Quiet Longing (Quiet Love #2)

7.

Charli

As soon as we arrived at Aidan’s house, which was even bigger and fancier than my cousins’, I thought to myself, Shit, maybe Derek was right.

The place was packed with teenagers. I was pretty sure I even spotted a few people in their early twenties, college-looking types. Alcohol was everywhere. I’d had a glass of wine or two on special occasions, plus a few drinks with Gwyn and Lydia at graduation, but nothing like this.

I wore jeans and a low cut, dark purple top. My hair was down and styled in loose waves thanks to Nuala. I thought I looked good, but I had nothing on some of the girls here. I mean, wow . Nuala fit right in with her long, pale hair and light blue summer dress. We stood close together near the door, taking it all in.

“Have you been to one of these parties before?”

Nuala shook her head. “Aidan only throws them once a year on his birthday. This is the first time I’ve been old enough to attend.”

“I’m not sure if either of us is old enough for this,” I said, and she giggled.

“Oh, please tell me you’re not starting to side with Derek.”

I grinned even though I was leaning more towards his end of the argument now that we were here. I’d never admit it. “No way. Let’s go find the others.”

Nuala linked her arm with mine, and we started to make our way through the house. We’d just reached the kitchen, which was huge, with the highest ceilings I’d ever seen in a residential property. Again, it was full of strangers, but then a familiar face appeared.

“Theo,” Nuala exclaimed, throwing her arms around him in a hug. He seemed a little taken off guard by it, a hint of colour rising in his cheeks as he patted her forearm.

Did Theo like Nuala? The hug didn’t last very long, and when Nuala pulled back, I could tell that she had no clue of Theo’s possible feelings.

“Uh, hey, we were wondering when you two were going to show up,” he said, clearing his throat.

“Let me guess, Derek sent you to search for us.”

Theo rubbed the back of his neck. “He might have.”

Nuala rolled her eyes. “Of course. Well, you’ve found us, and we’re all in one piece, so you can report back.”

“Here, let me get you both a drink,” Theo said, ignoring her comment about reporting back as he motioned us farther into the kitchen.

“Are there any Bacardi Breezers?” Nuala asked. “The orange ones are my favourite.”

“I thought we weren’t drinking,” I said, nudging her elbow.

Nuala grinned impishly. “One won’t hurt.”

“What’s your poison, Moretti?” Theo asked.

“Well, I guess if we’re each having one, I’ll take a Bacardi Breezer, too.”

“Coming right up.”

He left us for a moment before returning with two ice cold bottles. We watched as he expertly popped off the lids before sliding them across the counter to us.

Once we had our drinks, Theo again motioned for us to follow him. We ended up in a TV room where Derek, Tristan, Aidan, and Rhys were hanging out. There were some girls, too, most of them fawning over Aidan though Derek and Tristan were also garnering their share of attention. I didn’t see a single girl who wasn’t completely stunning, and it made me feel a little out of place as I tugged self-consciously at my top.

Okay, no, I refused to let feelings of inferiority take over. I wasn’t that girl.

Spotting Rhys sitting on a large armchair, I was struck by how separate he seemed. It was like he wasn’t even there with the rest of them, and it made my heart squeeze a little. His head was bent slightly, gaze staring off into space like his thoughts were elsewhere. With his dark hair and stunning blue eyes, I found it hard to look away. He wore an open work shirt with a black T-shirt underneath, blue jeans, and boots, nursing a beer. My pulse kicked up a notch, and I didn’t understand how none of the girls were flirting with him.

Clearly, they had no taste, but that was just my opinion.

Shaking myself out of my fawning reverie, I made a beeline for him.

“Hey, scoot over,” I said, motioning to the armchair. Rhys’ focus slowly travelled up my body, his eyes lingering for a moment on my cleavage. A faint shiver went through me before he silently made some space for me. I sat and then realised my error because there was barely enough room for both of us. Our thighs were flush. My bare arm rested against the soft fabric of his shirt. I could also smell him, and I really liked how he smelled. Rhys’ scent was all clean boy, soap, and a hint of spicy cologne. I was struck with the sudden urge to bury my face in his neck and inhale.

To distract myself from the instinct, I took the first sip from my Bacardi. It was delicious and barely tasted of alcohol at all, which was probably dangerous, but I didn’t plan on having another so it was all good.

“Who gave you that?” Rhys asked, frowning down at the bottle.

“Don’t worry,” I chided, waggling my brows. “I’m of age. In this country, at least.”

“That’s not what I meant. There are all sorts of creeps about.” He angled his head to the rest of the party. “You can’t be too careful.”

My chest fluttered when I realised he was concerned about my drink being spiked. “Oh, right. It’s okay. Theo gave it to me. I watched him open it, and I haven’t set it down since, so it’s safe.”

