Find You in the Dark by A. Meredith Walters - Find You in the Dark 01 - Find You in the Dark Page B

conceded, looking at me. 
      There went those stupid butterflies in my stomach again.  I wish I could squash them.
      I coughed pointedly and moved to get out of the booth.  Clay held out his hand.  “I think you might have to help me.”  He joked.  I laughed and pulled him to his feet.  He wrapped his arm around my waist and hugged me to his side.  “Thanks, Mags.”  He said softly into my ear and dropped his arm. 
      I stumbled a bit after he let me go. I felt completely flustered.  Clay insisted on paying again and I argued.  “No way.  You paid last time!” I tried pushing cash into his hand.  Clay took the bills and tucked them into my front pocket.  It felt like such an intimate thing to do.  I tried not to focus too much on the feel of his fingers so close to such sensitive parts of my body. 
      “ You pay next time.”  He said, looking down at me.  Next time?  There would be a next time?  I couldn't stop the happy little dance that unleashed in my stomach.
      “ Hi, Maggie.”  A voice said from behind me as Clay paid at the cash register.  I turned around to see Daniel's on- again girlfriend, Kylie.  She was with her friends Dana Welsh and McKenna Riley.  “Hey Kylie.  Dana, McKenna.”  I acknowledged the other girls grudgingly.  I really disliked Kylie's friends.  They were snotty and obnoxious.  I had always hated when were forced into the same social circles.  They just weren't my type of people. 
      McKenna gave me a fake smile but Dana didn't bother to look at me.  She was too busy checking out Clay's backside.  I felt myself bristle.  Dana was beautiful in that typical blond bombshell sort of way.  And trust me, she knew it. 
      Clay turned around and blinked in surprise at our sudden company.  “Hello?”  He said questioningly to Kylie and her friends.
      I watched the Clayton Reed effect in full force.  Kylie's smile widened and I swear she licked her lips, seeming to forget the fact that she was currently involved with Danny.  Great girlfriend there.  Dana stuck her chest out and McKenna flipped her hair.
      Oh god.  It was like watching a mating ritual on the Discovery Channel.  The pheromones these girls were throwing out could choke a donkey.  I realized I was being rude but I really didn't want to introduce them. 
      Clay looked down at me questioningly and finally stuck out his hand.  “Hi, I'm Clay.”  He said tightly.  I could tell he was uncomfortable and I felt like an ass for not stepping in to make it easier for him.  But I was trying to suppress the need to inflict bodily harm on the dumb bimbos standing in front of us.  Dana jumped in first and wrapped her hand around his, pressing closer to him than was socially acceptable.  “I'm Dana.  You're the new guy aren't you?”  Her voice had dropped a few octaves and I knew she was trying really hard to be seductive.
      I watched Clay's mouth fall open as she held onto his hand.  He seemed a little at a loss.  If he fell for this bitch's bullshit, I vowed to make him take me home. 
      Finally, he extracted his hand from her iron clad grip.  “Uh, yeah. That's me.”  He put his hand through his hair.  “I'm Kylie and this is McKenna.  We're just so excited to meet you.”  Kylie sort of elbowed her way in front of Dana so that she was now standing absurdly close to Clay. 
      I didn't even try to hide the fact that I was rolling my eyes.  Were these girls for real?  Clay seemed a little weirded out.  “Excited to meet me?  Why?”  His eyes darted to me and I only shrugged.  Kylie put her hand on his arm.  Did this girl have no shame?  She was currently dating my best friend and here she was hanging all over someone else.  Right in front of me! 
      “ You're all anyone is talking about.  You're very mysterious.”  She purred.  Oh gag.  Enough was enough. 
      I positioned myself between Clay and Kylie and gently pushed Clay toward the