For a brief, perverted second, I imagined the slip of the towel hadn’t been an accident. I imagined dropping to my knees and inhaling her like she was fine wine.

  “Take the damn cupcake,” she squealed, snapping me from my daydream.

  If I hadn’t been eating her out in my mind, I would have realized why she wasn’t covering herself up completely. “Oh shit.” I jumped forward and snatched the cupcake away, freeing her hands to swoop down and rewrap her towel, securing it tightly over her heaving chest.

  “Oh my God,” she said while opening her eyes wide at me. “You just saw me naked.”

  “I did,” I confirmed with a slow nod. “Sorry I didn’t react faster, but I—”

  She growled, cutting me off and pushing past me to get to her bags. “Don’t even try. There’s no erasing that from your memory, I’m sure.”

  “Definitely not.” When I chuckled, guilt settled in. “For what it’s worth, you have nothing to be embarrassed about.”

  “I’m not embarrassed about my body. I don’t usually give free shows away. Something like that needs to be earned, ya know?”

  I bit my lip, hesitating before blurting out the first thing that came to mind. “C’mon, Amelia. It’s not like you did it on purpose.”

  “But you looked on purpose.”

  I laughed. “Well, yeah, maybe so. But in all fairness, I was caught off guard. Next time, I’ll look away faster.”

  Her expression revealed absolute horror. “Next time? No, Tobias. The next man who gets to see me naked will put in the work first.”

  “Well, maybe you can wish for just that.”

  Her face twisted in confusion. “Huh?”

  I held up the cupcake again while pulling the lighter from my back pocket. After relighting the candle, I smiled at her through the flame. “It’s time to make a wish, Birthday Girl.”

  CHAPTER 7

  Amelia

  Tobias let me sleep past the alarm he’d set for us. I didn’t know why, but my exhausted body thanked him for it. I’d had too much on my mind lately, graduation being the tip of the iceberg, but last night, the man sleeping beside me weighed on my thoughts too.

  The way he’d looked at me after my towel slipped, like he could have taken me right there, scared me as much as it thrilled me. But more than anything, it was the gesture with the birthday cupcake that had thrown me. I would have never pegged him as the sweet-and-thoughtful type.

  It turned out there were more dimensions to Tobias James than I’d ever dared to think about.

  “Ready to hit the road, Birthday Girl?”

  I tied my sneaker laces and stood up with a slap of my thighs. “Yup. You’re going to keep calling me that, aren’t you?”

  “Yup.”

  I rolled my eyes. At least he’d stopped calling me Kid. “Should we stop for food?”

  He opened the hotel door to let me walk through first. “I went shopping before we left. I think I grabbed all your favorite things.”

  I slowed in my tracks as I glanced at him over my shoulder, amused. “And how would you know what my favorite things are?”

  He shrugged. “You’ve been rummaging around my kitchen for years. And I’m a dude. I notice when food goes missing. Extra-toasted Cheez-Its, beef jerky, mixed nuts, avocados, Fuji apples, and grapefruit Perrier. That about sum it up?”

  My cheeks felt hot from surprise. “Sure, those are some of my favorite snacks. But none of that is breakfast. I need a real meal.”

  “Cinnamon Toast Crunch?” he asked. “I bought that too.”

  My mouth fell open. “You did?”

  He nodded. “And that Lactaid milk you love.”

  “It’s so good. And lactose free.”

  His lip pulled up at the corner. “You’re so weird.”

  “And what do you eat for breakfast, Mr. Judgy?”

  “I’ll give you one guess.” He lifted a Styrofoam cup to his lips and sipped slowly.

  I wrinkled my nose. “That’s it? Just coffee? How does that fill you up?”

  “I add butter.”

  “And I’m the weird one?”

  He chuckled. “Don’t knock it until you’ve tried it.”

  “I think I’ll take my chances.” I flipped my head around to focus on walking through the parking lot. “Cereal it is. I’ll even do your truck this one solid and leave it dry.”

