would’ve been better if he’d simply been a figment of her imagination.
Now he stood mere feet away, and with the main light on in the kitchen, there was no way he wouldn’t see her if they went in there.
“What?” Nia asked, lost to the extent of their predicament. “Who?”
“The guy…” Ivory mumbled, eyes darting behind them to the open doorway, where white light filtered through the haze that had settled throughout the rest of the house.
Nia grabbed her shoulders and gave a light shake. “Who?”
The question shocked Ivory back into focus. “From before.”
Nia had been the only person who knew she’d even noticed him, and even though her friend was too good of a student to go to any other parties, Nia had listened to her secret confession of developing a slight crush.
Okay, maybe more than slight. Didn’t help that he was stupidly handsome. Stunningly beautiful. Spectacularly out of her league.
“The guy?” Nia asked to confirm.
She nodded vigorously. “The guy.”
“Are you scared of him?” Nia asked, looking concerned. “Or just nervous?”
Multiple answers came to mind—he might look intimidating, but she’d never gotten the impression he’d hurt someone for no reason—and yes, she was nervous. Sinking into a pit of quicksand would be better than attempting to be nonchalant with the man she’d spent entirely too much time watching months ago and still remembered every detail.
“Maybe both?” She giggled to cover her nerves. “I’m scared I’ll sound like an idiot.” She glanced over Nia’s shoulder again. “Has he left yet?”
Nia sighed and pursed her lips.
Please say yes. There was still time to try and forget with the power of margarita mix.
But at this critical moment, what did Miss I-Didn’t-Come-To-College-To-Fall-In-Love do? Her loyal friend, not to mention the introvert of the century, decided this was the opportune time to throw the world’s most wicked curveball.
Still reeling from shock, Ivory found herself being dragged into the kitchen as Nia declared resolutely, “Come on.”
TWO
Golden eyes.
Dark, angled eyebrows and the shadow of rough stubble framing the hard line of his jaw.