We sat like that for a while. The talk quietened down as the night got later. After a while, I noticed Corey and Connor returning. Connor automatically walked towards the upper deck. I hadn’t looked in that direction since I’d sat down with Jay. I didn’t bother now.
It was some time later – much later, as it was fully dark now – when Jay tugged me closer to him. I had been listening to a hilarious story about one of the guys – Jared I think his name was – and how he had been found in the boys’ locker room when he was younger, stark naked and tied to the bench because a cheerleader had stolen all his clothes after he had cheated on her.
There were so many levels of wrong in the story, but the way their friend was telling it, I was seriously in danger of crying with laughter. I felt Jay tug me closer and I looked up at him. His eyes searched my face. My laughter quietened down.
He brushed his thumb over my cheek, my breath caught a little. I was feeling slightly buzzed from the alcohol and most definitely relaxed.
“You feeling better?” He asked me softly. I nodded. “Good,” he murmured and he dipped his head to brush his lips over mine. He pulled back. “Ok?” Somewhat dumbfounded, I nodded again. Jay smiled at me and turned back to his friends.
“Arielle.” I jumped at Connor’s voice. I looked up at him. I hadn’t seen him approach the tables where I was sitting. To his credit he looked uncomfortable. “Can you come over? Corey was hoping you would join us.”
I still wasn’t looking towards the deck. Screw him.
“He left not long after you left him,” Jay said softly into my ear. I turned to face him. “Dawson. After you came over here, he got up and left.”
“Oh.” I squirmed slightly in my seat. Jay had obviously been paying attention and hadn’t bought my story from earlier that there was nothing wrong. I frowned, there went the show of the solid unit. I assessed Jay as he in turn watched me, a smile playing about his mouth. Did I like that he had seen through me and was paying so much attention? I wasn’t sure.
“Arielle,” Connor said slightly harder this time. I looked at him and frowned. He was making me choose. I felt Jay take his arm from my shoulder and stand up. He signalled to his friends and then extended his hand to Connor. They did the weird bro-man handshake and shoulder bumped.
“It’s been fun Dawson but we got to move.” Jay reached behind him and tugged me up to my feet. He gave me his full smile and his eyes raked over me again. “Darling, it was a pleasure to meet you.”
I gaped at him. He was leaving me here, I wasn’t choosing, Jay was and I think from the frown on Connor’s face, he knew it too.
Grateful for Jay this evening in more ways than one, I held out my hand for him to shake. “The pleasure was mine.” I grinned at him, hoping he knew that I appreciated what he had done.
Jay grinned back at me, “Oh it was most definitely mine.” He grasped my hand and pulled me towards him and then, in front of everyone, he kissed me. I was stunned for a moment and then with a soft sigh I leaned into him. Jay deepened the kiss briefly and then broke away before I was ready.
“See you around darling.” With a wink and a mischievous grin, he turned and left with his friends.
I looked at Connor and immediately felt awkward. He looked back at me and then with a rueful rub of his jaw, he shrugged his shoulders, sighed and pulled me up to the deck.
When we got to the upper deck, Matt and Theo regarded me with caution. I dared them to say anything. Just one word and I was going to lose it.
“Well he sure was a long cold drink of water on a warm day,” Corey declared. She was smiling at me. I instantly blushed. “Told ya I better tie that skirt on tight.” She winked at me.
“What? Why?” Theo demanded.
“It’s nothing,” Connor cut in. “Jonson has taken a liking to Ari.” That was his name? Jay Jonson.
Theo looked alarmed. “Seriously? Aaron?”
“No – his brother, Jay,” Matt bit out. There was a brother? Wait, was Tattoo Neck called Aaron? I tried to remember.Tattoo Neckwas his brother? Seriously? Ugh, of course he was.
“Well that’s better.” Theo looked at me, “Not good, Ari, but better.”
“Why? What’s wrong with them?” I asked. Three blank stares looked back at me. I exhaled loudly.
Matt stood “Party’s winding down. Time to go to bed Lil Bit.”
“Wait, what?”
“It’s late Lil Bit, we’ve all been drinking; no one can take you home. You’ll sleep here, there’s a spare room for you,” Theo said. The way he saidfor you– I knew it wasn’t just a spare room. “C’mon, I’ll show you.” He took my arm and led me into the house. Maybe I’d too much to drink, but my head was suddenly swimming. I stopped.
“Wait, Theo.” He turned to me. He looked tired and I felt guilty again, but I wasn’t sure why.
“We’re tired Ari, c’mon, let’s just go to bed and deal with it all tomorrow.” Theo turned around, he didn’t even grin at his implied suggestion that I usually would have got. I reluctantly followed. For the second time that night, I was led to the second floor of the house, again I passed a number of doors, I couldn’t remember which one Connor’s room was. I wondered briefly which one washis,Colton’s.
A door was opened and Theo stepped back to let me past. It was a lovely room, with a bath off the side. “Theo?”