to notice so I focus on my food keep from staring.
Oliver is next to me, and he scoots closer, grabbing his soda from the table. Instead of moving away, he stays with his hip pressed to mine. I’m tempted to move over, but I don’t.
After two bites of my burger I can barely swallow. I’m overwhelmed with their presence. I’ve never been the center of anyone’s attention. Not even my mom’s. She’s always too wrapped up in her own issues to worry about me.
I fold the paper over my burger and set it on the table, sliding forward so only my butt remains on the couch cushion.
Just when I’m about to ask for an explanation about why I’m here and what they think they know about me, a phone rings.
I look at Dante who stands up to pull a phone from the front pocket of his dark wash jeans. He looks at the screen then over to me. He stabs his finger on the surface and tucks his phone back away, only to have it ring again almost immediately. He shakes his head pulling it free again.
“Yeah,” he answers, walking over to one of the few windows.
There are no drapes or blinds, so he’s bathed in afternoon sunlight. He looks out toward the large house before turning and facing the room again. He listens for a few seconds and his eyes fall closed slowly. His head falls back on his shoulders and his chest expands in a deep inhale.
Oliver bumps me with his shoulder to get my attention. When I look over he smiles at me and offers me a cold fry. I wrinkle my nose at the thought and shake my head in denial.
His grin gets even wider before he plops it into his own mouth.
“Yeah, I got it,” comes Dante’s rough reply. His voice is hard. Not for the first time I wonder who it is.
I lean close to Oliver. His eyebrows shoot up, but he doesn’t object. I turn my head just a little, so my mouth is near his ear. “Should we go? Are we going to get him in trouble?” I’m not sure what’s brought me to that conclusion, but I feel like me being here might cause a problem.
Oliver leans closer; I swear I feel him shiver once before he rolls his shoulders. I pull back to look at him and his eyes are half closed. The clear green is clouded with something akin to sleepiness.
He pulls his bottom lip past his teeth, and then inclines his head back, telling me to lean close again. His lips graze my ear as he breathes, “He’s not in trouble. Wouldn’t matter if he was.”
I swear I feel the tip of his tongue against the bottom of my earlobe right before Dante barks, “I said I got it!”
I jump away from Oliver’s warm breath, my heart beating fast, and not because Dante just yelled at someone.
I put some much needed space between us, scooting into the corner of the sofa Dante just vacated. I run my hands over my thighs several times, afraid to look at Milo. I can’t let him see how affected I am right now. I think his boyfriend just nibbled my ear, and I liked it.
I’m way out of my element here. I’ve never had so much as a friend, let alone three gorgeous boys giving me attention. I don’t know how to handle it.
Dante walks into the bathroom and closes the door behind him with the phone still at his ear.
I feel the cushion next to me dip and look to see Milo taking up the position between Oliver and myself.
My neck feels hot, I’m completely embarrassed. How could Oliver do that with Milo sitting right here, and how does he behave when he’s not around, does he flirt with everyone? I wouldn’t be able to handle that. It reminds me how dismissive Dante is with Delaney. Maybe they’re both terrible boyfriends, or maybe I don’t know what I’m talking about. Maybe that’s how all teenagers are. Not all relationships are serious, maybe that’s just the way they act.
I still wouldn’t be able to deal with it.
“You didn’t eat much, there’s still a ton of food left. I know Dante has some snack stuff up here to if you want something else.” Milo’s voice is level, calm, as he offers me kindness. I feel like a total dirt-bag.
I can’t even voice my denial, instead I shake my head no, watching the stairs.