Chapter 14

Liam

Unfortunately, or fortunately, for me I have the perfect view of Emilia on the dance floor from where we are sitting. Ryan is talking about something, who knows what, I can't focus because the girl twenty feet away from me, swaying her slightly curvy hips to the beat of the song, has all my attention. I down my water like it's something stronger hoping to get the courage to get up there and ask her to dance.

What Ryan said to me a month ago about deciding to take the risk or not has sat with me since. After the first week of having Emi in my life I didn't want to risk it, I like having her friendship, she's quickly become my favorite person. I went into tonight with the same energy, that's why I told her she should find a date. Except the issue with that is the second I saw her talking to James, jealousy coursed through my body and I knew I wouldn't be able to stand seeing her with anyone else. Not without at least seeing if this could be something.

I'm about to stand up and that's the exact moment James snakes his arm around Emi's waist. My jaw tightens and I force myself to stay in my seat, not wanting to ruin Emi's night over this newfound hatred I have for James. Ryan must finally notice I'm not paying any attention to him because he whips his head around following my gaze.

"Dude, you've got it bad." He says looking back at me and taking a sip of his beer. I grunt, not confirming or denying his suspicion. "You should go up there. Get your girl." My gaze is still across the room, locked on her, I don't even think she notices the way she draws people in. She throws her head back laughing at something James says. That only has me flexing my jaw harder. I want to be the one to make her laugh.

"She's not my girl." I sigh, ripping up the straw wrapper, needing to occupy my mind with something other than the image in front of me.

"But you want her to be." I just nod, there's no point in denying it, not to Ryan. We might be stepbrothers, but he's always been able to read me like we were twins. "I told her she should find a date, I thought I shouldn't risk it." I shake my head, looking back over to where she's dancing, James is behind her now holding her waist, pressed up against her body and she's smiling from ear to ear. I wish James was a bad guy then I'd have a good reason to walk over there and drag her away but he's a good guy, from what I know about him. He's a decent player, reliable and a family guy, the type of guy Emilia deserves really.

"Well if you really do have feelings for her, you better figure that out and quickly." Ryan rises from the booth, letting me know he's going to get another beer and offers to get me one. I shake my head, could I have one beer and drive? Yes, but I told Emilia I would keep her safe so that's exactly what I plan to do and that's best done perfectly sober. I torture myself for the next ten minutes, watching Emilia dance on James and then the music slows down, fading into a slow song.

Finally, I get up. This is the perfect opportunity to cut in, I use my six-foot frame to my advantage and start taking big strides over to where I can see the back of Emilia's light copper curls. I'm almost there when a figure pops up in front of me and I have to stop short so as to not topple them over.

"Liam." Vanessa purrs, running her fingernails down my arm. Internally, I groan. Of course she would be here. I look over her shoulder, where James has now spun Emilia around to slow dance, her hands hanging loosely over his shoulders and his holding her waist. We lock eyes and she gives me a soft smile until her eyes trace down to the person in front of me, her smile drops and her attention snaps back to James. "Dance with me?" Vanessa brings her hands up to my neck.

"Uh, Vanessa, I don't know." I stay standing still.

"C'mon Liam. One dance won't kill you."

"Okay." Idiot. But I can't interrupt Emi now, it would probably be rude to interrupt mid dance. Vanessa smiles up at me, threading her fingers together at the back of my neck and pulling me closer to her. I wrap my hands loosely around her waist, careful to not go lower. I don't want her getting the wrong idea, though I'm sure she already has one. I keep my eyes over Vanessa's shoulder, watching Emilia, who keeps glancing towards my direction but quickly darts her eyes away every time they lock on mine. The song finally comes to an end, what was probably three minutes felt like an eternity watching another man hold her. I drop my hands from Vanessa's waist the minute the song fades out, she gives me a pouty look but doesn't remove her hands from around my neck just yet.

Emilia whispers something to James and he smiles, letting her go, she plants a kiss on the cheek. I try to tame the jealousy, she looked happy with him but I want her to be happy with me. I need to figure out how to backtrack here. She walks over to me, a neutral, unreadable expression on her face. "I'm ready to go," and then she walks back towards our table.

Vanessa glares at her as she walks away and then looks at me. "Do you really need to go? She can get a ride from someone else." She still hasn't let go of my neck yet so I reach up and grab her arms, unwrapping them from my body and setting them back at her side.

"I'm leaving. Good night Vanessa." I turn and walk away from her, picking up my pace to meet Emilia. I don't look back but I swear I hear her stomp her feet like a toddler. When I get to the table Emilia is standing there with her arms crossed, as Rosie finishes up another margarita sitting across from Ryan. He's looking at her like she's the sun and if I wasn't so preoccupied with my own issue, I would be teasing him for it.

"Ry, you need a ride?"

"Why not." He shrugs with a smirk on his face. Getting up from the booth, Rosie rolls her eyes, and heads to the door, Ryan following close behind her. Emilia strolls past me to follow them to the door, I keep my pace next to her. I'm not sure what I want to say to her, she seemed like she had a good time with James but now she's quiet and her usual smile isn't in sight.

When we get to my Jeep, Ryan and Rosie are both standing next to the back doors, so Emilia walks up to the passenger side. I don't unlock it until I'm right on top of her so I can make sure I'm the one who opens it for her. I press unlock for the other two to get in, but with my hand on the door handle, I box Emilia in and before opening it lean down to whisper next to her ear. "Are you okay?"

She turns the top half of her body slightly, eyes meeting my gaze, and she forces a smile. "Yep, just tired."

"Okay." I nod, knowing it's not the full truth. She can't be jealous I was dancing with Vanessa, could she be? She was dancing with James and it's not like she's clued me in on her liking me. I open the door for her before going around to the driver"s side and getting in myself. The drive home is silent, Rosie falls asleep in the back on Ryan"s shoulder and Emilia keeps her eyes closed, resting her head back for the ride. The music is on low but I don't bother turning it up, just drive with my racing thoughts while everyone else seems so peaceful.