CHAPTER 025 : Just Breathe , Sloane ~~SLOANE~~ *** ImtryingsohardnottostealglancesatKnox fromacrosstheroom.Atfirst,everythingwasablurMyopiadoingwhatshedoesbest.Ieventuallycavedandputmyglassesbackon.Squintingwasntdoingmeanyfavors,andIneedaclearviewofmytarget.
Knoxistheonly personnotdressedlikehesabouttoattendaGatsbythemedfuneral.Notux.Notie.Justhissignatureblackshirt,unbuttonedatthecollar,sleevesrolledupto theelbows,pairedwithblackpantsthatsomehow makehimthesexiestmanintheroom.Heslounginginhischair,andhisfingersareidlystrokinghisneatlytrimmedbeard.Themovementmakesmeremember howthestrandsfeltonaverysensitiveplace,onethatscurrently tinglinginanticipationofhimturningonthedevicebetweenmylegs.
Shedoesntlookhappy,Finnsaysbesideme.
Iblink,forcingmyeyesawayfromKnox.What? Delilah.She doesntlookhappy.Whichcanonlymeanshedoesntwanttogetmarried,andthereforeIcan getherback.Ifonlyshed justsparemeaglance.
Right.Idtotally forgottenwhyhecamehere.
MyeyesdriftbacktoKnox ,wholiftshisglassanddragshistongueslowlyalongtherimbeforetakingasip.
Ibitemylip.
Areyou evenlisteningtome,Sloane? Iam.
Iturntohim.Heswatchingme,hisgaze shiftingfromKnoxtomewithatightlippedfrown.
No,Sloane,hesays.
No,what? Were nothavingthisconversationagain.
Whatconversation? Youknowwhat.
Iexhale.Finn,canyoujustfocusonDelilah?Trytogethertolookatyou.Imnotinthemood.
Hedoesntanswerforawhile,justsitsthere,jawtight,fingerslacedtogetherinhislap.Hiskneebounces,andeverynowandthen,hiseyesmovetowardDelilahthenaway,focusingonmeagain(orthesideofmyfaceatleast).Iknowhimenoughtotellwhatthisis.Hesseething.Delilahwontlookathim,butIalsohaveafeelingitinvolvesmeaswell.IftheresonethingFinnHartleydoesnthandlewell,itsbeingignored.
Imstandingup.Ineedtotalktoherrightnow,hesays.
Talktowhom? Delilah.
Hestartstorise,andIgrabhisarm,yankinghimbackdown.