  We arrived at the truck just then, and he reached around me to open the door. When he leaned in to whisper in my ear from behind, my entire body felt as if he’d just lit it on fire. “Thanks, smart-ass.”

  I managed to avoid his eyes for the next hour as we wound our way through mountainous terrain, and I felt surprisingly calm. I hadn’t thought much about what to expect this coming week, figuring anything different from the mundane would be exactly what my soul was craving. There was so much more to see beyond the mirrored walls of the dance studio and the bluish-green waves that washed onto the Malibu beach. I’d never considered that anything was lacking from my life until my options became so limited I couldn’t even see past them.

  Tobias and I continued to climb the deserted road until nothing was left around us. The clearing was wide, overlooking a rugged and mountainous section where the Santa Lucia Mountains rose abruptly from the Pacific Ocean.

  “Where are we?” I felt his amused eyes on me at my question. I shook my head and tried again. “I mean, I know where we are. But what is this place?”

  “It’s exactly what you see. An empty lot. That’s pretty much it.”

  “And this is where you spend your time when you leave Malibu?”

  He shrugged. “Mostly, yeah. I love it up here.” He nodded toward the edge of the cliff. “It’s peaceful, private, filled with endless possibilities, you know?”

  “Like a blank canvas. Or should I say an empty court?”

  He frowned as if he found my pun annoying. “Something like that.” He turned to look at me. “What would you do with this space if it were yours?”

  My hesitation didn’t come from a lack of ideas. I had so many, I couldn’t sort through them fast enough. “Build on it, I suppose.”

  “Really?” His curiosity was filled with passion. “What would you build?”

  My heart thumped a little bit harder. “Is this a trick question?”

  He chuckled. “No, not at all. I’ve been asking myself the same thing since this place became mine. It would be nice to get a different take on it.”

  I swallowed before sneaking a glance at Tobias. “Since it became yours?” I looked back out at the sight before me, more stunned than before. “How?”

  “I purchased it after the whole adoption thing came to light. Used my entire trust fund. Every time I come here, I brainstorm what I could do with it.”

  My chest grew heavy with his confession. “You still haven’t decided?”

  He shook his head, his jaw firm. “Maybe nothing. Sometimes I wonder if changing it will destroy its beauty. There’s nothing wrong with it as is.”

  Something about his words made me wonder if he compared the land to his own situation. Did he wish he’d never found out about the adoption? Did he wish he’d never been adopted? I didn’t dare ask those questions.

  “I see your dilemma,” I finally said.

  “Do you?”

  Our eyes met, clicking together like they’d always belonged that way. “I do. There’s no reason to rush a decision like that. It seems you appreciate it all the same.”

  His eyes softened, crinkling slightly at the corners. “Want the tour?”

  The “tour” consisted of a walk around the perimeter of the property—well, as much property as we could walk on without falling off the cliff—and then setting up a large tent in which Tobias placed a folding table, some chairs, the two coolers he’d brought, and our bags.

  By the time we were all set up, my stomach was growling from a missed meal. It was well past lunchtime but not quite time for dinner.

  “I don’t think the snacks you brought will hold me over. I need some real sustenance.”

  Tobias checked the time on his phone. “Let’s head into town. We can grab an early dinner, and if you want to grab more things at the store, we can stop there too.”

  “Deal.”

  The ride into town was only fifteen minutes from where we’d set up camp, and we wasted no time finding the restaurant he had described. It was a small establishment on the corner of a row of aged brick buildings, dimly lit inside by large, glass-encased candlesticks. Jazz music streamed through the small black speakers secured to the corners of the room. It seemed like a place where couples would spend first dates and anniversaries, not a quick meal between two people who had barely ever spoken.

  I tilted my head and stared at him a little funny, and he returned it with an amused smile.

  “What are you looking at me like that for?” he asked.

  I shrugged and took a sip of my water. “Nothing.” I dared another glance at him as the liquid slid down my throat. I could feel its crisp bite as it grazed its way into my chest as it hit me for the millionth time that day just how annoyingly attractive Tobias was.

  “C’mon, Amelia. You can’t hold back if we’re going to be together for an entire week. No secrets.”

