I leave the light on and check that the door is locked before I turn in for the night.
Leigh should be home soon. She’s having dinner with a group of med students. She’s supposed to be taking a break before she starts her residency.
I take a quick shower before I put on my pajamas and crawl into bed.
Lying in the dark, I think about Marcus. The man has me in knots. I can’t figure him out. His eyes tell me one thing, while his attitude clearly sucks.
I have a feeling there’s more to Marcus than what he wants me to see. I’ve always liked a challenge, and I definitely don’t scare off easily. I’m going to dig until I find out who the real Marcus is.
Is he a womanizing bastard or has he been hurt? Maybe that’s why he keeps everyone at a distance.
Hell, by the time I’m done with him I might just decide to study psychology. Leigh would get a kick out of that.
Chapter 5
MARCUS
After last night’s party, I’m so fucking tired. I swear I coul
d sleep for a week. I glance at my bruised knuckles. It will heal like it always does. It was more satisfying beating those fuckers who were chasing Della, than the sex with whats-her-name was.
As I walk to the door, I notice a piece of paper on the dresser. I pick it up and see that it has a number with the words ‘call me’ scribbled on it.
“Hell no. Once was enough for me.”
Throwing it in the trash, I head downstairs to see what the others want for dinner.
I hear Evie’s voice and almost go back to my room. Lately, every time we’ve seen her, she’s had someone new to introduce to us.
I walk into the living room, and even though my guard instantly goes up when I see Willow, I’m relieved that there are no new faces.
“Where’s Leigh?” Jaxson asks from where he’s sitting next to Willow.
I sit down on a single seater, content to just listen to the conversation.
“She has a headache,” Willow responds. She watches Jaxson a little too closely for my liking, then says, “You asked where Leigh is.”
My eyes dart to Jaxson, and I zone out of the conversation going on around me as I examine his expressions.
Interesting. Jaxson has never shown interest in a girl before. Leigh gave him hell this morning. It was entertaining to watch. But looking at Jaxson now, it’s clear he’s interested in Leigh.
I need to remember that Willow is observant. Nothing seems to escape her attention.
How fucked-up would it be if we all fell for a girl? I shouldn’t joke about shit like that. In only a few weeks we’re leaving for New York. Besides, we’re all practically allergic to commitment, so there’s no need to worry about anything serious happening.
My eyes are drawn to Willow. Because the girls left the party early the night before, I didn’t have to talk to her. We only greeted each other, and that was barely civil.
I hate that she becomes more beautiful every time I see her. I’m starting to notice when she smiles, there’s a dimple on her left cheek. She has expressive eyes, and I can see the love she has for Leigh shining from them as she talks about her friend. Everything about her draws me in, like a moth to a flame.
When Jaxson stands up, I’m caught off guard for a moment. I got lost in starting at Willow. As he walks away, I take my chance and move from the single seater so I can sit next to Willow.
As I sit down, I leave no space between us. Throwing my arm around Willow’s shoulders, I pull her closer, until I can smell the fresh scent of her hair.
Her body stiffens, and her eyes widen at my bold move.
Resisting the urge to bury my face in her hair, I lean closer to her ear, and whisper, “You just can’t stay away, can you? We can go upstairs right now, and I’ll scratch that itch for you.”
She turns her face slowly until our eyes meet. Lowering her lashes, she stares at my mouth, and the need to kiss her slams hard against the steel barriers I’ve constructed around my heart. She draws her bottom lip between her teeth and lets out a sexy-as-fuck groan, which instantly makes me hard.