Chapter 3

chapter three

Gavin

I'd rather sit down and chew both of my arms off than watch her smile at my brother like that.

"How the hell did you get her to talk to you?" I ask Levi, watching the girl from earlier as her blonde hair swings and she walks away.

"Well, for starters, I didn't ask if her tits were real."

I grab a fry off my plate and toss it at him, "I didn't mean to do that."

He winces, "Another one of those times where your brain and mouth didn't communicate?"

"I was literally talking about her nails."

He offers me a look that screams, yeah right .

"I'm serious," I deadpan. "I wouldn't say that to a chick. I might think about it, but I'd never say it."

"I know," He says, "I guess I just thought maybe you were throwing away your morals for the sake of the cruise."

I laugh, "If I wanted pussy I could get it. I was just intrigued by the fact she was looking at a book and not her phone."

Levi laughs, "She doesn't really seem like your type?"

I steal his drink, and get defensive. I can't help it. "Because she's yours?"

Levi yanks the drink back out of my hand, "No. I have a girlfriend, remember?"

I raise my brow, "Does she know she's your girlfriend?"

He punches my bicep and shakes his head.

"You know that Allie and I are meant to be together."

I grin, "Just because you guys used to kiss in our treehouse doesn't mean it's your destiny."

"I take my promises very seriously."

"Levi, you made that promise when you were eight."

He laughs, "There's nobody in this world like Allie, Gavin. No one."

Most people would laugh at him. Tell him he was crazy, and there was no way in hell that he'd ever marry the girl next door. The girl he'd been obsessed with since kindergarten. I knew better. I knew that if there was any chance in hell they could make it, Levi would make it happen.

Sure a few things stood in his way, but it didn't matter. Not to Levi. In his mind, it was him and Alabama Carver, aka Allie forever.

Jealousy fills my veins. I'd never loved anyone like that.

Never.

I secretly wondered what it would feel like to fall in love. To see a girl for the first time and be completely obsessed with her like Levi is with Allie. Right now, the only thing I could count on was football.

Girls would come and go but football would always be there. Football gave me opportunities.

"Please come with me tonight," Levi whines as he changes the subject. "You've barely spent a single second with me since we left."

I sigh, "You should take it easy. You know what they said about?—"

"Stop," Levi demands. "Stop treating me like a baby, Gav."

"You watch your best friend go into cardiac arrest right in front of you and not be able to do a damn thing, then come talk to me."

He sighs, "I'm being careful. I promise. Now please come with me."

He pokes his lip out all dramatically, like he might cry.

"I'll go if you put your lip back in and stop acting ridiculous, but only for a few hours."

A wide grin spreads across his face and I follow him back to shower and get ready.

When we finally make it down to the dark room full of black lights and alcohol, Levi looks like a kid in a candy store. He introduces me to some of the guys he's met and when they start for the dance floor I excuse myself to the bathroom. No one, and I do mean no one, needs to see that I can't dance.

When I make it back, I spot Levi with the same familiar hands from earlier draped around his neck. I step backward into the shadows, and watch as she smiles at something he says. A tightness forms in my chest at just the sight of her. She's perfect, her delicate shoulders are bare and her hair is the color of honey. The way she moves so effortlessly against Levi makes me seethe with jealousy. Her eyes find me staring at her and burn right back into mine. She whispers something into Levi's ear, and the thought of her lips so close to his neck makes me nearly feel them myself. I try my best to keep my feet anchored and watch as every guy in this place has his eyes on her.

But I fail.

Miserably.

I cross the room so quickly I even surprise myself, and before I can stop, my hands are on hers pulling them from around Levi's neck.

"What the hell is wrong with you?" She growls, pulling her bony wrist from my grip.

Levi snickers, "I told you."

She rolls her eyes at him, but remains unaffected by my presence, then pushes past me. I turn to chase after her, "Wait!"

She doesn't stop, and I watch her hips sway as she walks away.

"Please just wait," I beg, chasing after her.

She turns, the sass basically radiating off her, "What do you want, Phoenix?"

I'm instantly embarrassed that I mentioned that to her now that she's remembered and used it against me. "I'm sorry about earlier, okay."

Rolling her eyes, she crosses her arms and turns to walk away.

"Just wait!" I yell, following her outside. The night air envelopes us in some sort of bubble.

I'm so tight on her heels that I nearly trample her when she stops abruptly in front of me.

"Shit," I huff, slamming right into her tiny body.

"Why are you following me around?" She growls. "Can you get off me?"

I quickly step away and give her some space and she grabs a rail nearby to steady herself, obviously a little tipsy.

"I'm not following you."

She crosses her arms, and looks at me like she's waiting for a follow up to my statement, because I was following her.

"I just saw you talking to my brother."

"And?"

"And I wanted to come say hi."

She starts to raise her voice, "But you didn't. You walked over and grabbed me."

I sigh, "I don't know why I did that."

She starts to walk away but stops, "Do you always act like this?"

"Like what?"

She shakes her head and starts walking again, but I just can't stand the thought of her leaving.

"Stop," I say, running to stand in her way.

Her eyes are a burning brown, the closer you get to the middle the more gold they look. The darkness and sparkle contrast with her blonde hair. It is making me crazy.

"Can I have your number?" I blab, completely catching her off guard.

"Absolutely not."

I step closer to her, surprised when she doesn't back away. Actually, if I didn't know any better, I'd say she is begging for me to be close to her. To touch her.

"What's your name then?"

She looks around like she might take off running then answers, "Daisy."

"Can I kiss you, Daisy?"

She stares into my eyes, and I take my hand and snake it around the back of her neck, causing goosebumps to radiate down her shoulders.

"Makes it less romantic if you have to ask," She acknowledges.

I crack a smile, "I'm not really the romantic type."

Now I'm closer to her lips, and she still hasn't told me no. But she hasn't said yes, either.

"What type are you?" She asks, her breath a perfect mixture of sweet and mint.

"I guess the type who forgets how to act around you."

She smiles, her lips just centimeters from mine, taunting me, "It happens all the time with guys, so don't feel too special."

"Not anymore."

At least not if I could help it. No one would be forgetting how to act around her except for me.

I dip my lips to hers, barely touching them, and it's like electricity sparks between us. A feeling I've never experienced. I swear I can feel the ground beneath us moving, like my knees could buckle at any given moment.

She melts against me, and her lips open wider. I take the opening and sweep my tongue against hers. Suddenly, she is closer to me and our movements become more rapid, sloppy even. I lift her gently and her legs snake around my waist.

Holy. Fucking. Shitballs.

I remember she's wearing a dress. Just the thought of her panties being the only thing touching me makes me grow beneath my shorts. I don't dare take my lips off hers as I fumble around until we're tucked in a corner away from anyone seeing. My large hands make her waist feel so fragile and I slip them under the hem of her dress, feeling the waistband of her panties.

"Want to go back to my room?" She rasps.

"Do you ?"

She nods quickly, and shuffles out of my grip, straightening her dress back down.

"Lead the way," I force, the words rough and nearly croaking out of me.

She instantly grabs my hand and pulls me behind her, and to be so small she walks fast. Like really fast. I'm nearly a foot taller than her and am basically running.

She stops abruptly, hesitating outside the door, turning back to me. "This," she breathes, tired from the speed walking, "Doesn't mean I like you."

I can't help but crack a smile as she whips her blonde hair in my face and opens the door.