LOGINHe had changed into sweatpants with no shirt, looking at me standing there in just my bra and panties, like a predator looking at it's prey.I'd made a terrible mistake coming here.Or maybe a perfect one.The jealousy I'd wanted him to feel all night was about to eat us both alive.He didn't move.He just stood there with his sweatpants. The waistband barely holding on to the sharp V of muscle and his chest was bare, all muscle and smooth skin and the kind of body that made my mouth water without permission.His breathing was controlled. Like he was holding himself back from doing something we'd both regret or something we'd both need so badly that it doesn't matter if we'll regret it.His eyes slowly dragged down my body, taking in every inch of skin I was showing him.The black lace bra barely contained my tits, pushing them up and together, and my nipples were already hard and visible through the thin fabric, showing how horny I am.His gaze moved lower. Over my stomach, my hips,
"That was wonderful! Such a lovely evening," Mom said, with her bright and happy voice."Tiring. But lovely," Dad added, and they fell into their comfortable banter while a war was happening three feet away from them and they didn't notice at all.There were three inches of air between me and Jax, charged and electric and very dangerous. Neither of us was looking at the other but we were both so aware, so much that it hurts. My dress was against his suit pants, not touching but almost, and that almost was killing me.Mom turned to me with her usual very sweet warm smile."Your friend Miles. He was so sweet tonight."Those words made me develop an immediate stomach ache. Not now, please I don't need this conversation now."Yeah. He is.""He seems very fond of you."That word. Fond. Fond is a very simple and innocent word, but we both knew it wasn't supposed to be that."We're just friends, Mom.""Mm-hmm." She cleared her throat, and had that knowing smile, like she could see everything
More than two hours passed very quickly and I didn't even noticed until Vera checked her phone."Oh my god, it's almost eleven."Alex looked surprised. "Already?""Time flies when you're enjoying an event," Lexi said, and everyone laughed.The ballroom was still alive but different now, the energy was shifting from excited to less excited and people were obviously very tired. Some people were leaving already while others were staying until the end. The orchestra was still playing but slower, and the candles on tables were burning lower.I was exhausted in a way that went beyond physical tiredness. I'm still with my friends and Miles still close to me.I was laughing at the right times and smiling when I needed to, but the mask was getting heavy. I'd lost track of where Jax was and I wasn't even looking for him anymore. He'd seen enough, I'd done enough.Now I just wanted this night to end, or enjoy it anyway i can.Lexi was telling some story about when her phone fell in the Thames du
I was walking toward Miles and it felt like the longest walk ever, even though it was just fee feets away.I was weaving through tables and people were standing up, couples were moving toward the dance floor as the orchestra shifted into something slow and romantic. The ballroom was alive now with movement and laughter and clinking glasses, and I kept my eyes on Miles the whole time.His whole face lit up when he realized I was actually coming to him. He said something to the table and everyone looked up; Lexi smirking, Vera grinning, and Alex nodding while smiling and looking down. He stepped away from the group and met me halfway."Hey," he said."Hey.""Survived family dinner?""Barely."He smiled at that and his expression shifted into something more serious, more hopeful."Want to dance?"He extended his hand to me, and I saw his clean palm up and open. I looked at it for a second, at how steady it was, how it felt...I don't know. I felt this brief hesitation that wasn't about h
Table four was exactly where Jax said it'd be. Right near the stage where everyone could see it, impossible to hide, just got to totally blend in.White tablecloth, crystal glasses, gold chargers, and place cards in the middle of the table 'The Wilder Family', and in calligraphy was the names that faced each chair: Declan, Nova, Jax, Scarlett. Of course Jax was next to me.Mom and Dad were already seated when were arrived, Mom looking elegant and Dad with his coffee.They both looked up when I approached."There you are! I've been expecting you." Mom said brightly."Got caught up with friends," I explained."That's wonderful. Sit, sit!"Jax pulled out my chair and his hand brushed my back as he did it. The contact was brief, but it felt like something burnt at my back.I sat down and tried to ignore how close he was, ignore how I could feel his heat, and how every breath was filled with his cologne.I scanned the ballroom and found table twelve on the left side, something like thirty
"He's nice," I said, which was true but also obviously not really an answer, but it felt like a good thing to say.Lexi made this frustrated noise and said "Nice? That's what you're going with?" "What do you want me to say?" "I don't know. That you're into him? Not into him? Something with actual information in it?""I don't know yet," I admitted, which was honest because I genuinely didn't know how I felt about Miles beyond the fact that his attention felt good and completely uncomplicated and safe, and the safe is the kind of safe that I desperately needed right now."He wore his best suit for you," Lexi added, and it felt like completely flattery."How do you know it's his best suit? Beside y'all only guessed that I MIGHT be at this event.""Because I've seen his other suits. This one is NEW. Like 'bought specifically for this event' kind of new.""Maybe he just wanted to look nice for the







