“Oh, my God.”
I looked up, seeing that Juliet had dropped her fork and was staring across the porch, into the distance. She darted her gaze down, glancing to where the fork had dropped by her feet, but then forgot it, shooting her eyes back up.
I followed her line of sight, and my jaw tightened with a smile.
Jax had stepped out of the house, looking a lot different, and Juliet was breathless.
He wore black suit pants and a black jacket with a white dress shirt, open at the collar. His height, due to his long legs, made his appearance all the more forbidding and—I had to admit—pretty damn hot. His black hair, close to the scalp on the sides and longer on top, was styled in sporadic wisps that were pushed to the front. With his shoes, his shiny watch, his gleaming belt buckle—Jax looked sleek and powerful.
I looked over at his girlfriend, rolling my eyes at the sight of her slightly open mouth as she gaped.
“He’s not a piece of meat,” I teased.
She blinked, coming back to her senses and then slowly rose, walking to the railing.
“Oh, my God.”
I turned, hearing Fallon’s voice this time.
Just like Juliet, she was staring at Madoc—who’d just exited the house, as well—like she was actually in pain.
“He’s such a yuppie.” She gave him a wistful look. “But he’s so damn cute.”
I barked out a laugh.
Madoc was also dressed in black suit pants and a black jacket, but he wore a gray shirt with a silver necktie. Madoc looked great in ties. They fit his style and his broad chest, and the fact that he took care with his clothing choices, always making sure that everything he wore was a perfect fit, only amplified the fact that Madoc being preppy did nothing to quell how hot he got his alternative-styled wife.
Fallon stuck her fingers in her mouth and whistled. “Yeah, baby!”
Juliet joined in, whistling at her man as they both leaned over the railing.
“You guys are idiots,” I teased again, standing up to pick up the fork.
They both started laughing, and both men shook their heads, smiling as they headed over.
I crossed my arms over my chest and leaned against the house, watching the girls swing their legs over the railing and sit.
But then my face fell. My stomach dropped, and my breath cut off, and holy shit.
Jared had walked out of the house, locking the door behind him, and I looked away, but I couldn’t resist.
Glancing back up for another look, I watched him out of the corner of my eye, staring off out to the street as he fastened a cuff link.
A cuff link?
He was wearing cuff links. I finally blinked, my heart beginning to jackhammer with increasing speed.
Jared in a suit made my mouth water. I loved him in his jeans or casual black pants and T-shirts, but when he cleaned up?
Oh, my God.
His black pants draped down his legs, falling just casually enough to look like he didn’t care, but his pressed shirt and jacket—both a deep, rich black—didn’t hide his body at all. I caught sight of a sliver of his collarbone, since his top button was undone, and then he slipped a casual hand into his pocket and looked over, locking eyes with me.
I turned away.
“What are you ladies going to do tonight?” Madoc picked Fallon off the railing and held her close to his chest.
“Hang out,” she chirped. “Make some popcorn.”
“Right,” Jax shot back, coming to stand between Juliet’s thighs as she sat on the railing.
Jared made his way over, pulling out his car keys.
Madoc was kissing and whispering to Fallon. Jax was looking up at Juliet, trying to sweeten her up as she shied away from him, playing jealous.
And Jared stood aloof, ignoring me. I didn’t know if he was looking at me, and I didn’t know if he was mad that I hadn’t reached out, but I still felt his presence on every inch of my body.
He tugged at me like a magnet.
Jax pulled Juliet down, kissing her nose and then her lips. “I love you,” he said, and my gaze flashed to Jared, locking eyes with his.
“I’ll be home by midnight,” I heard Jax say, but Jared continued to hold me. The heat was unmistakable. But what scared me was how I also saw the coldness.
A wave of déjà vu hit me, and it was like I was back in high school for a moment.
“If you’re one second late,” Juliet scolded Jax, “I’ll have a tantrum.”
“I love your tantrums,” he flirted, pulling her hips into his.
“I mean it,” she emphasized, trying to sound tough, but I knew it was just a game they played. “I will make you bleed if you’re late.”
“Promise?” he taunted, diving in for another kiss.
I shook my head, keeping my gaze off Jared.
“Jax, let’s go.” Madoc pulled Jax by the neck, leading him away from his girlfriend.
All three guys walked to Jared’s car, every inch of their well-dressed, manicured looks emphasizing that they were men now. It was still hard to wrap my head around it at times, since I’d grown up with Jared and met Madoc and Jax as teens. I’d seen them all—more often than not—in jeans and T-shirts. I’d seen them do the dumbest things and even joined in a few times.
But those boys were gone.
“Jared!” Fallon shouted as Jared opened his driver’s side door. “Get them home safe!”
He arched a brow, giving her a condescending look. “They’ll be home before I will,” he said, looking over at me. “I don’t have a curfew.”
My eyes stung with sudden anger as I watched him climb into his car without another word.
He started the car and backed out of the driveway, not sparing a glance back.
Asshole.
Oh, sure. Go have fun. No one’s waiting at home for you. If you don’t have me, you’ll just go play with a random girl, because why not, right?
I clenched my fists and let my head fall back.
Shit. I was being ridiculous.
Madoc and Jax were going to have fun with their friends. To celebrate. They’d come home just as much in love with Fallon and Juliet as ever.
And Jared was manipulating me. Just like he always did, and I fell for it. He was a grown man who still found it quite appetizing to take a great big bite out of my peace of mind. He expected me to give in and call or text to tell him how much I loved him. Or he expected me to come pick a fight tomorrow about something silly just so I could get a rise out of him. He wanted me mad, because he wanted to draw me out.
As the sound of Jared’s engine left the neighborhood, I let the small smile spread across my lips.