Embracing Trouble (Trouble Series) (2 page)

“He has brains,” she returned. “And besides, I don’t particularly care at the moment.”

“Why?”

“Because I’m not going to university next year as a virgin,” she whispered.

I stared at her.

“Be judgmental all you like,” she returned. “But I’m over my boring life. I need something more, Ava. You do, too.”

“My life isn’t boring,” I said half-heartedly, not even believing my own words.

Sophie looked at me with her eyebrows raised, as if daring me to believe my own lie. She grabbed two more drinks and then my hand.

“Let’s go over to the court and see what the others are doing.”

We joined a group of friends on the tennis court and casually talked while we drank. Sophie kept plying me with drinks, still giggling and flirting with any guy within a two-meter radius. I kept quiet, watching everyone have fun, feeling wrong. I looked over and saw more girls stripping down to their bikinis around the pool.

There was a couple leaning against the tennis court fence, wrapped in each other’s arms as they kissed each other hungrily. A group of boys cheered on their kissing friends and laughed loudly. I felt a sudden longing for that—to be that passionate for someone that you couldn’t hold yourself back from kissing each other hungrily in front of everyone. The two boys I had kissed had been more about getting it done so you could join the others who had already kissed boys. I hadn’t wanted to be left behind.

I longed to feel that passion for someone, but I worried that I was missing something fundamental in that area. I looked at guys like Antony and only saw a guy with one thing on his mind, who would do or say anything to get it. Once he got it, he would move on to his next conquest. I didn’t want to be a conquest. I wanted romance and to be undeniably cherished, but maybe I was just clueless?

I felt a tingle up my spine and wondered if the alcohol was finally taking effect as I met a pair of familiar eyes that were looking directly at me. Awareness suddenly prickled my skin, and I tried to catch my breath. It was the same guy from earlier on, and he didn’t look away as he put a cigarette to his lips and took a drag. He didn’t acknowledge me or smile, just watched, his eyes knowing and wicked. I tried not to panic again as he stared. He was gorgeous in a dark and dangerous way, and I swallowed hard as I tried to get air into my lungs.

Sophie stood next to me and followed my line of sight to the guys sitting on the low wall at the end of the garden.

She leaned in to me, slurring into my ear, “Those guys are the ones from earlier on. One of the real hot ones is staring at you.”

I forced my eyes away from his, breaking the connection as my heart beat fast and out of control. He was gorgeous, and I suddenly wanted to run away, unable to comprehend the effect he was having on me.

Sophie giggled and put her arm around my shoulders.

“Go over there, Ava, don’t be a chicken shit.”

“I’m not a chicken shit,” I said quietly, pulling her arm off me. “And I’m not going over there.”

I wasn’t good at this stuff. If I went over to him, what would I say? I wasn’t confident enough to just go over to a strange guy and start flirting.

“We’ll both go over,” said Sophie, taking my arm. “His friends are hot, too.”

“No,” I said again, moving away and trying not to look over at him.

Sophie rolled her eyes at me and then was distracted for a moment as she talked to someone. I snuck a quick glance back over to him to see him still watching me. I took a deep breath. I felt wired with excitement and panic. I knew I should look away, but I couldn’t. His eyes were intense, and I couldn’t help but notice how his T-shirt hugged his strong shoulders and tattoos filled his arms. I instantly knew that he was someone who could make me weak at the knees, stirring something in me that I had never felt before. I felt alive, like electricity was charging through me.

“Hey, Ava.”

I turned around quickly, feeling like I had been caught doing something I wasn’t meant to do. When I looked up, I saw Tyler in front of me. He was in a few of my classes and one of the popular guys. He was tall and built for football; a guy that most girls in my level wanted to catch. He had light brown hair, cut short, and the bluest eyes that made the girls crazy.

I didn’t believe Sophie when she told me he was interested in me, because he had the pick of any girl he wanted. We talked in class sometimes and were friendly, but that was it.

“Hey, Tyler.”

“It’s good to see you here, Ava. I thought you might have had something against parties,” he said, taking a swig of his beer.

I smiled, suddenly comparing his arms to the dark and dangerous guy behind me. Tyler had muscular arms as well, but his were tanned and didn’t have tattoos on them.

