Shattered Rose (Winsor Series) - By T L Gray Page 0,116

him in disbelief as he pulled me close to him. “I’m not some random guy,” he whispered in my ear and winked at me. I felt my stomach fill with a million butterflies from both the feeling of Jake’s breath on my ear and the reminder that I was still Parker’s girl.

We danced for hours, only stopping to get drinks when we got too hot. I was really having a good time, and it felt invigorating to just escape from reality for a little while. We hit the bar again, my face was flushed and hair damp from all the dancing. Jake moved to get the bartender’s attention while I waited on a stool for my water.

“Avery!” I looked up when I heard my name and saw my friend from Dynamics waving as she walked over to me. “Wow, I never see you out anymore.”

“Yeah,” I agreed. “It’s been a while.”

“You look so pretty tonight. Have you lost weight?” she asked sweetly.

I knew she meant to ask that as a compliment. Most women liked that kind of thing, but I detested it. I hated any indication that people were noticing my weight whether positive or negative. It made me self conscious and insecure. But, there was no need to dump all my baggage on her, so I just gave her the same response I did everyone when asked that question. “Nope. I pretty much stay the same size.”

“Well, you look great. In fact, is that another boyfriend?” she asked with a snicker as she looked over to Jake at the bar.

I was horrified by her implication and knew my face said as much. “No! We’re just friends. He’s my roommate’s cousin.”

She laughed and shook her head. “That’s not what it looked like on the dance floor. But hey, I’m not one to judge. I say more power to ya. He’s hot too.” She gave a little wave goodbye and a wink when Jake returned with our drinks.

“Who’s that?” he asked as she retreated.

“No one,” I said scowling, still shocked at what she had said. “I think I’m ready to go home.”

“Did something happen?” He continued to look in her direction.

“No,” I lied. “I’m just getting tired.”

He quickly downed his beer, and then led us out the door. I wouldn’t hold his hand on the way home, and he looked at me questionably, but didn’t say anything.

He opened the door to the apartment and immediately fell on the couch. “Man, that was fun. I can’t remember the last time I had so much fun at Caesars.”

I didn’t want to admit it, but I felt the same way.

“You know what it reminded me of?” he continued with a wink. “That night we all went to the Varsity, and I kissed you for the first time.”

I threw my purse down on the love seat and sat down in a huff.

“Jake, why do you keep saying stuff like that? Just when I think we’ve finally got this friend thing down, you go and blur all the lines again.” I felt torn and guilty and frustrated all at the same time.

“Maybe my lines have never stopped being blurry,” he replied looking at me in a way that definitely did not scream friendship.

“I have a boyfriend!” I yelled, jumping to my feet, not sure who I was madder at him or me. “An honest, good, and faithful boyfriend, which is more than I could say when I was dating you!”

Jake stood up angrily and got within an inch of me. “Don’t do that! Don’t put this back on me. I told you why I did the things I did and we got past it. But since you brought it up, have you ever stopped to wonder why you are still with him when you spend every night with me?”

My fury and the tension that always existed when Jake was around were too much to bear, and I lost all resolve. “Yes, I wonder!” I yelled back, the tears now running down my cheeks. “And I hate myself for it every day.” I turned around, unable to face him.

He wrapped his arms around me tightly and nuzzled his face in my hair. “Then stop fighting it…and come back to me,” he whispered. “God, I miss you so much.”

I stood there and cried, feeling the pit gripping at my feet, the darkness trying to make its way back up my body. Jake was holding me tighter and tighter as he ran his hands seductively up and down my