Rhys rubbed his jaw, eyeing the bottle before his gaze came to rest on mine. “Good.” His voice was gruff. “Don’t accept drinks from anyone you don’t know here. In fact, don’t accept drinks from anyone you do know either.”

He seemed a bit stressed about the whole thing, and I was touched that he was so concerned for me. “So, I can’t even accept drinks from you?”

“You shouldn’t, no.”

“But I trust you. And besides,” I went on, unsure what came over me when I tilted my head in a flirtatious manner and poked him in the arm. “ You wouldn’t need to spike my drink.”

I winked, and Rhys inhaled sharply, his eyes flaring in something like shock. Surprise?

“Oh my God, that was in incredibly poor taste,” I said, laughing nervously. “I have a bit of a dark sense of humour sometimes. I’m sorry.”

His tension dissipated a little, and he bobbed his head. “Right,” he said, voice tight, lifting his own drink, some brand of Irish beer, and slugging some back.

I briefly wondered what it would be like to kiss him, the faint taste of alcohol on his tongue. Man, what had gotten into me tonight? Maybe it was being in a house full of teenagers with raging hormones. The attraction I felt for Rhys had suddenly heightened.

The Kings of Leon came on, and Aidan jumped up, making eye contact with me as he began shimmying across the room towards us.

“Oh, no, something very bad is happening,” I declared, and Rhys chuckled low.

“Looks like Aidan wants a dance partner.”

“Yes,” I replied, prodding him in the side. “You better oblige him.”

“I don’t think I’m who he wants,” Rhys countered, clearly enjoying my discomfort. Well, I guess I deserved it after making that inappropriate joke.

Aidan threw up an invisible lasso, which he decided had landed perfectly around my waist as he began tugging me towards him.

“Sorry,” I said, thumbing over my shoulder. “You missed your mark. Your rope is on the floor over there.”

Again, Rhys chuckled, and I loved how the deep, husky sound landed low in my ears. Aidan shook his head. “No, it isn’t. Better come join me, Moretti. It’s my birthday wish.”

He continued tugging, and I gasped when a warm hand captured my elbow. “You heard him,” Rhys encouraged teasingly, and I shot him my finest scowl.

Across the room, Derek and Tristan appeared thoroughly amused by the scene playing out. I noticed a petite brunette sat close to Derek, his arm thrown over the back of the couch in a possessive manner though he wasn’t touching her. It was surprising since she was dressed more conservatively than the others in a calf length black skirt and burgundy cardigan. Her hair was so long it almost reached her hips. Nuala and Theo were too engrossed in conversation to notice what was going on. A few of the girls who’d been surrounding Aidan cast me displeased looks.

“I hate dancing,” I said through gritted teeth.

“No, you don’t. Come on, I’ll lead,” Aidan encouraged, undeterred.

I really did hate dancing. I always felt so awkward, unsure how to move my body, feeling like people were looking and judging. In this case, they would be, considering the amount of catty looks I was currently on the receiving end of.

Bothered by how much Rhys was enjoying this, I decided to turn the tables on him. It was an impulsive move when I rose and perched myself on his lap then threw my arms around his neck. As soon as I did, I felt him stiffen, his warm breath hitting the side of my neck. His hands rested at his sides, almost like he was afraid or perhaps too nervous to touch me. I turned back to Aidan.

“I can’t. Rhys will be very jealous. He doesn’t like me dancing with other men.” I fluttered my eyelashes coquettishly.

A brief flash of surprise then annoyance passed over Aidan’s features before two of the girls came and began tugging on his arm. “Come dance with us, Aid.”

They managed to distract him away, and I turned my attention back to Rhys, who seemed to be mesmerised by my chest, which was right around his eye level. A smirk pulled at the corners of my mouth as I leaned down and whispered, “What are you looking at?”

Rhys jumped, his expression sheepish as he shot me an apologetic look. “I, uh …”

I laughed. “It’s fine. You have my permission to check out my boobs so long as it gets me out of dancing.”

His throat bobbed as he swallowed. “I guess I deserved that.” Pausing, he studied me. “Do you really hate dancing?”

“With a passion.”

“In that case, I’m sorry. I shouldn’t have teased you.”

“It’s fine. I would’ve done the same if one of those hot girls came dancing up to you all come hither.”

That won me a small smile. I realised I was still sitting on his lap, my arms hanging loosely around his neck. His hands remained at his sides, and I had to admit I was disappointed. A part of me longed for him to wrap them around my waist, pull me close. But maybe he didn’t want to touch me. Maybe he wasn’t feeling this like I was.