“No aversion, as such, just busy with other things,” I replied.

His eyes looked into mine as he smiled.

“Well, I’m glad you came. My birthday is coming up,” he said, stepping closer to me. “And you need to come to that party and not be busy with other things.”

I laughed a little unsurely, and said, “Okay.”

He continued to look at me and then seemed to want to say something else. I took another sip, panicking slightly at what he might suggest. Was Sophie right? Did our friendly conversations at school actually mean something else? I hoped not, because I was only comfortable with him when I looked at him as just a friend.

“Tyler!” said Nathan loudly as he reached us and slapped him on the back.

Tyler looked annoyed at the interruption and then let Nathan pull him away to see something. His gaze was still fixed on me until he disappeared into the crowd. I frowned a little, not fully understanding what had just happened.

I turned back in time to see Sophie now over with the guys and waving me over. I swore under my breath and made my way over, preparing myself to meet the owner of those wicked eyes with excitement buzzing through me. As I reached the group, I nervously set eyes on him again, but he was no longer looking at me. He was saying something into the ear of the girl beside him who had her hand on his thigh. I was obviously going crazy. What the hell had I been thinking? Of course, the owner of those intense eyes wasn’t interested in someone like me.

Sighing quietly in disappointment, I looked to the rest of the group as they stood around smoking and drinking beers with their alternative hair and tattoos. The guys were older than eighteen and definitely not the type who would hang around with the likes of Antony.

I looked back at the owner of the wicked eyes to see he had a smattering of facial hair on his chin and cheeks, and his hair was messily disheveled. I wondered if he had styled it that way or had just run his fingers through it after getting out of bed that morning. Whatever the answer, his hair was as sexy as hell, and it made me want to run my own hands through it.

He had scuffed boots that must have had laces at one time, and his jeans were well worn and maybe a little dirty. His fitted grey T-shirt was frayed at the edges, but I didn’t know if it was from usage or the design. I couldn’t help but be utterly mesmerized by him, even when I knew he wasn’t interested in me and sitting with another girl. I felt a little overwhelmed at my thoughts. My senses were on high alert as my heart raced. He looked like a bad boy, a rebel, and the thought excited me.

His eyes suddenly met mine again, and I quickly looked away, knowing I had been caught staring. I tried to focus on something other than him, but I just couldn’t deny myself the pleasure. I was soon meeting his eyes again. His stare held amusement as my cheeks warmed. I quickly focused on Sophie who was saying something. I still felt his eyes on me, like they were burning into me. I tried to concentrate on Sophie, not hearing a single word she was saying. I tried to get my heartbeat under control, not understanding how much he could affect me with a look.

Was I going crazy? Was I finally keying in to what everyone around me felt when they met someone? I nervously sipped my bottle, trying to do anything but look back at him.

No longer in control of my own brain functions, my eyes moved back to feast on him. He was still watching me with a slight smirk on his face. My stomach flipped with excitement as the blonde girl sitting next to him gulped a bottle of bourbon like her life depended on it. I noticed that her hand was no longer on his thigh. I felt warm and a little dizzy, but my first instinct was to blame the alcohol.

“So, this is Ava,” Sophie said, while introducing me with an intoxicated giggle. “She’s my friend.”

“Aww, how sweet,” chuckled a tall blond guy with a crew cut and large muscled arms full of tattoos.

He had a tattoo that climbed out from under his T-shirt and went up his neck to his ear. The others in the group laughed along with him.

I felt embarrassed, like we were silly high school girls, trying to impress a bunch of grownups—ones with wickedness and experience in their eyes.

“Ava,” said one of them, “I like that name. Isn’t that a famous name?”

“Ava Gardner, the actress,” said the blonde girl looking me up and down.

“Ava Adore, the Smashing Pumpkins song,” said another.

“Good song,” said someone else.

“If you have no cock,” uttered the blond guy taking a swig of his beer.

They all chuckled again and the blonde girl laughed out loud, like it was the funniest thing she had ever heard.

I met his eyes again and realized we were the only two not laughing.

