“You can sit,” I relent, discreetly shoving Ash as she pinches my thigh under the table.
“Here.” Dillon hands me a glass as he sits down. “You drink pink gin and 7UP, right?”
I nod, accepting the drink. “Thank you.” Our fingers brush in the exchange, sending little jolts of electricity zipping up my arm.
“Good set, bro.” Ash leans across me for a knuckle touch with her brother. “When are we going to hear these new songs you’re writing?”
“You’re writing new music?” I inquire.
His lips twitch. “I’m our chief songwriter. What else do you think I do with my days?”
“Watch porn. Jerk off. Bang groupies,” I deadpan, shrugging casually.
His chest rumbles with laughter, his eyes dance with amusement, and his dimples come out to play. I’m mesmerized by him. Drawn to him in a way I’m not even sure I felt with Reeve, and we shared an intense connection that spanned years. There is something so familiar about Dillon yet thoroughly unique. I can’t explain it. I just know fighting my attraction to him will only lead to more pain down the line.
What if I return home and regret never acting on our chemistry?
“You’re staring.” He lowers his voice so only I can hear. His thigh brushes against mine, infusing my body with liquid heat.
“You’re kind of beautiful,” I blurt before I can engage my brain.
“You’rebeautiful, and there’s no kind of about it.”
My cheeks flush at his compliment, and I see no trace of humor or insincerity on his face. “Thank you,” I whisper, dropping my eyes to my lap.
“You act like no one’s ever told you you’re beautiful before, and I know that can’t be the truth.”
I tip my chin up, stabbing him with a direct look. “I’m kind of not myself at the moment.”
“I kind of want to do something about that.” His lips kick up, and I can’t help smiling.
“You do?”
He nods.
“Why?”
He purses his lips, taking a moment to reply. “I’ve never felt drawn to any woman from the first second I met them, like I have with you.”
“You were an ass to me,” I remind him.
“I was confused, and it scared the crap out of me. Still does.” He maintains eye contact as he lifts his bottle to his lips, tipping beer into his mouth. Even the way his throat works as he drinks gets my juices flowing. We have this raw sexual chemistry I’m both keen and terrified to explore.
“That makes two of us,” I admit.
“Then I don’t see what the problem is.” His cheeky grin makes a reappearance. “We can be scared together.”
“You don’t just want to fuck me?” I ask, and Ash almost chokes on her drink. I turn to face her, rubbing my hand up and down her back as she splutters. I know she’s talking with Cat and the girl who’s here with Ronan, but she’s definitely keeping one ear on our conversation. As if I wouldn’t tell her everything later, ad verbum.
Dillon’s eyes take a leisurely stroll up and down my body, giving new definition to eye-fucking. He might as well have stripped me bare by the way his scorching gaze mentally undresses me. I flush all over, and I’m sure my cheeks are the color of ripe strawberries. Leaning in, he presses his mouth to my ear. “Trust me, there is no part of me that doesn’t want to fuck you.”
I jerk back, but he slides his arm around my shoulders, pulling me in closer. “Stop. Fucking. Running,” he growls. “I wasn’t finished speaking.”
“I kind of want to slap you right now,” I admit.
“And I kind of want to knock some sense into that beautiful thick skull of yours. So just shut up and listen.”
I gnash my teeth at him, wondering how it’s possible to want to kill someone and kiss them at the same time.