  If I’d known our trip would consist of me learning just how deep one’s blush could get, I probably would have stayed home and moped with pleasure all week long. How was it that in the years I’d known Tobias James, I’d never once looked at him this way?

  “Okay, fine.” I sighed. “This place—I would have never pictured you here. I mean, there’s nothing wrong with it. I guess I’m used to seeing you all greased up from head to toe from working on your truck.”

  His eyes lit with his laugh. “In my defense, the grease doesn’t cover all of my body. Just the exposed parts.”

  That joke deserved the hard eye roll it received. “Thank you for that mental picture.”

  “What are you picturing exactly?”

  In seconds, I’d balled the cloth napkin into my palm and chucked it across the table, unable to contain my laughter. “Enough. That’s like, the third crude joke you’ve made this trip, and it’s barely been twenty-four hours.”

  His head tilted. “Three? You sure? I can only recall two.”

  I sighed dramatically and averted my eyes. “And yesterday when you saw me…” I cleared my throat to mask my nonresponse.

  His eyes narrowed. “Oh no, I didn’t make any jokes last night. I was a complete gentleman. I even bought you a cupcake.”

  I opened then closed my mouth, realizing I had no argument. Flustered, I accepted my napkin, which he held toward me, then slammed it in my lap. “See? That right there is a perfect example of what I’m talking about. Since when did you become the thoughtful one around here? Helping me with my tire. Driving me to LA just so I could make it to an audition. Letting me come with you to your secret hideaway. Taking me to a nice dinner at a fancy restaurant.”

  He leaned in when I was done. The table between us was so small, his face landed mere inches from mine. “And you thought I was, what? An asshole grease monkey with awful taste in food?”

  My cheeks burned. That wasn’t what I’d thought at all—I don’t think—but when I opened my mouth to speak, I couldn’t seem to form the right words.

  The corner of his mouth ticked up so quick I almost missed it. “Be careful, Birthday Girl. I might just continue to surprise you.” He winked, causing the heat low in my belly to spread.

  He blinked nice and slow, the gravelly tone of his voice leaving a lingering impression in my chest. I’d have to work on tuning him out, visually and audibly.

  “It’s not my birthday anymore.” My smug reminder only made me feel good for a second.

  He shrugged, unfazed. “Maybe not, but that doesn’t mean we can’t celebrate all week long.”

  A laugh burst from my throat. “Don’t be ridiculous. You can’t keep this chivalry up for a full week.”

  His eyes darkened. “I can’t?”

  My throat went dry just as his gaze slipped down from my face. It was only for a moment, but I could feel his stare like a burning torch against my skin. I’m imagining it. Clearly, my crush on my best friend’s brother had fried my brain to the point of imagining he actually wanted me. It was ridiculous to even entertain the idea. Tobias was unquestionably hot, but I wasn’t on this trip to fall in love with my best friend’s brother. And I knew better than to think he wanted anything from me.

  I leaned back, distancing myself from the mirage in front of me. “Okay. Keep up the chivalry if you want to. Maybe I’ll survive this week after all.”

  A dimple indented his left cheek. “I wouldn’t get your hopes up.”

  “Ugh,” I groaned. “How about you humor me, at least until dessert?”

  His eyes widened as I registered how well I’d just set him up for another joke. I held up a hand and bowed my head to hide my blush. “Forget I said that, please.” I pulled the menu from the table and opened it. “How about you tell me what you recommend?”

  His lips twitched into a half smile. “Everything. What are you in the mood for? Besides dessert.”

  My lips pinched together as I suppressed an eyeroll. “Steak.”

  “Then get the ribeye. Medium. With the garlic mash on the side. It’s incredible.”

  I decided against the garlic mashed potatoes. The last thing I wanted was for Tobias to get a whiff of my herb-infested breath while we were smashed against each other in the back of his truck. Not that I cared if the stench of my breath annoyed him. It was more of a courtesy thing. He’d let me come along. I at least owed him good breath. I ordered the feta Brussels sprouts instead.