“Did it hurt to get that on your neck?” winced Sophie stepping closer to the blond guy and pointing to his tattooed neck.

“Nope,” he said with a gleam in his eyes. “Want me to take you somewhere and show you the rest?”

Sophie stepped back a little and giggled hysterically while grabbing for my arm. I felt like telling her to shut up, because she was starting to embarrass herself in front of them all.

“Jail bait,” announced someone within the group as others chuckled.

“I turned eighteen a month ago,” she returned with a giggle, letting me go and putting her hand on her hip.

“Oh, she’s an adult,” said one of them with a chuckle. “Watch out.”

The blond guy laughed as he passed a joint to someone.

“So how do you girls know Antony?”

“School,” giggled Sophie. “How about you?”

“Not from school,” he remarked, leaving it at that.

“Does Ava Adore speak?” asked one of them. “Come and sit on my lap, Ava.”

They all laughed, and I blushed uncomfortably until I heard a deep warm voice demand, “Quit it, Ben,” and the laughter stopped instantly.

I looked to him with gratitude as a new conversation started up around us. The air seemed to vibrate between us, like a strange, pent-up energy. I felt both intrigued and restless. It was like his eyes were devouring me, and I swallowed unsurely, confused at why he would even bother when he had a girl beside him.

“You guys were outside earlier when we arrived,” stated Sophie.

“I actually live next door to Antony,” said one of the guys sitting on the wall as he dragged on a cigarette.

He had shorts on and dirty Converse sneakers with eyes that seemed to promise fun and wickedness. He smiled directly at me.

“I’m Noah, and this is Zac,” he said.

“Hi,” I murmured with a quick smile trying not to blush again.

I glanced at Zac to see him looking at the blonde girl next to him, no longer interested in me. I couldn’t blame him. She did look more interesting than me. I sipped my drink and looked away, trying not to feel hurt. The music was turned up louder from the house, and when I looked around, I saw more girls jumping into the pool, some without bikinis. I looked on in fascination, knowing I could never do that.

“Now the party is getting interesting,” said one of the guys who left the group to get closer to the pool.

“I need a slash,” said the blonde, pushing off the brick wall and walking past us.

I didn’t miss the slight shoulder bump to me as she went past, and I lowered my eyes as she headed to the house. Had she noticed that her boyfriend had been looking at me?

Sophie stepped back, looking a little miffed that no one was giving her any attention.

“I’m going to find Antony.”

“Wait,” I whispered after her, but she walked off with a wave, leaving me alone with them.

“Smoke?” asked Noah.

I turned back and saw Noah offering me a cigarette from his pack.

I shook my head and said, “No thanks.”

“Why the fuck is your friend interested in the likes of Antony?” he asked passing the cigarette pack to Zac.

Zac huffed, “Did you just meet her friend?” he said with dark sarcasm.

Noah snickered, and said, “True.”

I swallowed, feeling unsure of the conversation going on in front of me. They didn’t like Antony, but were sitting at his party. They also didn’t seem to like Sophie.

“She’s just interested in having fun,” I said quietly.

“I have no doubt,” said Zac, lighting up another cigarette and passing the pack back to Noah. “Who are you interested in?”

I bit my lip, unprepared for his question. Tremors went through me at the sound of his deep sexy voice. They were both staring at me, waiting for me to answer.

I quickly answered, “No one really.”

His eyes taunted me as he asked, “The Antony’s of the world don’t do much for you?”

Noah got off the wall and stepped away to talk to someone, leaving us alone.

I moistened my lips, and replied, “What makes you think that?”

He slowly exhaled his cigarette smoke into the night air, saying, “Not only are you not in the pool swimming topless, or dancing over there in heels, but you’re standing here in your Converse sneakers…talking to me.”

“I didn’t know my shoes spoke so loudly about my preferences,” I returned, putting one of my hands in the back pocket of my jeans.

His eyes lit with amusement for a split second before they changed back again to cool indifference. I realized I would do just about anything to see that amusement in his eyes again. I looked away to gather my sanity and focused on the ground, tapping a weed between the pavers with my shoe. We were now both silent and alone. I tried not to panic at being in front of the hottest guy I had ever met.