Mine to Steal (Mine to Love) (26 page)

Pushing our way through the modest crowd, we find Jett lounging in a booth with Cheyenne whispering in
his ear. He sits up and greets everyone, and I was right, he knows the other two guys. Cole and Tristan, as it turns out, were a year older than Jett, but they played soccer together. He turns and points to Cheyenne and introduces everyone to
Cayenne
, his girlfriend - a term I haven’t heard him use -
ever
. He looks at me, and I raise my brow in question to which he simply shrugs.
It’s been less than a week.

Cheyenne, for her part, beams up at him
, and it’s obvious she’s never heard him refer to her as that either.

Several of us drag some chairs over to accommodate everyone as introductions are made, mainly the women to the rest of us. The music playing
in the bar is turned up, so everyone is competing with the noise and each other to be heard. Turns out Topher and Gabby came out here for a final hurrah before the wedding and got a few of the guys to come along with their girlfriends. Sitting with everyone all coupled up is a bit annoying so I excuse myself to grab a drink from the bar. I could wait for the waitress to show up, but I need some air.

When I walk up, I spot Alyssa, the ball-shrinking-voiced bartender, whose smile grows the closer I get to the bar. Fortunately, I’m standing at the other end, where someone else is ready to take my order. I ask for a
whiskey and Coke and turn to see the crowd in front of me when Topher approaches.

“Did you see who walked in?” He looks over his shoulder and nods his head toward the entrance but I don't see anyone. “Isn’t
she a girl Jett tricked? Told her you had a thing for her?”

“What girl?
Who did I have a ‘thing’ for?” I follow to where he’s pointing, and my eyes land square on Faith.

What. The. Fuck?

I try to absorb the little bit of information he doesn’t realize he gave me. Another piece of the ‘I hate the Millers,’ falls into place. “He told her I had a thing for her?”

Topher
starts laughing. “Yeah. He found out she had a huge crush on you. One of her friends had gotten mad at her, you know how girls are, and told Jett. She’d gotten him in trouble during class one day, so he got back at her. Really, I think he was pissed off because he liked her and she pretty much told him to fuck off.”

“What did he do?”

“Oh man, it was epic. He saw her walking home and told her he knew about her crush and she got upset. But then he told her not to be mad, because you liked her, too. He had this whole thing planned out. She was supposed to wait in the woods for you to meet her so you could tell her how you felt, only you’d never show, because you didn’t know who she was.”

By this time, he’s laughing and waving my brother over to fill in the gaps.

“What’s so funny?” Jett asks with a laugh. I’m the only one
not
laughing.

“Topher was filling me in on a joke you played on a girl when you were a kid.”

“What joke? I played lots of ‘em.” He shrugs as he takes a chug of his beer.

I point toward the entrance
, and he follows, but it’s obvious Jett doesn’t recognize anyone in that direction. He’s looking at us, waiting for someone to explain to him who we are gawking at.

“What was that name you had for her?”
Topher asks through his laugher, though it’s not as hard as it was.

“Doubt,” I mutter, looking at my asshole brother.

“She’s here?” Jett still doesn’t see her as he surveys the area, but his curiosity is killing him.

“Doubt! That’s right.” Topher wraps an arm around my brother and starts pointing near the entrance. “Okay, look over there hot brunette in the bluish-black shirt with the jacket on… just walked in.” Jett’s eyes finally land on her and grow wide with recognition.

No sooner does he recognize her, she turns in our direction and find all three of us gaping at her - Topher and Jett laughing.

She still too far away for me to read any expression, but her body
has gone completely rigid.

“Let’s go say hi,” Topher pipes up with Jett agreeing.

“Why don’t you leave her alone? I get the feeling she wants to have fun, and not have two assholes ruin her night.”

“I could make her night.”
Jett shrugs.

What a dipshit.

She says something to her friends and starts to head toward us with her confident stride, and I can feel my pulse quicken. Topher and Jett squirm, neither knows she and I have forged a friendship that isn’t necessarily obvious, so I can tell they are rethinking everything they’ve assumed about her.

“Hey, how’s it
goin’?” she says to me and smiles.

“Not too bad. You remember Topher and my brother Jett. Guys, you remember Faith.” I look at my brother and cock my head to the side
. “Weren’t you saying something about you making her night?”

Faith laugh-coughs at that and Jett, who is giving me the death
stare, recovers quickly and is the first one to speak up. “Wow, you look great, Doubt.”

“Ah, yes, and I can see you haven’t changed a bit.” She nods at him. Jett takes it as a compliment, which causes me to laugh at his expense.

“Want to join us?”
he asks, and I think he really means it.

“Thanks, but no. I’m
here with friends, but I wanted to come over and say hi.” She smiles at me and raises her brow before turning away.

“Boo,” Jett pouts, walking with Topher back to our table. “You should come hang at the cool table.”

Faith and I are both staring at him as he disappears, neither of us moving away. “Does he know he sounds like an idiot, or does he really think he’s cool?”

“Excuse me?” I ask over the music playing.

She leans in, and my hand touches the small of her back as she repeats herself into my ear. I notice she shivers ever so slightly, and I know it’s not because she’s cold. Hell, Faith is wearing a parka compared to all the other women here in their short skin-tight dresses. Not that I’m complaining.

I lean back and smile, taking her in and notice her cheeks are flushed. “Nope. He’s an idiot. You look nice.”