I was about to disentangle myself when Rhys asked, “Are they?”

“Are they what?”

“Hot?” He nodded across the room. “Those girls.”

I looked at them, a few more had joined Aidan to dance. “I mean, objectively, yeah.” I glanced back at Rhys. “Obviously, you know they are. You have two eyeballs.”

“I think they scare me too much for me to consider their attractiveness,” he blurted honestly, which surprised a laugh out of me.

“Really? They scare you?” This had to be the most adorable thing I’d ever heard.

“Fuck yes,” he replied, and I enjoyed the guttural way he swore. “They’re so shiny and … and loud. I wouldn’t know what to do with a girl like that.”

I rolled my eyes though I was still smiling. “You’re a guy, Rhys. I think you’d figure it out.” Judging by the intense way he’d been staring at my boobs, I presumed he was a straight, red-blooded male. Nature would kick in.

“You’d think,” he replied quietly, and I cocked my head.

“Well, do I scare you?”

His eyes met mine, and there was something warm and lovely there, something that made a few butterflies come to life in my stomach, batting their wings. It seemed to be becoming a common response to him. “No,” he answered, his eyes tracing over me. I wasn’t sure if it was intentional, but his fingers touched my hip very lightly, tapping once, twice. “The opposite. You make me feel very …” he trailed off, and I swear I held my breath waiting for him to finish. “At ease.”

For a second, air got trapped in my lungs. Probably because Rhys made me feel the exact same way. There was a comfort with him, and I couldn’t explain it. “Why do you think that is?”

Rhys stared at me. And stared some more. It was like he was trying to memorise my every feature. “I don’t know.”

A silence fell, and I slid off his lap. We were still close, though, our knees touching.

“Aidan wants you,” Rhys said, breaking the quiet between us.

My eyebrows jumped. “He does?”

Rhys nodded, swallowing a long gulp of beer before he continued, “I think your indifference bothers him.”

“It’s not indifference. I’m just not attracted to him.”

He seemed surprised by the statement, his eyes full of disbelief. “Really?”

“I mean, he’s an attractive guy, but I don’t ‘fancy’ him as you guys say over here. We’re on completely different wavelengths.”

Rhys bobbed his head as though thinking about my answer. “It’s just going to make him more determined.”

I shrugged. “He’s welcome to waste his time.”

Rhys moved closer, a hint of humour on his face. “This might actually be entertaining to watch.”

The movement caused his scent to tickle my nose. Why did I like it so much? I’d never paid this much attention to how a boy smelled before. A small groan escaped me as I blurted without thinking, “God, you smell good. What is that? I love it.” I leaned closer, inhaling deeply. When I pulled back, Rhys was staring at me with an expression I couldn’t decipher.

I smiled sheepishly. “Sorry. I’m being a little weirdo.”

His face was blank when he quietly asked, “Are you fucking with me, Charli?”

I blinked, at first unsure if I’d heard him correctly. But no, he’d definitely asked that. “I don’t understand what you mean.”

He exhaled heavily and shook his head. “Never mind. And it’s Old Spice, my aftershave.”

“No, I won’t ‘never mind.’ What do you mean, am I fucking with you?” I met his gaze directly, waiting for an answer.

Something flickered in Rhys’ jaw before he said, “Girls don’t … talk to me. But you always do. When you enter a room, I’m the first person you come to. It doesn’t make sense.”

Suddenly, my heart squeezed with tenderness. This boy was going to be the death of me. I couldn’t help it, I gently laughed. Rhys frowned. “You are being completely ridiculous.” His eyebrows jumped, and I shook my head at him. “Ridiculous and silly. I talk to you because I think you’re cool, and I enjoy your company. Is that so hard to believe? You’re easy to be around, and we have a lot in common. I promise you, Rhys, this isn’t some elaborate ruse.”

His throat moved as he swallowed, his eyes flickering back and forth between mine. I sent him the sincerest expression I could muster. He exhaled heavily. “I’m sorry, I just …” He paused a moment then continued, “have some self-esteem issues, clearly.”

“Well, I don’t know why because I think you’re awesome.”

At this, he held my gaze, some kind of heat there. A moment passed between us, and his eyes flickered to my mouth for a second. Then the moment was broken when Nuala appeared. “Charli, I’m going to use the bathroom. Want to come with me?”

I blinked, emerging from whatever trance Rhys’ eye contact put me in. Maybe it was a good thing Nuala had interrupted us because I’d been a second away from kissing him.

“Uh, sure, yeah. I could pee.” I rose, shooting Rhys a small smile. “Be back in a few.”

He nodded, and Nuala linked her arm through mine again as we left the room. “Well, what exactly did I just interrupt?” she asked, her voice hushed.

