Page 10 of American Love Story

I started walking and turned to respond to Carmen, “You’re hilarious.”

I heard Jude and Carmen laugh as I made my way to Patrice.

When I got to him, he had an amused look on his face, obviously entertained by whatever those two were doing behind me.

I pointed my thumb in their direction as I stood next to Patrice. “Are they making fun of me?”

Patrice shook his head, and the sides of his mouth lifted enough that it could almost be considered a smile.

Almost.

“I wouldn’t call it making fun, but they seem to find whatever you said pretty funny.”

I looked over at the guy who’d been talking to Patrice and held my hand out.

“Easton Archer.”

“Peter Black. Nice to meet you.” I shook his hand with more force than necessary as Patrice stood there placidly unaware that I was basically ready to challenge this fucker to a duel over him.

The handshake went on a little longer than was reasonable and I barely refrained from grabbing my dick and posturing, all while Patrice looked at me like he was not sure what was wrong with me. But I’d seen that smile when he spotted me across the room a moment ago, so I was staying strong.

Fuck Pete and his sweater vest.

My death stare must have worked because after a quick goodbye, Pete made his way over to another cluster of people on the other side of the room.

“Patrice,” I said smugly now that I’d successfully managed to get Pete to move on.

He looked me up and down. His eyes landing for just a bit too long on my mouth. I ran my tongue over my upper lip, which I hoped would earn me a reaction.

When we’d been together, he nipped at my mouth all the time. Teasing me about how red my lips were. I was hoping, like me, he’d remember those moments. How good they were. I’d felt so close to Patrice on those nights last summer. Like he understood something essential about me and I’d felt like I did the same for him.

Right now, Patrice’s body language was mystifying me though. His shoulders were tight and tense and yet his eyes kept coming back to my face and my body. They were almost…needy. Like a kid who’s in a candy store without a cent to buy himself any of the treats he’s looking at. I brought my glass up to my lips and took a sip of my wine, looking straight at him. Letting him see in my eyes that everything he saw, he could have, anytime.

All he had to do was ask.

We stood there, our bodies pulling closer with every breath, in heavy silence. Neither of us wanting to be the one to breakfirst, and it was taking everything I had not to cave. I was trained in this. I didnotshow my cards. I did not reveal my position until I was sure I had the opportunity to take it all. My training did not seem to work when it came to Patrice, though.

In the end, he spoke first, “It’s good to see you again, Easton.”

I was going to ask him straight out why he was being so standoffish but decided to change tactics. What always worked between us was keeping things light. I had a feeling if I got intense on him, I’d send him running in the other direction.

“I came to rescue you from boring mathematicians.” I dipped my head in a little curtsy. “You’re welcome.”

He shook his head; his eyes were crinkling with amusement.

“Who says I wasn’t enjoying the conversation?” He slid his hands in his pockets and lifted his shoulder a fraction of a centimeter. Unbothered. “I like math. I do a lot of it for a living.”

This was us flirting. Patrice barely moving a body part and me practically doing cartwheels.

But as it always worked between us, it wasn’t long before our focus on each other built, and I felt the air change around us. After so many months of him acting like he barely knew me, I’d started to wonder if I’d made it all up. If I’d imagined this connection so strong it was almost palpable. The relief of seeing in his eyes the same intensity I was feeling made me weak.

Which gave me just enough of a nudge to push his buttons a little. “I know you do. I also know a whole lot of other things you like.” I didn’t even try to rein in the suggestiveness.

I was going to make my move.

I looked around, to see just how handsy I could get. We were tucked away in corner now; everyone had moved to the patio where Nesto and Jude were breaking in their new fire pit. So we were alone.

I had no problem with being shameless. I moved forward, my eyes zeroed in on those lips I’d been dreaming about for months.