Lucas wasn't sure why he was following Riley as she left. She didn't want his company. He should definitely keep his distance, as he had been doing.
He couldn't remember the last time he'd slept except due to sheer exhaustion. He came here tonight to remedy that with a few drinks. Maybe more than a few. Lucas didn't know that Riley would be here, and if he had, he would have avoided the bar completely. There were plenty more in Texas.
He thought he was seeing things when she'd gotten up on that bar-or rather when she'd been hoisted up by a guy with his hands on her ass. Her dancing had nearly killed him. It was so unlike her.
The Riley he'd known would have died before dancing on a bar like that. Okay he knew her in middle school so yeah she wouldn't be dancing at a bar, but still the Riley he knew would not put a spotlight on her self. Maya, well, Maya would do that. But Riley, no way.
It was all he could do not to drag her down off the bar, but what she did wasn't his business anymore. Unfortunately, his body didn't agree. When she'd started licking the barbecue sauce from her fingers, he'd stiffened and had to wait until he could stand up again.
Lucas watched how she'd laughed and smile with her friends, not noticing the guys' covert glances at her curves and movements. As he caught up with her, she stilled, looking right and left as if seeking an escape. That irritated him. He'd never do anything to hurt her. Okay, maybe he did when they were younger, much younger and he liked to think that they both learned from it and had moved on.
"Riley," he said, feeling like a teenager who was talking to the beautiful girl he wanted, but he had nothing prepared to say.
He blinked, his head buzzing. Maybe he should have skipped that last Scotch.
"How are you?" he managed to ask.
Riley always had a way of looking at him. He clear brown eyes would darken a shade, and she would seem to completely absorb him with that gaze. For a second, he'd caught that look again when their eyes met across the room. Lucas felt that connection, strong as ever. He wanted to think what they'd had was too strong for the past to wipe out.
But now she looked at him like a stranger. There was a gleam of panic in her expression, as well. Why?
"Hello, Lucas. I'm good. Thanks. Actually, um, I was just leaving." Her tone was distant, polite. Eager to go.
She was the girl he knew-in her movements, her expressions - but in many ways she was oddly unfamiliar.
"I'll drop you off."
"Thanks. But, um, I don't live that far from here and I prefer to walk."
"That's good. I mean that you prefer to walk because I'm not in a position to drive tonight. Let me at least walk with you."
Riley felt something crack in the region of her heart. She couldn't do this. She couldn't make herself that vulnerable and open again.
"Please Riley."
So she had no choice? "Okay."
They walked with an uncomfortable silence.
Lucas was about to apologize for the way he'd left things with Riley in middle school, but she didn't him him a chance. "The next building is my apartment. You should head back to the bar. Your friends must be looking for you by now."
Lucas shrugged.
She wasn't finished. "Lucas thank you for walking with me but it's really not necessary."
Lucas came closer, and her eyes widened. He'd always loved her eyes. He wasn't thinking of kissing her but when his mouth found hers, intention went out of the window. He held her to him until she relaxed, opened and started kissing him back. Blood rushed in his veins as he went deeper. He was hard, too, and he let her know it. She moaned into him as he pressed against her.
A light from an oncoming car brought her back to her senses and she pushed away. He let her go, still shocked.
Lucas started to speak, but she smothered some strangled sound and run.