Free Fate (Choices #2) by Sydney Lane Page B

Stepping forward, I reach into the cooler at her feet and hand her a bottled water.
    “She doesn’t drink.” The look that passes over her face is almost laughable. Sh e's shocked that I’ve noticed. Maybe it bothers her that I told him. “I made sure we had some just in case you came.” She looks up at me with those big, brown eyes, searching my face for something I won’t give her. Instead, I take her in from head to toe in one long glance. Her hair is braided again, making me hard the moment I look at it. Her pink toenails are peeking out of her sandals. She has the prettiest feet I’ve ever seen, so delicate that I wonder how they carry her around.
    Declan also looks confused. “Really? I didn’t realize.” He steps forward, putting his hand on her shoulder. “Sorry about that, Quincy. Thanks, man.” He’s smiling, but that hand. .. that hand touching the smooth skin on her shoulder is distracting me. If he would stop looking at her and look at me, he’d see the fire in my eyes. I have no idea why, but I have the sudden urge to hit him. And that’s funny since I’m the one trying to steal his girl.
    “Yeah, well, let me know if you need anything else. Have fun tonight.” I back away, hating my own weakness. It has thrown me a little to see them together, but it hasn’t changed my mind. The way she looks at me is different than the way she looks at him, and I know why.
    You see, t here is something I know about Quincy that she doesn’t even know about herself. She's dying to break out of her mold and live a little. I don’t know who she thinks she has to be so damned perfect for, but her eyes tell me she’s curious, that she wants to take a walk on the other side. I’ll be here waiting, and when she decides to jump the fence, I’ll show her what this side looks like.
    My buzz hits me hard, the beer and h eat finally catching up to me. Pushing through the people, I realize that I don’t even know half of them. Normally, that wouldn’t bother me at all, but I find myself alone in the crowd.
    Standing next to the fire, I get that strange tingling you have when someone is staring at you. It’s one of those feelings you can’t explain but can’t ignore either. I scan the area, finding what I’m looking for. Directly across the fire, Quincy is sitting with Declan. He's talking to her, and she’s responding to him. But her eyes are on me.
    When our eyes meet, she doesn’t look away like I expect her to. The flames dance around her while my buzz consumes me. Declan reaches over and wraps her hand in his. She looks down, away from me, and when her eyes find mine again, they're wet with tears. What the hell? For the first time, I realize that I know nothing about Quincy Priest.
    A small hand lands on my arm, and I look down to find Corrine smiling up at me. I had almost forgotten that I invi ted her. “Hey, Brody, I made it!” She looks... wow. There aren’t words to describe how she looks. She's tiny, like Quincy, but that is where the similarities end. Her skin is sun-kissed, and her hair the color of straw. Her make-up is expertly done and her clothes chosen to accent her slightly curvy figure. I can’t help but smile back.
    “Yes, you did. You certainly did.” Slinging my arm around her shoulders, I pull her close, but she surprises me when she pulls away and shakes her head.
    “Brody, don’t you be pulling any of that Casanova shit on me. I’m not falling for it.” I laugh. Hard. That might be the funniest thing a girl has ever said to me. The smile on her face tells me I might be able to get what I want if I tried hard enough.
    But I like this girl. E ven though I asked her to come for the wrong reasons, I’m glad she came. I invited her because I was pissed. I couldn’t stand the thought of watching Quincy with Declan all night. And maybe I was even jealous. God, I swear those are words I never thought I’d say. I’m jealous. Over a girl.
    I search Quincy out again, feeling her