AllFreeNovel
Share Us
As soon as our eyes lock, his laughter dies along with hissmile. I tip my beer in greeting, and he leaves his friends behind to come see me.
“Hey.”
He smiles, leaning closer to me, his hand on my hip. “You brought your two friends?”
I nod toward them. “My sister, Gia, and this is Layla.”
They both gush as they say hi, even Gia, despite him not being her type. She likes the good, sweet ones—like James. I like them ninety-five percent bad and five percent evil.
Five minutes later, Harvey and I are settled on a swing on the front patio. He controls the swing’s movement, going slow, bringing my body close to him. I don’t even know him, and he’s already molding me into the crook of his arms like I belong there.
“I don’t know why I brought you here. Should’ve gone on a date.” He shakes his head, staring down at me. There’s something about him, about his eyes. They dance around, they laugh, they’re a beacon of happiness.
I smile at his comment as a guy walks by us and sits beside me.
“What a lovely evening, swinging and rocking... at a college party.” The stranger grins when he eyes me all over.
“Shut up, Henrik,” Harvey says. “This one’s mine.” His hand moves down my back.
“Fair enough, brother.” The other guy winks, then gets up and passes Harvey a fresh joint on his way out.
“Your brother?” I ask, and he nods.
I notice the large phoenix tattoo on his forearm. It’s raw, perfectly imperfect. The phoenix’s feet are clutching the root of a small rose. The bird’s wings are beautiful, and you can see each line of the black ink, as if the artist sketched it in anger.
Harvey lights up the joint and puts it to his lips. The smirk he gives me when I take it from him is enough to make a groupie out of me.
Setting my beer on a table beside the swing, I sit on my knees and take a drag. He brings me closer to him, his hand cupping my ass, which he’s rubbing over my black denim skirt.
“A hot nerd who likes beer and smokes weed,” he says in disbelief. “What else are you hiding from me?”
I exhale a cloud of smoke away from his face, staring at the darkness as the night prevails. I lean into him, nearly wishing I could drown in his cologne, excitement fluttering inside me.
“What do you want to know?”
He grabs the joint from me and smokes it. “Surprise me, sweetheart.”
I’m trying to think of a response but the way his empty hand skims my flesh right beneath my skirt makes me forget how to breathe properly.
I’m gasping for air.
“Nipple piercing.” That’s all I say when he turns to me, the thumb that’s holding the joint fingering my collarbone.
He looks at me dead on as if I made a joke about his mom. “You’re kidding.”
His dimples are on full beam right now, and I can tell by the heated gaze of his eyes that he’s dying to see if I’m lying or not.
My leather jacket hides it. If I took it off, it would be easier for him to see it through my fitted white tee even with my bra on.
“Afraid not.”
“Oh Gemma.” He chuckles soft and low. “Who are you, hmm?” His lips brush against mine before he gives me a simple peck. When he pulls back, his blue eyes stare at my green ones like he wants to crack a new spell. “So, do I get a peek?”
I laugh, my hand lightly pushing his chest, and nod. His eyes bulge as if he can’t fathom why I’d say yes.
“Why not?” I shrug, removing my black leather jacket and tossing it to him.
He glances around us, but the party seems to be in fullswing inside. You can hear people outside in the backyard although we’re at the front of the house.
