Page 37 of Animal's Reformation
Ivy glanced at her phone, the fine lines around her mouth growing taut. She pushed away from the table. “I have to go,” she said as she rose from her chair.
“What’s up?” Olivia pointed at Ivy’s phone.
“Nothing. It’s just that Brady has some free time and wants to come over.” Ivy slung the strap of her purse over her shoulder. “Lately he’s been really busy, and we haven’t had much time together.”
“I thought he was cool with you going out tonight,” Olivia said.
“He is … but he misses me.” A slight blush colored her cheeks. “I really have to go. It was fun.”
Before Olivia could say anything, Ivy rushed away and disappeared into the crowd.
“Why the hell does she put up with that weirdo?” Harper asked, looking at her empty glass.
Olivia shook her head. “Who knows. They never go out, and he only comes over to her place.”
“She’s never been to his house?” Kennedy asked.
“No—strange, huh?” Olivia replied.
“Maybe he lives with a woman, or he could be married. I heard the creep has a couple of kids. Maybe he has a wife too,” Harper said.
“Wouldn’t we know that? I mean, Slavens is a small school and Pinewood Springs is far from being a big city,” Olivia replied.
Harper picked up her empty tumbler, then set it back on the table. “He keeps to himself a lot at school. He rarely comes into the teachers’ lounge, and then when he does, he doesn’t speak to anyone.”
“Just leers at the younger women.” Kennedy rolled her eyes. “He’s such a jerk. I still can’t believe a nice woman like Ivy is involved with him.”
“Well … to each her own. Olivia, do you want to come with me to get a drink from the bar?” Harper picked up her empty glass again.
She reached down and massaged her aching foot. Olivia had kicked off her shoes the minute she’d returned to the table earlier that night. Grimacing as she slipped them back on, she nodded.
“Cute shoes are always the most tortuous,” Kennedy said.
“I know,” Olivia groaned then stood up. “Let’s go. Do you want anything?” she asked Kennedy.
“I’m good. I see that clean-cut guy I was talking to at the bar before Smokey pushed him away heading right to me. Take your time.” She chuckled and sat straighter in the chair.
“Will do. I’m so damn thirsty—it must’ve been the cheesy tots. I bet I’ll gain five pounds just from retaining water,” Harper said.
Olivia laughed then followed her friend and, once again, pushed her way through the crowd until she found a space at the corner of the bar and leaned against it. That was when she sawhim.
Animal reclined against the bar with his elbows propped on the counter behind him, and his head cocked to the side as he pretended to listen to what a redhead with big breasts was telling him while he kept throwing sidelong glances at Olivia. She stood staring at Animal’s sexy self, laughing and flirting with the woman. The redhead reached up and touched his lightly stubbled chin, but he pushed it away then turned toward Olivia and their eyes met. The woman pulled his face toward hers, and he allowed it, but he kept checking Olivia out from the corner of his eyes.
In that instant, Olivia knew that Animal was the man she needed to keep at a distance. She didn’t like the tremors he put in her stomach and the prickle of heat he caused on her skin. The lustful throbs deep between her legs and her quick intakes of breath were all warning signs that her body was ignoring the rule her heart and brain had imposed: don’t get involved with any man. Her body wanted to get very close and personal with Animal, and it had nothing to do with looking for temporary intimacy and sex. This was about so much more. That’s what made it so dangerous and scared the hell out of her.
Damn, she could feel her panties melting into her flesh from the look in his dark eyes. Those hot, furtive glances had Olivia licking her lips. She wanted to sashay over and push the redhead out of the way so she could run her hands under his tight T-shirt and let her fingers touch the corded muscles of his chest.
“Did you want another drink?” Harper asked.
“What?” she answered, her eyes fixed on Animal’s mouth.
“A drink.Hello?”
Animal stared straight at her, his lips arrogantly curving up.
Turn the hell away.But she couldn’t. She sat there locking gazes with him, the noise and people fading away and leaving only the two of them. His mouth softened and his stare grew more intense. A fire burned there, drawing her in until she was lost in the depths of his ebony gaze.
“Oh God, Olivia, don’t gothere.” Harper’s loud and caustic voice drilled into her ear, dragging her out of the fervid moment she and Animal were sharing.
