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A few hours later and a strand of Ellie’s hair in hand, I’m ready to find out if she’s Everly. I had a few scenarios in my head before getting to the bar about how I would get a DNA sample, but when she walked up to our table, a strand of loose hair was hanging from her ponytail. It was as simple as that. She didn’t even feel it.
Two days is all it took.
I can’t stop staring down at the text I received from Stone.
Stone: It’s her.
Chapter Ten
Ellie
“You should say yes,” Tori whispers in my ear from behind, startling me.
My cheeks heat from being caught peeking at Kase. I shake my head, loading my tray with empty bottles and follow her behind the bar. He's not too heartbroken from me saying no. “I’m sure he’s moved on,” I say with snark in my voice. Her lips quirk up as she finds this whole thing entertaining. My mom once told me that men do things just to get a reaction from you. If you’re able to control your action, you’ll always win. But I’m having a hard time controlling anything when I’m around him.
“He’s doing it to make you jealous. Those girls” —she motions to the guys’ table where three girls surround them— “he’s talking to them, but he’s not touching them. And he’s sneaking glances as much as you are. You’re crazy to say no to that.”
If dreams are a predictor of reality, I am crazy. He’s crept into them every night for the past week, leaving me craving more when I'm awake. I’ve been late twice this week to school because if I close my eyes for a little longer, I’ll see him again. I’m tired, sexually frustrated, and irritated he has this much control over my body and I just met the man.
“You’re right.” She stops mid-pour, holding the vodka bottle up, waiting for me to continue. “I need to let loose. It’s just shy of a year since Steve. That has to be why I’m so flustered, right? I need sex.”
She snorts out a laugh. “Maybe you’re flustered because you like him. Although, who am I to say no to a one-night stand. Have you seen his hands? What those strong, thick fingers—”
“Okay.” I hold up my palm for her to stop talking. “First, I don’t like him. I don’t even know him. Second…” I stare up at the ceiling, not sure if I want to touch the last part. “You have Mr. Silver, so stop gawking at other men and their fingers.” She shrugs at my laughter.
“I’m not dead,” she retorts. “And you can’t miss him. He’s the quiet giant and not like most guys who have that much muscle. Most won’t shut up about themselves or what workout they did that day.”
He is definitely different. I peek over at him. Our eyes catch and he winks, a cocky smile playing on his lips. Damn it! I smile, but quickly turn my body. Tori flashes a shit-eating grin. “Shut up,” I say, walking out from behind the bar again.
Even if I could follow through with a one-night stand, how would I even go about doing it? I’m not going to go up to him and slide into his lap, whispering “I want you” in his ear. I roll my eyes at the image. Who does that? Not this girl.
I pass Tori on the floor and she says, “You’re welcome.” Despite her happiness to help, I stare at her walking away with an exaggerated hip swing, scared at what she did. I hesitate to look, but I end up peeking over at Kase's table. Everything appears normal. Five guys that stand out in the crowd with girls eating up every word that comes out of their mouth.
“Hey Ell, can I get another,” Dale, a regular, holds up his empty glass.
“You got it.”
As I'm pouring his scotch, a new song comes on the jukebox. I clamp my lips together. She did not play this. I scan the room and when I find her, she wiggles her brows, a smug expression glowing. The song, “Save a Horse, Ride a Cowboy” by Big and Rich fills the room and I question how long she took to find a fitting song. I glance at the forgotten scotch. Liquid hits the brim of the glass, Dale gets a two for one this time. I sense Kase’s eyes on me, wondering if I played this song. Do I take this orchestrated chance and run with it, or pretend it was a coincidence? Taking in a deep breath, I blow it out, lift my head, standing tall and confident, and meet his gaze. He looks at me with a bemused smile. Which, I return with a soft laugh and end our gaze with a bite of my lip.
The song continues to play for the next three minutes. Three minutes of every single nerve-ending in my body tingling with tiny electric shocks wondering if he’s imagining me riding him. Which makes simple jobs, namely walking with one drink in hand, difficult.
“I’m so sorry. I wasn’t watching where I was going,” I say, toweling off the guy’s shirt. Tori better be enjoying the show because this is her fault. I’m beyond flustered, and this damn song won’t ever end. I glance up to the ceiling, does she freaking have it on repeat?
The over-stimulated air is choking me, and I've had all I can take. A drop of sweat trickles between my breasts as I walk out the back door. My body slumps against the dark grey brick building, and I take a few cleansing breaths. When the door swings open, I jump. A flurry of butterflies in the pit of my stomach erupt at the sight of Kase. My gaze sweeps up his muscular body as he saunters over.
“Tori told me you might be out here.”
“Of course she did,” I mutter.
His brow shoots up, and he points to the door. “I can go inside if you want me to.” Instead of waiting for me to answer, he takes two steps closer moving within inches of me. “But I’d rather stay,” he rasps. I can feel every line in the bricks against my back as my breathing speeds up. He leans over, the warmth of his breath tickles my ear. “Tell me you want me to stay.” His smell is so intoxicating, my mouth is suddenly parched.
“Stay,” I whisper.
His hands move to the brick wall on both sides of my head. “I like your song choice.”
The idea of him taking me in the dark parking lot, fucking me like he did in my dreams, has heat tingling between my legs. I shift my weight from foot to foot, trying to put out that fire. This is not me. I don’t understand the intense visceral reaction I have to him.
The door opens again, Tori sticks her head out. “Oh. Sorry.” She winces as we both turn our heads her direction. “I was just checking on you. Carry on.” She smiles, slipping inside. I lean my head against the wall, closing my eyes for a second to calm my racing pulse. The interruption brings me back to reality.
