Wish I May (22 page)

Lizzy spins on me. “I can’t believe you moved in with William and didn’t tell us.”

I shuffle back. “I didn’t realize I needed to keep you updated.”

“Save it for the margaritas,” Hanna tells her sister. “Some conversations require tequila.”

The bar is more crowded than I expected for a Wednesday night, but that makes the girls happy. I objected to the possibility of more tequila, so they’ve ordered us a pitcher of beer and staked out a booth by the pool tables, where they’re scoping out the unsuspecting townies.

“Are you following me?” The question comes from right by my ear, and I have to resist the urge to lean into William.

“We got here first,” I say. He brushes the hair off my neck, and I stand stock still and attempt to pretend I’m not affected by his touch. “I think that means
you’re
following
me
.”

The girls’ eyes widen at the sight of Will.

“I see you brought your posse,” Lizzy says, looking over Will’s shoulder.

Will smirks. “I think you’ve already met my friends Sam and Max.”

I was so focused on William, I didn’t even realize he wasn’t here alone. The guys slide out of a booth on the other side of the bar and join our little meet-and-greet. I recognize them from high school. Like Will, time has been good to them. They’re both ridiculously handsome. The dark-haired one is in jeans and a fitted blue T-shirt that calls attention equally to impressive pecs and an amazing pair of baby blues. The other sports a dark polo and khakis. But neither of them is anywhere near the level of nuclear hotness that is my William is in a button-up white Oxford, sleeves rolled to his elbows, jeans hugging his narrow hips.

My William.
Dangerous thinking.

“I don’t know if you remember Sam,” Will says, nodding to the one in the polo. He points his thumb toward the dark-haired one. “Or Max.”

“It’s been a while,” I say.

“Good to see you again, Cally,” Sam says, making me drag my eyes off Will. “How’s your temporary roommate treating you? He doesn’t drink out of the milk carton, does he?”

“He’s a great host, and it’s
very
temporary.”

“Go finish your drinks.” Lizzy shoos them toward their table. “We need some time for girl talk.”

The girls slide into our booth, and Hanna sighs heavily.

“What’s that about?” I ask.

She tucks a long, dark lock behind her ear and shakes her head.

“She’s got a crush on Max,” Lizzy explains. Hanna jabs her elbow into Lizzy’s side, but Lizzy ignores her. “Can’t say as I blame her. You could bounce quarters off the boy’s ass.”

“He has no idea I exist,” Hanna mutters. “He’s only had eyes for Lizzy since he came back to town and opened that gym.”

Lizzy frowns. “I never would have gone on that date with him if I’d known Hanna liked him. I dropped him the minute I found out.”

“Does he know how you feel?” I ask. Hanna looks nauseated just talking about it.

“God, no!” Lizzy snorts. “Are you kidding? Hanna doesn’t tell guys when she’s interested. She’d rather hide and tell herself she doesn’t stand a chance. Which is stupid and a lie.”

Hanna shakes her head. “What would he want to do with me anyway? He’s an athletic trainer who runs his own health club, and I’m a fat girl.”

“Hanna!” Lizzy and I say in unison. Hanna is bigger than her twin, plush and curvy with long dark hair, whereas Lizzy is tiny and lithe with blond curls. They look nothing like twins, but they’re both equally beautiful.

Hanna shrugs off our protest. “It’s
true
.”

“You’re fucking gorgeous and any guy would be lucky to have you.” Lizzy’s face is drawn into a fierce scowl, daring Hanna to disagree.

“Time to change the subject, please,” Hanna whispers into her beer.

Lizzy presses a kiss to her sister’s forehead then turns to me. “Half the town is buzzing about you moving in with Will. I’m sure we had to find out from our
mom.
Why didn’t you tell us?”

“Maybe there was nothing to tell?” The girls both stare at me like I’m trying to sell them land on the moon. I shrug. “What?”

“Sweetie,” Hanna says, “there is so much heat in that boy’s eyes when he looks at you, we can still smell the smoke. And now you’re
living
with him?”

“You slept with him, didn’t you?” Lizzy says, grinning. “We need details.”

I cast a quick glance over my shoulder to make sure the guys can’t hear. “I didn’t sleep with him.”

Lizzy’s jaw drops. “Why not?”

“I screwed up with him once already,” I whisper, holding up one finger. I add the second. “And I’m leaving after Christmas.”

“You’re really not going to sleep with him?” Lizzy’s tone is more appropriate for talk of torturing kittens and killing puppies.

“I’m
really
not going to sleep with him,” I growl.

