“Wow. I didn’t realize you had such an amazing um . . . tattoo.” Her eyes lifted to mine, and her teeth sunk into her lip.
My stomach dropped. She had been staring at me and not Gunner. I wanted to fist-pump and yell out in celebration right then and there.
“Yeah, you didn’t know I had that?” I asked as she looked back down at my phone.
She shook her head and replied, “No. When did you get so built?”
I laughed. “I work out, Ari. A lot.”
Her gaze lifted to mine again and then back to the phone. “I see that.”
“So what about Gunner . . . see what I mean?”
Her eyes drifted to the left, and that’s when I knew she hadn’t even looked at him yet. That did weird shit to my chest.
With a half shrug, she answered, “I mean, he’s cute. Nice body and all.”
She handed me back my phone and smiled. “I could see Ells thinking he was hot. She’s dating Ryan, though, so I honestly think you don’t have to worry about it.”
Narrowing my eyes, I took my phone from her hand. I attempted to ignore the way my skin caught on fire when my fingers brushed against hers. Of course, when she inhaled quickly at our touch, the fire grew ten times hotter across my skin.
What in the hell was happening?
“Yeah well, I’m not ready to introduce her to the college scene just yet.”
Her smile was genuine. “I can understand that. It won’t be much longer, though. A few more months, and she’ll be graduated.”
I nodded. The faster she got out of that house with my mother, the better.
“You feeling better?” I asked her.
“Yeah, I don’t think I’ll be going back down there to volunteer for a while. That really sucks, though; I love it.”
An idea hit me. “Well, we could go together. I mean, I could pick you up and drive you over. That way if he is ever there, he’ll see you with me.”
Her mouth parted open, and she stared at me for a few seconds before pressing her lips tightly together and looking away.
“No? Doesn’t sound like a good idea?” I asked.
“That’s a pretty big commitment on your part. I wouldn’t ask you to do that.”
I smiled. “You’re not asking; I’m offering.”
She let out an awkward laugh. “We don’t even really get along anymore, Jeff.”
I winked. “We seem to be getting along fine right now.”
Ari chewed on her lower lip, and I knew she was thinking it over. I reached for her hand, not being able to go another second without touching her. Even if it was meant to only be a sweet gesture.
Then I heard my name.
“Jeff?”
Turning, I let out a mumbled curse word when I saw her. “Hey there, Lynn.”
Lynn Dominic walked up to the table and smiled. She glanced over to Ari. “Oh! Is this your little sister you told me about?”
Ari lifted her chin and forced a smile.