Alluring Infatuation (29 page)

He was wearing dark denim jeans that hugged him just right. His green and blue plaid shirt was unbuttoned just enough to expose a smattering of chest hair. It was un-tucked and the sleeves were rolled halfway up his arms, exposing a tattoo on his left forearm.

My heart stopped as he smiled that smile that makes my heart dance between stopping and starting.
What I wouldn’t give for a real fuck instead of those outrageous eye-fucks
. I remembered thinking if he wasn’t careful, I might lose all sense and tackle him in front of everyone; Dan be damned. That smile completely transformed him from a large, brooding, scary male into a teddy bear. His smile immediately creased into a frown and his attention went back to his cell conversation. He walked toward the back room, clearly frustrated.

“Earth to Cassidy!”

I was startled out of my trance and knocked my water all over the table. I barely missed soaking Sam and Holly with it.

“Dammit! I’m sorry.”
Typical.
I cursed my innate ability to terrorize people with my nerves.

Sam and Holly said in unison, “No harm, no foul.” They were both used to my klutziness by this point in our friendship.

The waitress came over with a stack of napkins and helped me clean up my mess. “I’m so sorry!”

“Don’t fret, girl. It happens all the time.” She dropped her voice. “Besides, he is quite something to look at!” Holly and Sam were oblivious to her comments as they were nose to nose
again
. I was mortified that my gawking was recognized by the waitress.
Get it together, Cassidy!

Blushing, I acknowledged her with a soft laugh and smiled. “Holy hell he’s so hot!” The waitress nodded in agreement. The object of our affection came out of the back room, no cell phone in his hand and stormed out the back door. He was gone. The waitress and I sighed in harmony. I wanted to pick her brain about him—maybe she knew more about him—but the band was welcomed to the stage and hearing anything below a scream was impossible.

Soft Rockets was pretty good and I thoroughly enjoyed watching them play. Most of their stuff was covers with some originals added in here and there. When the first set was over, there was still no James in sight. It was never going to happen! He was way out of my league. I should’ve just ended things with Dan, knowing he wasn’t the one for me.

The remainder of the night proceeded like any other. In his usual fashion, Sam dedicated the last song of the second set to Holly. A joke between the two of them that I didn’t quite get, but I laughed as Holly pulled me on the dance floor as the first guitar riff started. They were covering
Bad Girlfriend
by Theory of a Deadman
.

Holly and I headed to the bathroom after the song ended. She stole the first available stall as I shouted at her, “Hey, I was first!” We both laughed as I waited my turn.

“I’ll meet you out back, Cass!” She smiled as I took over her stall once she exited.

“Sure thing, Hoe!” She laughed as she left the bathroom.

I finished up, washed my hands and retouched my lip gloss. I recognized the song playing over the loud speakers; Our Lady Peace was blaring
Somewhere Out There
.

I was fixing my shirt while walking out of the bathroom and rammed face first into somebody’s shoulder and upper chest. I would’ve crashed back into the bathroom if it wasn’t for his hands on my upper arm and around my back; they were the only things that kept me steady.

“Shit! Sorry about that!” I said it before I even bothered looking up. Whoever the guy was, he was tall and built. My eyes were level with his throat.

“You should watch where you’re going, Blackbird.” That deep resonating voice, with a slight hint of gravel teased my ears and his sweet breath feathered down my face. I inhaled deeply before looking up, breathless. It was James with that smile on his face.
I’m clay, please mold me.

My heart started thrumming a million miles a minute. My skin felt on fire where his hands were. His beard was a little thicker than it was six weeks ago, but not overgrown at all. He smelled delicious; I just wanted to bury my face in his neck and take a big whiff.

“Are you alright?” Now he looked concerned at my lack of speaking.

“You smell divine!”
I couldn’t believe I just said that
. I briefly rested my forehead on his shoulder, humiliated.
What the hell is wrong with me?
I quickly raised my head, remembering I didn’t know the guy. I mean, we’d been eye-fucking each other for weeks, said ‘hi’ a few times, but I didn’t
know
him. “Yes, I’m fine, thank you.” I gently pushed my hands against his chest as I tried to regain my composure.

He chuckled and for the first time, I noticed that he had a scar above his left eye that slashed through his eyebrow. I loved his eyes; the vibrant green sucked me in every time. He slowly removed his hand from my back while the other remained on my upper arm. The loss of his hand on my back was almost unbearable, like someone detached a piece of me.

“So, you and Dan, is it serious?” He was shameless—and maybe interested?!

The question caught me a little off guard. I responded with, “I d-don’t know? You have a better offer?” My stomach was fluttering so viciously and I couldn’t believe how brazen I was being.

He removed his lingering hand from my upper arm and smirked. He took my right hand in his and caressed my tattoo. That electricity was there again, zapping our hands and sending shivers up my arm and down my spine, “Maybe I do. Cassidy, in all seriousness there’s something I’ve been meaning to talk to you about.”

I grinned uncontrollably when I said, “Oh yeah, what’s that?” He stilled, continued to hold my hand in his and then looked somber. Maybe he
was
serious.

He took a deep breath and then let out a loud sigh. God, he looked nervous. Suddenly, all that could be heard was the
POP, POP, POP
of a gun followed by screams.