“Will or no Will,” Lizzy says, just as Will approaches our table, “I’m going to get you laid.”

Cally’s cheeks blaze and she shoots a lethal glare at her friend, then levels it at me, daring me to say something.

I bite back my smile. “A true friend, indeed.”

Lizzy’s gaze swings around to me and she bursts out laughing. “I had no idea he was there. I swear.”

“What’s going on over here?” Max strolls over to the table and runs his gaze over Lizzy. The guys want to hang with Cally and the twins tonight, and frankly, I’m game. I just want to be close to Cally.

We end up piling into a big booth together, me and Cally shoulder to shoulder on one side and Sam and Hanna on the other with Max and Lizzy pulling up chairs to the end, and before I know it the girls are all laughing and drinking and I’m sitting silently, nursing my beer and thinking how good it feels just to be
close
to her.

My phone buzzes in my pocket and I pull it out to see I have a text from Meredith.

Wanna get together for a drink tonight?

I key in a quick reply.
I’m hanging with the guys. Maybe another time?

I look up from my phone and catch Cally watching me. “Sexting with your girlfriend?”

Max tips my phone down so he can see the screen. He groans. “Meredith? Girl can’t take a hint, can she?”

Cally stiffens next to me, and Lizzy pipes up with, “
Meredith
?”

“She’s a friend.”

“Will’s grandma set them up,” Max says. “They went on a few dates and now she sends Will dirty texts day and night.”

Shit.
“We’re just friends now.”

“Dirty texts? How dirty?” Lizzy asks.

“
So
dirty,” says Sam.

“Dirtier than the drunk texts Cally sent from Asher’s party?” Lizzy asks.

Cally’s eyes go wide. “Lizzy!”

“What drunk texts?” Sam asks. “Damn. Seriously, Will’s phone gets more action in a day than mine has seen all year.”

Lizzy winks at Sam and pulls out her phone. “What’s your number, cutie?”

Cally’s already gone stone cold next to me, and she’s studying the table top like it explains the meaning of life.

I grab her hand and drag her out of the booth.

“What are you doing?” she asks.

I pull her over to the jukebox and drape her arms around my neck. “You’re doing me a favor. I don’t want to talk about Meredith right now, and when it comes to her, the guys are like a dog with a bone.”

“Oh.”

This isn’t a slow song, but I don’t care. I want her head against my chest, her body close to mine. She looks amazing in nothing more complicated than a little black tank top and jean shorts that show off her long legs. The second I walked into Brady’s and saw her standing there, I started thinking about how much I want those legs wrapped around me, her nails digging into my back as I make her come.

“Do you exchange dirty texts with all of your
friends
?” she asks, her voice dropping low and lethal.

“We dated a little bit before you came back. It was supposed to be casual, but she ended up wanting more.”

“I’m sure most girls around here would love a chance for more with you.”

A Nine Inch Nails song kicks on, and I smile. “You remember this?”

Her eyes widen, her pupils dilating. We used to lie in my bedroom, listening to this album. We’d talk. Me about my controlling grandmother and her unreasonable expectations, Cally about her crazy father, her disappointing mother. We’d dream about going to college together and moving away, about a better life for her—she wouldn’t have to worry about getting her sisters fed and to sleep at the end of the day—about an easier life for me—I wouldn’t be expected to live up to every dream my grandmother ever had for the son she lost too soon. Then we’d explore each other, our bodies young and eager, our hands and mouths tentative as we learned together where and how to touch.

I lead her to the back corner of the bar and press my palms against the wall, pinning her in.

“What are you doing?” she asks in a whisper.

“This.” I drop my mouth to hers before she can protest, and my hands move from the wall into her hair.

She doesn’t hesitate and her mouth is greedy under mine as she kisses me back and wraps her hands around my biceps. I draw out the kiss, knowing damn well there are people watching, knowing damn well how fast news travels in this town. I want them to see. I’m ready to send the message that Cally is the only woman I’m interested in.

“I’ve spent the last month thinking about touching you at the restaurant,” I whisper against her ear. “As long as I can remember the sound of you coming, you don’t have to worry about any other woman laying claim to me.”

“Speak of the devil,” she mutters, looking over my shoulder.

“Who?”

“Meredith, and if looks could kill, you’d be holding a corpse.”

I barely register her meaning, too busy burying my nose in her hair, trying to memorize her scent. It’s something equal parts sweet and tempting.

Meredith is here. And if I’m not a dick, I’ll release Cally and go talk to her. And yet, maybe Cally was right about Meredith laying claim to me.