“I’m not sure, but I think you might be right about me having a crush on Rhys.”

She squealed and did a little shimmy as we went upstairs. “I’m so excited for this to happen.”

“Don’t get too excited. It might not.”

“Sure, it won’t,” she crooned, and I pushed open the bathroom door.

“You go first. I’ll wait here.”

“Oh, just come in. It’s fine. You can turn around.”

“Okay,” I said, stepping inside and closing the door behind me. I turned to face the wall while Nuala did her business. “What about you and Theo? You looked cosy.”

“Theo’s great, but I don’t like him that way. He’s a friend.”

“What were you talking about?”

“Hmm, this and that.”

“This and that looked pretty engrossing all the same.”

“Oh, stop!” she exclaimed. “It really isn’t like that with Theo and me.”

I heard the toilet flush, and she stepped away to wash her hands. I turned around. “You might have to wait outside for me. I’m a shy pee-er.”

Nuala chuckled. “No problem.”

She left, and I quickly used the facilities then washed my hands. I heard voices outside, but they were muffled. Nuala was talking to someone.

“Why are you here?” she asked when I stepped out and found Kiera and two other girls from Nuala’s ex-friend group.

Kiera shot her a dirty look. “You don’t own this town, Nuala Balfe. Just because you have popular brothers, doesn’t mean you can kick us out of every party.”

“No, but I’m sure Aidan will be only too happy to kick you out the very second Nuala gives the word,” I countered, moving close to my cousin.

“Who are you?” Kiera asked snottily.

“I’m Nuala’s cousin from America, and in future, if you want to talk to her, you can go through me.”

One of the other girls snickered and commented under her breath, “We’d have a long way to go through you.”

I had to admit, the insult stung. I even flinched a little, my stomach twisting uncomfortably.

“What did you just say to her, Danielle?” Nuala stepped forward, looking angrier than I’d ever seen her.

All three girls chuckled while Kiera cocked her head, self-satisfied. “You heard exactly what she said.” Then she looked me up and down like I was nothing before turning on her heel. The other two scurried after her.

“Charli, I’m so sorry. What she said—”

I stopped her with a hand. “It’s fine. I’ve had worse insults thrown at me.”

“Yes, but you shouldn’t have to hear that. You’re gorgeous. I’d kill to have a body like yours, especially those boobs. Don’t listen to Danielle. She’s just jealous.”

“Maybe. It doesn’t matter anyway. I know what I look like.”

“Yes, but—”

“Really, Nuala, you don’t have to make me feel better. I’m made of sterner stuff. What I’m really worried about is you. What did they say to you when I was in the bathroom?”

Her shoulders slumped. “Nothing much. Just that the colour of my dress washes me out. I know it doesn’t. They just hate that they can’t ostracise me completely because Derek and Tristan wouldn’t allow it. There’s an extra sting in it for Kiera because she wants Tristan so badly, and he barely notices her.”

“Well, that is rather satisfying. I hope he goes on ignoring her.”

“Oh, he will. She’s not his type at all.”

“Good to know,” I said.

We’d just reached the bottom of the stairs when Nuala grabbed my arm. I glanced back at her. “Would it be awful if we just went home?”

“Are you sure? We haven’t been here very long. Don’t let Kiera scare you away.”

“I just don’t want any more drama if we bump into her again.” Her sweet brown eyes were pleading, and I instantly gave in.

“Okay, let’s go, then.”

“I’ll text Derek to let him know we’re leaving,” she said, looking relieved as she pulled out her phone.

“Tell him to let Rhys know, too,” I said, feeling bad about not going back to him and wondering if he’d end up talking to someone else. What if he had a few more beers and ended up kissing one of those hot girls he’d claimed scared him so much? Jealousy reared its head. Nuala nodded, adding it to the text, unaware of my jealous worries.

It was only a short walk back to the house. Aunt Jo seemed relieved we’d decided to call it a night. The two of us changed out of our party clothes and cuddled up in Nuala’s room to watch a romantic comedy. It wasn’t too late when I finally crawled into my own bed. I drifted off to sleep, only to be woken about an hour later by frantic knocking on my door. I wore a T-shirt and panties, no bra, but I didn’t consider my state of undress because the knocking sounded so urgent.

When I opened the door, I found Tristan and Rhys standing outside looking like a pair of fugitives.

“What’s going on?” I asked, sleepy and confused.

I was vaguely aware of Rhys’ heated gaze swallowing up every inch of me, from my bare feet to my sleep swollen lips, while Tristan said, “We played a prank that went wrong, and Derek is going to murder us. Please let us hide in your room, Charli. It’s the only place he won’t try to look.”

Not fully thinking it through, I stepped aside and motioned them in.