I roll my eyes as she struts back to the dressing room.
********
“It looks gorgeous,” Jenna says from the edge of my bed as she watches me curl my hair. “If you keep messing with it, you’ll ruin it.”
I push the handle to release the last curl. It falls into a gentle spiral. My hair has a natural wave. It’s not curly in that enviable loose-curl way and it’s not straight in that enviable poker-straight way. It’s just wavy, wavy in that has-a-mind-of-its own way. Basically, I have two options in life: a curling iron or a flat iron.
“Why are you so worried about it anyway? You never go to this much trouble for Brent.”
“What? I can’t spice things up, too?”
“Since when does your relationship with Brent need spicing up?”
“It’s not that it needs spicing up. I just thought it could use a little…” Greenish-gray eyes flash at me from my memory. It could use some of that, some of what Trick made me feel in less than five minutes.
“Since when?” Jenna’s perceptive stare pins me from across the room. “Unless this isn’t about Brent at all.”
I look away from her eyes. “I don’t even know what that’s supposed to mean.” But I do. I know exactly what she means. And she’s right.
“Camille Elizabeth Hines, are you still thinking about that guy from last night?”
“No! What guy?”
Jenna’s mouth drops open and her eyes get wide. “You are!” She slides off the bed and walks toward me, her hands on her hips. “You’re still thinking about that hot guy from the bar.”
“You’re crazy. I have—”
“You are such a liar! I know you too well, Cami. Tell the truth.”
I turn toward her and lean against my vanity. “Okay, so what if I am? It’s not like I’m ever gonna see him again. What’s the big deal?”
“The big deal is that you finally found a guy who really does it for you. Good God, I’ve been waiting for years for this to happen.” Jenna steeples her fingers in front of her mouth, her forehead wrinkled dramatically. “My baby’s growing up.”
I throw my brush at her. “Oh, stop!”
Her expression turns serious. “Listen to me. You’re my best friend and I love you. I’m not saying that you need to chase after some guy you met once in a bar. But you should give this some thought, Cami. If Brent doesn’t make you feel all that and more, something’s wrong. I’m just sayin’.”
Deep down, I know she’s right. I love Brent, but he doesn’t turn my insides to mush or fill my thoughts day and night. But he’s a great guy who treats me well and has my father’s approval. And he’s hot. Who doesn’t like to have a hot date to kiss?
“Well,” I begin, straightening. “None of this affects our plans for the night. How do I look?”
Jenna scans me from the top of my dark red curls to my black shorts and cowboy boots.
“Hot enough to go trick-or-treating,” she responds with a wink.
CHAPTER SIX - Trick
Even in the dark, with only the glow from the lights around the makeshift stage that used to be the floor of a barn, I see her. The instant she walks through the gate, she draws my eye like honey draws a bee.
Her hair is all wild around her face, making me want to run my fingers through it. She’s wearing a skin tight shirt and a pair of shorts that show off the longest legs I’ve ever seen. I can’t help but get lost in the thought of what those legs would feel like wrapped around me. And the best part is, she’s with another girl. The same girl she was with at the bar. Not a guy.
“Hey, Leo,” I call to the guy setting up the keyboard. He plays for the cover band that’s entertaining in the field tonight. “If Rusty comes looking for me, tell him I’ll be right back.”
I make my way around the edge of the crowd, back to where Cami and her friend have stopped to watch the band set up. As I come up to her left side, she turns to look at me.
Now, I’ve got an ego just like any other guy, but I also know when a girl is attracted to me. And this girl is attracted to me.
Her eyes light up and her lips spread into the most beautiful smile this side of heaven.
“You really should stop following me,” I say with a grin.
“Apparently I can’t seem to help myself,” she replies, her eyes twinkling.
“I’m unfortunate in that way. So much animal magnetism the ladies just lose all control.”
She laughs, a deep, husky sound that makes me want to groan. “And so humble, too.”
“That’s the second time I’ve heard that today. I’m not sure what it means.”
“That you know two delusional people?”
“Most likely.”
She smiles. I smile. I could just look at her all night long.
“So, what brings you to a field party? I’m pretty sure I’d remember if I’d seen you here before.”
“Oh, really? Come to a lot of field parties, do you?”
I shrug. “Not anymore, but if I’d ever seen you at one, I would remember. Trust me.”
The glow of the stage lights is enough for me to see her blush.
“You’re really gonna have to quit doing that.”
“Doing what?” she asks coyly.
“Blushing like that.”
“I assure you, if I could avoid it, I would.”
“But then I’d just have to make it my mission in life to make you blush. By whatever means necessary.”
Her smile falters a little and her eyes dart to my mouth.
God help me!
“So, what did you say you were doing here?”
“I didn’t.”
“But you were going to.”
“Was I?”
“Well, it’s either that or you were going to take me up on my offer.”
I hear her soft gasp, even above the noise of the crowd around us. It squirms in my stomach and makes my palms itch to touch her.
She clears her throat. “Actually, I’m here with my boyfriend.”
“Damn. I knew you were too beautiful to be unattached. It’s just a shame you’re dating an idiot.”
“An idiot? Why is that?”
“Any guy would have to be out of his mind to leave you alone at a party for one second.”
“I’m not alone.”
She turns around to her friend, but she’s gone. “Well, I wasn’t alone.”
“But now you are.”