I rush into the bathroom and give myself one final once-over. Then, I grab my clutch and denim jacket, and hop into the lift. As I descend, I can’t help but hope that my brothers someday find girls who make them feel giddy and excited like I feel right now.
I stride out to find a relaxed Hayden leaning against the opposite brick wall. I glance up and down the alley nervously and exhale when I see no sign of my brothers. My heart does a double beat as I look back at him and take in his muscled, denim clad leg tossed over the other. Hayden Clarke takes jeans to a whole new level. Every pair he wears is fitted and slim, but faded and masculine in all the right places. Today, the bottoms are cuffed, revealing really sexy leather boots. My eyes move up to find him in one of his standard half-buttoned, grey, blended shirts. It’s pulled tightly across his lean chest, and his sleeves are pushed up on his arms, revealing his manly blonde fuzz-covered forearms and the standard leather cuffs and watch that I hardly notice anymore.
“Fuck, Bunny,” Hayden groans under his breath, lustfully eyeing my legs. “Probably a good thing you didn’t play football.”
“And why is that?” I ask, putting my hand on my hip in defiance.
He shrugs his shoulders. “You’ve seen footballers’ legs. Why mess with perfection?”
I shake my head and accept his ridiculously cheesy compliment as he pulls me in for a sensual kiss. “Miss me?” I ask, giggling as he tries to stop me from pulling away.
“You could say that.” His eyes are hooded as he bites his lower lip.
He sighs heavily and grabs my hand in his as we make our way over to Pizza East located in an old tea warehouse near my neighbourhood. I’ve been here a few times for take away. It’s got a cosy cavernous feel on the inside. Furthermore, the wood oven and comfort of the home style foods they serve make it the perfect place for a relaxed evening out.
We order a couple of pizzas to split, and Hayden balks when I ask for an Italian soda. “You can get wine,” he mumbles, frustration radiating off his stiff posture.
“Oi! You need to start letting me make my own choices. I’m not that big of a drinker, Hayden.” I take the glass bottle of grape soda from the bloke behind the counter. “Can you get him one too? He needs a bit of cheer. What kind do you want?”
Hayden frowns and then grumbles, “Strawberry.”
I conceal my snicker as the man hands him the bottle of pink liquid. “Nice choice.”
Hayden sullenly takes a sip. “It’s bloody good too.” A grin splits across his face and he winks at me. We both laugh and make our way to a cosy red booth by the wall covered with wood logs for the pizza oven.
“I noticed that you didn’t drink much at Club Shay, actually.” Hayden says after we settle into our seats.
I nod feeling slightly pleased that he was watching me so closely that night. I did everything in my power not to look at him and it obviously worked. “I like an occasional drink, but I prefer to keep my wits about me when I’m around a lot of people.”
Hayden narrows his eyes at me. “Did you have your wits about you when you were giving Ethan all that sodding attention?”
My jaw drops in mock indignation. “You’re one to talk. I seem to remember you receiving a proper snog from Julie!”
He flinches. “That was…awkward. I only danced with her so I could keep an eye on you. But she pounced on me like a tiger in heat.”
I laugh at that visual imagery. “You were keeping an eye on me?” I shoot him a coy look.
“Bloody hell right I was,” he barks, knitting his brows at me. “You were killing me the whole night. Looking the way you looked. Christ. I didn’t think anything could top the white dress you wore the night of the gala, but red is definitely your colour.”
I giggle happily, his compliments blooming inside my heart.
“Then you barely looked at me after we got inside the club, never mind speaking to me,” Hayden adds with a growl. “It was fucking torture.”
“Well, you tortured me on my rooftop if you recall,” I rebound, still somewhat smarting over the number of times he tried to walk away from me.
He blanches, his face turning serious. “I know, Vi. The only thing I can say to that is that my feelings for you…surprised me. I’m not sure I was ready for them. And you’re just so good and kind and pure. I was terrified of ruining you. I still am sometimes.”