Always With You - A Best Friends To Lovers Novel

Chapter Fourteen

Chapter Fourteen

Bowie

Whitley was dancing with a random guy on the small dancefloor of the bar, and I watched as River walked over to her, whispering something into her ear. Without a glance in my direction, he left. He didn't show much emotion, and I wasn't sure what bothered him.

"Bowie," Ford said, and I turned my head to him, smiling apologetically. "Sorry, what were you saying?" Ford was nice. Just like Whitley said, he was a very talkative guy. It would've given him some extra points if he didn't talk about himself so much though.

He talked about his father's business, about the country club his parents owned, and how he would one day take over. All that wasn't as interesting as it would be for someone who was into rich people's lives. I didn't care much about all the money his father spent to build three more holes for the golf course. And I most certainly didn't care about the house they were building for Ford. But he also talked about football, and some stories were funny enough to make me laugh. Other than that, I didn't feel like seeing Ford a second time after tonight.

He was a handsome guy...but I didn't fit into his world. "I asked if you were tired. You yawned for the fourth time in ten minutes," he pointed out, and I gave him a crooked smile, slightly embarrassed.

"Sorry about that. I am a little tired," I explained.

"I'll take you home," he said with a smile, and I nodded. I looked over at Whitley. I wasn't going to bother her and ask if she wanted to come with us, in case that guy intended on taking her home himself. But I had to make sure the guy who was grinding on her in front of everyone wasn't some freak.

"Do you know the guy dancing with Whitley?" I asked Ford. He turned his head while I put on my jacket, then he nodded.

"That's Ruben. He's a senior. Good guy," he said, and I nodded. "Okay. I'm ready to go home," I told him, and he reached into his pocket to get out his car key.

After a short drive to my apartment building, we both got out of the car. He walked over to my side, standing in front of me and giving me a half-smile. "Did you have fun tonight?" he asked.

"Yes, thank you," I replied, not knowing what to say next. He kept his eyes on me, narrowing them and then moving closer, making me back up against the car. "Maybe we can do it again sometime?" he suggested, and I nodded, unable to do anything else.

He stopped a few inches in front of me, leaning against the car with each hand on either side of my body. His eyes fell to my lips, and I wondered if he would actually go in for a kiss after our first, and in my eyes, last date. I hoped he wouldn't. Because even if he was a nice guy, and although he was good-looking, I didn't feel a deeper connection with him. It seemed as if there was not much space for another guy in my heart.

"Ford," I whispered, putting my hand on his chest, and pushing against it. "We shouldn't," I croaked out, but he didn't move away.

"Why not? We had a good time, didn't we?" he asked in a low voice. I agreed, but I didn't want to feel his lips on mine. Not his.

"I just think we shouldn't," I repeated, pushing against his chest a little harder and getting his face further away from mine. It would be my first kiss. Well, my first real kiss. I didn't count the peck I had to give a boy while playing truth or dare when I was seven.

"Are you really going to push me away as I try to kiss you?" He mocked, keeping his voice low. "You're hurting my feelings, Bowie," he murmured, now sounding more serious than before. My heart was pounding, and while his lips moved closer, I turned my head to the side and pushed against his chest one more time.

"Get your hands off her!" River's voice sounded like a thread, and to my surprise, Ford stepped away from me and looked behind me with a raised brow.

"What the hell are you doing here?" he asked, and I quickly moved away from Ford, taking quick steps into River's direction. Not sure why he was here, but I was glad he was.

"None of your fucking business. Get in that car and leave. And don't you fucking dare come near her again. You hear me?" I had heard River talk like that once before. He was seventeen, defending one of his classmates from bullies. I loved the way he cared about others, even if he wasn't friends with them. But what mattered was his big heart.

"Who the fuck do you think you are, Wilson?" Now they were at last name basis. I didn't like people shouting, but I knew this wasn't ending soon. "Ever heard of respecting someone's privacy?" Ford added, and River let out a harsh laugh.

"Fuck off. She's obviously not that into you. You can't make her do things she's not comfortable with," River said. He was protecting me now, and I felt my insides starting to tingle.

"Let's go inside. I'm fine," I whispered, grabbing River's hand. He pulled me back, standing in front of me and acting as some sort of a shield from Ford.

Ford looked past River, trying to make eye-contact with me. "Next time you go out with someone, try mentioning that you already have a boyfriend," he told me, then added: "little slut."

River immediately tensed, and I gripped his arm tighter. "What did you call her?" he growled, stepping forward. "Don't," I begged, pulling him back and trying to turn him the other way. "He's not worth it."

"We're not done," River spat while Ford got into his car and drove off. I stepped in front of him, cupping his face in my hands and making him look at me.

"Why are you here?" I asked. He must've come here right after he left the bar.

"I was waiting for you," he breathed, frowning. "I was hoping your evening would end a little differently. I'm sorry for what he tried to do."

"Were you watching?" He didn't have a key to my apartment, so he must've been waiting outside for me to come back home.

He nodded, sighing, and reaching up to take both my hands off his cheeks. "I wanted to make sure he got you home safe. Fuck..." he muttered. "I should've stopped him right away."

I smiled at him, trying to make the best out of this situation. "I'm fine, Riv. Let's go to bed."