Eternal Longing ✓

42. The Dinner Party

JAYA

Hands slightly trembling, I fix my dress for the seventh time in three minutes.

Yes, I've been counting.

A warm, hard body engulfs me from the back, soft lips kissing my ear and strong arms wrapping around my middle. "Look at you. You're so fucking beautiful, Jaya."

I take a deep breath and close my eyes, but don't say anything, just revel in his touch even though I should push his hands off of me. I'm a little pissed at him for springing this dinner party on me and still annoyed at how our date concluded, so I stay quiet as he lays kisses along my jaw.

After we came back from the date yesterday, as soon as he made sure I was settled with my laptop open to the cursed assignment I had to complete, he went out once more to run whatever errands that so urgently needed to be taken care of.

"You're so damn beautiful. If you want me to kneel at your feet and worship you, sweetheart, just say that. Because I'm willing and able to do just that if you need me to and-"

"Okay, okay." I turn away from the mirror to face him with a chuckle I try to hold back. "Thank you." I tilt my head and regard him. I don't want to, I promise I don't, but I melt a little at just how fine he looks. "You look hot, too, babe." I kick myself mentally for letting the compliment slip.

A huge smile pops on his face and he cups my cheek. "Oh, so I'm babe, now?" he asks sarcastically, eyes shining with mirth and something else I can't quite decipher.

Something that looks like longing, but deeper. Like desire, but deadlier. Whatever it is, it's not enough for him to be fully open with me, so in the grand scheme of things, it must mean nothing at all.

"You know what? Nevermind." Rolling my eyes, I move away from his touch. I've been cold to him for a little over a day and I can't reverse all my progress now. "I take back the babe."

"What?" He feigns sadness, pouting adorably. "But I like babe. I want to be babe."

"And that's why I'm rescinding it. You like it so much that it'll go straight to your big head. So no more."

His grumbling follows me as I extract myself from his presence and go apply another layer of lip gloss, trying very hard to remove from my brain all thoughts of falling for him.

_______

On the way to the Bartons' New York residence, which I figure is an extravagant mansion, I chat on the phone with Amara partly to distill my nerves and mostly so I can ignore Fin for a little longer.

"This girls' trip idea sounds awesome! An entire weekend just for us girls is exactly what I need."

"Same," I agree with my friend. "Can't believe it's been almost two months since school started."

"I know, right? Ro and I miss you and Sera like crazy."

"Aw, I miss you guys, too." I really do. Being away from home has been hard. I miss my friends and my family and the life that I didn't appreciate enough. "We really need to make this girls' trip thing happen, though. No matter what."

I feel Finley's eyes on me, so I turn to my left to look at him, surprised to see a frown on his face as he stares me down. Guess he doesn't like the girls' trip idea. Too bad, because it's happening.

When the light turns green, he reluctantly looks forward and starts driving again.

I'm not sure what Amara said when I was distracted with Fin, but she must have changed the subject because she's now discussing my relationship status.