glancing over her shoulder.
I forced a smile and shook my head. “Nothin’.”
She eyed me strangely and turned back around, weaving through some more people. The crowd split suddenly, and I got a good view of two men sitting at a table along the balcony. One man was facing me, and the other had his back to me. The man facing me looked similar to Lyric, if she didn’t have all the tattoos, piercings, or the multicolored hair. He was good looking – chocolate hair, a slender runner’s build, and a three-piece suit. If I wasn’t so distracted, I would have been blown away at how opposite the siblings appeared. Instead, for the second time today, I was gaping at the back of a very familiar man.
I’m cursed.
There was no doubt about it. The man was following me no matter where I went.
Did God want to punish me?
What did I do to deserve this?!
Maybe Ben had just stopped at Lyric’s brother’s table. Perhaps he dropped his wallet and Ben picked it up for him.
It could happen.
Yeah, and maybe I’m not in hell right now.
“Hey, guys!” Lyric shouted and let go of my hand, skipping the remainder of the way to their table.
Me, I dragged my feet, wanting the ground to gobble me up.
Both men stood, but Ben got to Lyric first. Much to my dismay, he dipped down and gave her a huge hug, picking her up a bit and shaking her. Both of their laughs intermingled, speaking of a close friendship.
This can’t be happening!
Out of all the people in London, I had to befriend the one person that knew Ben.
“It’s been too long,” Ben spoke, and his voice damn near curled my toes.
“I know!” Lyric sang happily, grinning like a loon. “It’s so good to see you!”
Ben tugged on one of her pigtails, his lips twitching. “I like the new color. Very you .”
“Who’s your friend, sis?” the other man, Paul, asked, watching me carefully.
I knew I probably looked like a deer in the headlights. “Uh…?”
Ben turned his head and froze. “Samantha?” he questioned, shocked – his brilliant eyes were practically bugging out of his head.
He remembered my name?!
Slow your roll, Sam.
It doesn’t matter that he remembers you or your name. He was with a woman earlier…a very pregnant woman.
“You two know each other?” Lyric asked, her gaze darting between us.
“Kind of,” I squeaked.
Yes, I squeaked.
Damn it!
A smile began on Ben’s lips, starting slow, and then grew wider and wider until it nearly split his gorgeous face. “Small world,” he murmured and then stared down at Lyric. “Samantha and I sat next to each other on the flight here.”
“No shit?!” Lyric grinned and met my eyes. “That’s crazy!”
I forced a laugh and shuffled nervously. “Yeah…crazy.”
“What am I, chopped liver?” Paul asked from behind Ben and Lyric.
Lyric rolled her eyes and greeted her brother. “Oh, shut your trap. I see your ugly mug all the time.”
Laughing, they embraced quickly, and then Paul pulled out the stool next to him for Lyric. Lyric introduced us briefly and then demanded, “Sit.” She tilted her head toward the stool next to Ben’s, the one that sat next to the railing, overlooking the dancefloor and stage.
I took a deep breath and faked another smile. “Sure.”
Like Paul, Ben pulled the stool out for me and didn’t take his until I was settled. His scent tickled my nose, causing my nerves – don’t forget hormones – to go up a notch. I was thanking all things holy when the waitress arrived and took our drink orders. I needed the liquid courage. I silently reprimanded myself for sobering up earlier and for not taking another shot with Lyric when I had the chance. I needed to be totally blitzed to get through this.
“So…” Ben said, observing me. “How are you enjoying your trip so far?”
“Oh, uh…fine,” I replied, fidgeting, not sure what to say.
“Don’t lie, Carolina,” Lyric interjected. “She’s been bored to death the last few days.”
I shot her a
I forced a smile and shook my head. “Nothin’.”
She eyed me strangely and turned back around, weaving through some more people. The crowd split suddenly, and I got a good view of two men sitting at a table along the balcony. One man was facing me, and the other had his back to me. The man facing me looked similar to Lyric, if she didn’t have all the tattoos, piercings, or the multicolored hair. He was good looking – chocolate hair, a slender runner’s build, and a three-piece suit. If I wasn’t so distracted, I would have been blown away at how opposite the siblings appeared. Instead, for the second time today, I was gaping at the back of a very familiar man.
I’m cursed.
There was no doubt about it. The man was following me no matter where I went.
Did God want to punish me?
What did I do to deserve this?!
Maybe Ben had just stopped at Lyric’s brother’s table. Perhaps he dropped his wallet and Ben picked it up for him.
It could happen.
Yeah, and maybe I’m not in hell right now.
“Hey, guys!” Lyric shouted and let go of my hand, skipping the remainder of the way to their table.
Me, I dragged my feet, wanting the ground to gobble me up.
Both men stood, but Ben got to Lyric first. Much to my dismay, he dipped down and gave her a huge hug, picking her up a bit and shaking her. Both of their laughs intermingled, speaking of a close friendship.
This can’t be happening!
Out of all the people in London, I had to befriend the one person that knew Ben.
“It’s been too long,” Ben spoke, and his voice damn near curled my toes.
“I know!” Lyric sang happily, grinning like a loon. “It’s so good to see you!”
Ben tugged on one of her pigtails, his lips twitching. “I like the new color. Very you .”
“Who’s your friend, sis?” the other man, Paul, asked, watching me carefully.
I knew I probably looked like a deer in the headlights. “Uh…?”
Ben turned his head and froze. “Samantha?” he questioned, shocked – his brilliant eyes were practically bugging out of his head.
He remembered my name?!
Slow your roll, Sam.
It doesn’t matter that he remembers you or your name. He was with a woman earlier…a very pregnant woman.
“You two know each other?” Lyric asked, her gaze darting between us.
“Kind of,” I squeaked.
Yes, I squeaked.
Damn it!
A smile began on Ben’s lips, starting slow, and then grew wider and wider until it nearly split his gorgeous face. “Small world,” he murmured and then stared down at Lyric. “Samantha and I sat next to each other on the flight here.”
“No shit?!” Lyric grinned and met my eyes. “That’s crazy!”
I forced a laugh and shuffled nervously. “Yeah…crazy.”
“What am I, chopped liver?” Paul asked from behind Ben and Lyric.
Lyric rolled her eyes and greeted her brother. “Oh, shut your trap. I see your ugly mug all the time.”
Laughing, they embraced quickly, and then Paul pulled out the stool next to him for Lyric. Lyric introduced us briefly and then demanded, “Sit.” She tilted her head toward the stool next to Ben’s, the one that sat next to the railing, overlooking the dancefloor and stage.
I took a deep breath and faked another smile. “Sure.”
Like Paul, Ben pulled the stool out for me and didn’t take his until I was settled. His scent tickled my nose, causing my nerves – don’t forget hormones – to go up a notch. I was thanking all things holy when the waitress arrived and took our drink orders. I needed the liquid courage. I silently reprimanded myself for sobering up earlier and for not taking another shot with Lyric when I had the chance. I needed to be totally blitzed to get through this.
“So…” Ben said, observing me. “How are you enjoying your trip so far?”
“Oh, uh…fine,” I replied, fidgeting, not sure what to say.
“Don’t lie, Carolina,” Lyric interjected. “She’s been bored to death the last few days.”
I shot her a
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