Claire had that look in her eye. The one that landed them in detention no less than five times in high school and almost got them arrested last year. “Never have I ever wanted to kiss my best friend.”
Mia quickly focused on the rules of the game...everyone who wanted to do that had to drink.
She froze. Without thinking, her gaze jerked across the table to Noah, and her stomach flipped when she locked eyes with him.
He maintained steady eye contact as he calmly took a drink.
Her heart jumped into a sprint and heat spread up her neck. She tore her gaze away and blinked, turning her attention back to Claire.
Her friend’s perfectly arched brow raised in question.
Mia’s head spun, both from the alcohol and from the way Noah had looked at her. Did that mean he wanted to kissher?Maybe he had another best friend.
Don’t be an idiot.
She dropped her eyes to the table and lifted her own beer. She took such a big gulp she coughed, bringing more attention on herself.
Claire laughed and patted her on the back. “Well, then.” She stood, planting her hands flat on the table. “I’ll just leave you two to talk. Come on, Brad. Let’s dance.”
Brad, one of Noah’s fraternity brothers, complied, shooting Mia a wink before he set off after Claire.
Mia pulled her lips between her teeth and bobbed her knee up and down below the table. She kept her lids lowered and rotated the beer bottle between her fingers.
“Will you ever look at me again?” came Noah’s quiet voice.
Only if I know you’ll look at me like you just did.
Her voice shook. “It’s hard to say.”
A chair scraped across the floor, and the familiar scent of pine and spearmint flooded her senses. Noah’s large form settled beside her and his hand landed on her bouncing knee. She stilled and lifted her face.
She found everything she wanted in his eyes. His blue irises were soft and kind, and the tiniest hint of a smile played around his lips. And yet, something about his expression was uncertain. She slid her hand down her thigh to his hand, touching his skin with the tips of her fingers.
He swallowed. “Can we go somewhere? To talk, or...?”
She nodded.
“I—”
A set of beefy hands grasping Noah’s shoulders cut him off. “Agnew!”
Noah’s body faced Mia, and he didn’t move his torso so much as a millimeter. He craned his head back to regard the bear of a man behind him. “Yates. What can I do for you?”
“We need more beer. Your turn to buy.”
“I can’t drive.”
“I’ve got a freshman DD. Let’s go.”
Noah sighed heavily. He faced forward again and regarded Mia with apology deep in his gaze.
His fraternity was hosting the party, and she knew how these things worked. He didn’t have a choice. She gave him a small smile. “It’s fine. Go.”
He hesitated before turning back to his fraternity brother. “I’ll be right there.”
“Good man.” With a pat on Noah’s back that forced him several inches forward, Yates ambled off.
Noah lifted one hand and gripped the back of his neck. “Will you stay? Until I get back? It won’t be more than half an hour.”