Page 38 of Like You Know
He held my gaze as he started to lean in for a kiss.
Jet’s stupid face flashed in my mind, and for a split second I wished it was him about to kiss me. But I shoved the errant thought away and forced myself to focus on my cute,interesteddance partner.
His nose brushed mine, but before our lips met, another body appeared at my back. I gasped and giggled—I was definitely getting drunk if I was giggling. Ford lifted his head and threw a crooked grin over my shoulder, not put out at all by the interruption.
I looked back to see who was holding my waist and crowding me in.
Drew’s eyes were a bit glazed over but still glinted with his signature mischief.
“Birthday girl sandwich!” he called out, and as if they’d been friends for years, the two guys high-fived.
“Am I the meat in this sandwich?” I asked.
“Wait, I don’t wanna be bread,” Ford complained. “Bread is boring.”
“I’ve got all the meat you need, birthday girl.” Drew plastered his chest to my back, and we all laughed as we somehow managed to find the beat again. Our hips swayed in rhythm, and I started to get that heavy, pressured feeling low in my belly.
Maybe some three-way fun was actually in the cards for tonight. If one guy couldn’t drive Jet from my mind, surely two would.
I don’t know what made me glance in the direction of the elevators, but it was as if my thoughts had summoned him. Jethro Collins stepped out onto the rooftop in blue slacks and a white shirt right when I’d devised a multi-penis plan to forget him. His eyes scanned the crowd for barely a second before they found mine.
Instead of holding his gaze, I rested my head on Drew’s shoulder and raked my fingers through Ford’s hair. If I said I wasn’t putting on a show to make Jet jealous, I’d be lying.
Drew drifted off and started dancing with others after a short time, but Ford got that intense look in his eyes as soon as we were alone again. When I glanced back toward the elevator, Jet was gone.
I really, really wanted to crane my neck to find where he was, if he was still looking my way, if he appeared jealous. But I forced myself to keep dancing—even though I was hardly aware of Ford and his roaming hands anymore.
As it turned out, Jet was like the devil. I’d thought of him and he appeared, right by my side.
“Hey, can I cut in?” Jet’s jaw was hard, his brilliant eyes narrowed.
CHAPTERTHIRTEEN
Ford,cocky bastard that he was, looked Jet up and down and held me even closer. His hand splayed over my belly possessively.
“No. Fuck off,” he said with a little smirk, his gaze glued to mine.
“Wasn’t asking you,” Jet said, his voice deceptively calm. He had that look in his eyes—the one he’d had when he confronted those douchebags in his building, the one that promised violence. Was he jealous?
“No. Fuck off.” I lifted my chin haughtily as I repeated Ford’s words. Where did he get off acting all jealous and entitled when he’d rejected me more times than my ego cared to admit?
“Amaya.” Jet sighed. “Can we just—”
“She said no, dude.” Ford twisted a little, putting himself between us. “Back off.”
I stumbled but caught myself on Ford’s shoulder.
“I don’t know who youthinkyou are, but trust me, you don’t want to mess with me.” Jet cracked his neck with a sharp cant of his head, his mouth pulling up into a mocking grin.
I was inclined to agree. Everyone thought Jet was this fun, friendly, nice guy, but I’d seen another side of him. He was dangerous.
We’d started to draw a crowd. I mean, it was a party, so there was already a crowd, but we were drawing all their attention. A few people even had their cell phones out, hoping to capture some drama on video.
“Oh, you wanna go?” Ford threw his head back and laughed. “Let’s go, pretty boy.”
He dropped his grip on me as the two of them faced off.
They were acting like Neanderthals. At my fucking birthday party. The audacity of these testosterone-fueled muscle bags.