  Once the waitress took our order, our conversation moved into safer territory. He asked me about dance, and I asked him about working at the garage. Innocent, friendly banter. If only we could keep it there.

  “So,” I said once our food was sitting in front of us. “You mentioned not knowing what to do with the land. What have you considered?” As I stabbed another piece of ribeye and brought it to my mouth, I tried my best to act nonchalant. I didn’t want to make him feel like this was an interrogation, but my curiosity wouldn’t let up. Clearly, Tobias kept to himself for a reason. Knowing what I knew now, I feared that reason was trust. And for some strange reason, I wanted him to trust me.

  He reached for his water then eased it to his mouth. In a single slow blink, his eyes locked on mine like he was assessing me. For all I knew, he was debating whether he should trust me. Why did that terrify me?

  “Honestly, I can only think of what I don’t want to do to that space.”

  “What’s that?”

  The teasing smile that spread across his mouth next was so shocking, I almost missed his words. “Build on it.”

  It took a few seconds for my memory to catch up with his words. His bluish-gray eyes sparkled as his smile deepened knowingly since that was exactly what I’d suggested hours ago. My heart sped at the beauty of it all. I couldn’t remember the last time I’d seen him smile, but I knew I liked it.

  “Whatever I do, I want to keep it open, minimal. Don’t get me wrong, I’m not against a busy lifestyle, but when I come here, it’s to get away from the hustle and bustle. Do you ever want to get away?” He stared imploringly into my eyes. “From expectations, distractions, and obligations. Don’t you ever just want to turn it off?”

  “Yes.” The answer came quickly and left me almost breathless, catching me off guard. I’d always been a happy person, the life of the party, easy to get along with. My life was stress free for the most part. But the full day I’d spent with Tobias James had made me realize how much I’d misidentified the perspective I had on my life.

  Life was full of expectations.

  Of greed.

  Of power.

  Nothing was possible without money.

  And if one didn’t have money, power, and things, she was criticized for it. At least that was what I’d experienced in my eighteen years of living. I’d grown accustomed to all sorts of things that didn’t make me feel safe inside. That had thrown me off balance. It was one of the main reasons I drove over two hours a day, five days a week, to take dance classes in LA. It was there I found all the things I’d been lacking at home. At Gravity, I felt free of all the bullshit I’d been taught over the years. I’d begun to gain a new perspective, one I craved more and more.

  I’d been lost in my own thoughts so deeply, it took a second to register the new expression on Tobias’s face. His curiosity shone brightly beneath the large flickering candle that hung above our heads, and his long, dark hair gleamed in the light. I didn’t care that it looked wild and tangled from the mountain winds, that his full lips looked plump and chapped from the sun, or that his smile was a little crooked when he braved one.

  Just sharing a small space with Tobias James showed me a new perspective to life, one that didn’t add up to most people, especially to people like my parents. Tobias had the opportunity to be whatever—whoever—he wanted to be. But that wasn’t what he’d chosen. Instead, he’d chosen adventure. And in that moment, I kind of fell in love with him for it.

  Okay, so love was kind of a strong word for how I felt. Our connection was clearly strong and our attraction inevitable. But love? I still barely knew the guy except for the vibes he put off and what he’d already told me about himself. He was a big ball of mystery, although I wouldn’t call him complicated, just… lost.

  And Trinity would kill me for being interested in him. Why do I keep forgetting?

  “Ready to head back?” he asked.

  I’d finished my steak and had just been guzzling water while staring curiously into his eyes. “Ready if you are.”

  He tossed his napkin onto the table and stood, holding out his hand to me when he did. “I have a tab here.”

  I looked at his hand. It was large and calloused. There was nothing pretty about it. But for some reason, I was eager to feel it wrapped around mine. I placed my hand in his, shivering slightly at the touch and letting him pull me to my feet, all the while knowing I was being ridiculous—I couldn’t let my attraction move past where it had already gone. But the more I seemed to think about not having Tobias James, the more I wanted him, the more I craved him, and the more I couldn’t let go of my curiosity.

 

1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8