“Thank you.” She smiles. We stand side by side, as people passing by knock us around trying to get to the bar.

“Did you end up sending Cal any of the ideas I showed you?”

She sits on the barstool behind her, and I follow. Faith nudges my arm, so I look at her and narrow my eyes pretending to think it over. Finally I smile. “Of course I showed him.”

“Really?”
she beams.

“I’m sorry
.” I turn to flag the bartender down. “You want something to drink?”

She orders a beer and resumes her position. “Thanks.”

“It’s just a beer.” I laugh.

“No, for listening to me and letting me share my ideas with you.”

The bartender sets the beer behind us, and I pick it up and hand it to Faith.

“It’s no problem. What are friends for?”

It’s not a fitting description for whatever this is, but I suppose it’s better than nothing.

“Is that what we are?”
It’s like she read my mind.

“I thought so. I mean, hell, we’ve been on a date and
you know…” I give her a lopsided grin because we both
know
. “I think we’re only a few late nights from making friendship bracelets for each other, aren’t we?”

She laughs, nodding her head in agreement. “I suppose we are.
But don’t tell Jett, because then he’ll want in our secret friend club, and your brother is still a tool.”

“I don’t blame you
; he
is
an idiot, as we’ve already covered.”

She has no clue how much I actually mean
it. Granted, he was only a kid when he played his joke on Faith, but the idea he could be so cruel is disappointing.

“When do you think you’ll hear back from Cal?”

“Well, if it’s anything like the last time he had to make a decision, could be this time next week.”

She clinks her beer bottle to my glass and laughs because it’s true. He doesn’t seem to be in a rush to do anything, but when he wants something done, he wants it yesterday.

“Meeting anyone tonight?” she asks before chugging her beer.

She
chews her lip nervously, and I can’t help but play on that.

“Eh, ya know, I have this
stupid open policy with my imaginary girlfriend who lives in another state. Helps keep the crazies away. Why, you interested?”

Her jaw drops slightly at my jab, but plays along
. “Don’t you wish. No, I was going to set you up on a blind date with a friend of mine.”

“Oh really? What’s her name?”
I laughing, calling her bluff.

“
Jasmin, but if you’re not interested, I don’t want to push her on you.”

“Isn’t she the one that set us up?” I remind her, challenging her to continue.

“Thought I’d repay the favor.” She winks.

“You’re killing me. It wasn’t that bad, was it?”
I clutch my chest dramatically.

She smiles and her face turns serious, almost bashful
. “No. It wasn’t bad at all.”

“Do you have
any more blind dates lined up?”

She looks back toward the entrance where her friends are waiting for her
. “I should get back to them.”

They
give her a wave and point to the dance floor as a couple of guys drag them away.

“
Thought you were rid of me.” I smile. “I guess we have some time. Wanna dance?”

“You said you only dance if someone drags you against your will,” she repeats my words back to me from the bar in Texas.

“So are you dragging me or what?”

Faith narrows her eyes and nods before grabbing what
is left of my drink, since she finished hers, and swallowing it down. She takes my hand and leads me to the dance floor. Topher whistles as we pass, while Jett openly gapes, unable to move. He opens his mouth to speak, but for once, nothing comes out and I don’t bother acknowledging them.

I’m too busy
watching her dance her way out to the floor.

The song is an upbeat techno song that under any other circumstance, I wouldn’t be caught dead dancing to. But dancing
to this with Faith, I’d give anything to see her move to this beat.

She drags me to the center of the floor and starts moving to the
rhythm with ease. I mimic her movements, reminding myself not to lay a hand on her because we both know how that ended up last time. Faith seems to have the same idea because there’s an invisible wall keeping either of us from crossing, but with every sway of her hips, that wall gets thinner.

As if reading my mind, she steps closer into my space and it’s a challenge; but it’s not one I’m will
ing to accept.

At least not yet.

The floor is crowded with everyone maintaining a similar
pace, but they’re doing something we’re not…
touching
. Knowing I shouldn’t touch her, of course, makes me want to do exactly that.

Some asshole comes from behind her and latches his hands onto her hips and grinds on her from behind.
He couldn’t give two shits that she’s with me, or at least appears to be with me. But rather than dance with him or chastise him, she turns to wiggle free of his grasp and her back collides against my chest.

As if she’s letting the guy know to back off with her movements, she reaches a hand up to my neck and then he turns around to find someone else to grope. I’m surprised she d
oesn’t move away when he leaves; instead she turns around and looks up into my eyes.

I can feel the music pounding in my chest when I look down at her. She’s fucking gorgeous.

Her hands wrap around my neck, and my hands find their home on her waist, pulling her closer as we move. I’m not sure how much longer I can take her looking at me the way she is because it’s reminiscent of the first time I saw her.

I
enjoy this game we’re playing, but if I don’t turn away, I’m the one who’s going to get burned. Flashes of her body, her lips on me, and her voice - everything about that night is right in front of me. But I also remember how the night - or rather morning - ended.

Before I get the chance to break our silent standoff, she takes me by surprise by ending it.
She uses her hand that’s wrapped around me and tugs my body to hers. I don’t register the action because I’m consumed by the look she’s giving me, until her mouth crashes against mine. It’s as amazing and familiar as it was the first time we kissed - in this bar.

I don’t know what’s possessed her to do it, but I never want it to end. In fact, I want nothing more than to drag her out of her
e and have a repeat performance until she pulls away.