Haveyougonemad?Ihiss.Youcantgotoheronherrehearsaldinner.Whatiswrongwith you?Herfiancéisrightthere.Herentirefamilyishere.Hunterknowsshewascheatingwithyou.Justbeinghereisalreadyabadidea.Dontmakeitworse.
Aslow smilespreadsacrosshisface,andheleanscloser.Youreright.Iforgotmyself.Imsupposedtobeignoringher.ThisiswhyIlikehavingyouaround,Sloane.Youmakemethink better.
Istareathim.
Ofcourse,hedidallthattogetariseout ofme.
Ilookaway.
Eventually,timepassesandthespeechesbeginSuccessfullyunlocked!jokes.ThepersononthepodiumrightnowisafriendofHunters,someonewhointroducedCasperesviouslydrunkandfumblingwithhiswords,buttheaudiencefindhimamusingenoughtolaugh.
Izoneoutmostofthethingshessaying,halflisteningasheslursthroughcomplimentsandtoaststhatclearlywerentrehearsed.Hesswayingalittle,grippingthemiclikeitmightrunawayfromhim.
1/3 ButnaavtongetsahundredpercentbackonwhenthearTvealwayshadacrushonyourgirlfriend,HuntShewasthe*backPainhighschoolAsktheHartleys PeopleRogh.Nowthewarmkind,buttheawkwardkindthatfillssilencewhennooneknowsifalinewasmeantasajoke.Afewquestsglancearound,confixed.Othersshiftintheirseatsormurmurbehindraisedhands.
paseinFlanstiffenslikesomeonesjustpouredicewaterdownhisback.Hishand,restingcasuallyonhisthigha ponentaga,etenchesintoa hat.
Acrosstheroom,Knoxlowershisglassmidsip.Hisbrowcreases,eyesnarrowingatthestagewithalookthatcouldshredbane740xnotahused.Noteven close Trybueverqemeachance,Lila,Casperslurs,youlldefinitelyfindmebetterthan thosetwo.
Someonemercifullyjogsuptothepodammaybeafriend,maybeagroomsmanplayingdamagecontrolandthrowsanarmaroundCaspersshoulderswithaforcedlaugh.
Alright,buddy,Ithinkthatsyourcue Caspertriestoholdontothemic,slurringoutsomethingunintelligible,buttheguywrestlesitfromhisgripandsteershimoffthestagelikeadrunkuncleatThanksgiving.Nervouschucklesripplethroughtheroom,followedbythesoundofglassesclinkingandsomeoneawkwardlyclearingtheirthroatoverthespeakers,tryingtotransitiontothenexttoastlikenothingjusthappened.
Who thefuckwasthat?Iask.
Finnsstillnotsmiling.Someonefromhighschool.Annoyinglittleshit.
glanceatKnoxagain.Helooksrelieved.Thefrownfromearlierisgone,replacednowbyasofterlook.
Acrosstheroom,Hunterdoesntseemfazedeither.Hesallwidesmilesandflushedcheeks,clearlytipsy,throwingbackthelastofhischampagnewhilekeepingonearmlockedpossessivelyaroundDelilahswaist.Shesnotsmiling,though.Herpasturesstift,andwhileeveryoneelseislaughing,herexpressioniscaughtsomewherebetweenforcedpolitenessandcompletemisery.
Whyismymomstaringatyou?Finnasksoutoftheblue.
What? cantexplainit,buteverytimeIlookoverthere,sheseitherlookingatyouorKnoxis.Ijustneedtoknowwhyshessuddenlyinterestedinyourface.Knox,Iget.Butmymom?Thatsweird.

Follow new episodes on the CrushnovelS.Com

Itakemydrinkupfromthetable,raiseittomylips,andsip.ThenIpeekfromabovetherim.
Sureenough,VictoriaHartleyisstaringstraightatme.
AndsoisKnox.Itsprobablytruethatshesbeenlookingatmeallalong,butIwastoodistractedtonotice.
Youstillhaventtoldmewhatyoutwotalkedabout,Finnsays.
Itwasaboutyou.Whatelse? We? Justletitgo,Finn.Idontwanttotalkaboutit.
MostlybecauseKnoxisnowlickingaspoon.
Hetriestomakeitseemcasual,eyesontheemceeasheswallowswhateversonhisplate,butthemovementthegentlesweepofhistonguealongthemetalitsanythingbutinnocent.
Myfaceheats.Iturnaway.
Finniswatchingme.
Thankfully,hedoesntsayanything.ButIknowthatlook.Hesangry.
HowabouthejustfocusonDelilahandleavemebe?Hisnosinessisbeginningtopissmeoff.Forsomeonewhoclaimstobeinlovewiththehostofthisevent,hesureislookingathisplusonemorethanthehost.
Holdon….
ishedoingthatthinghementionedbefore? Thejealousystunt? Mystomachknots.
neveragreedtothat.Ifigureditwasone ofthosewildthingshedsayandforget.Notsomethinghedactuallytrytopullinthemiddleofagoddamnrehearsaldinner.
Butthen,rightoncue,Finnsarmsnakesaroundmyshouldersandpulls meagainsthiminonefluidmotion.
Fin?3say,myvoicesharperthanIintend.
22 CHAPTER025JustBreathe,Sloane *Justsmileand actnatural,Sloane.
Myheadispressedtohischestnow,andIcanheartherhythmicthudofhisheartnotfrantic,juststeady.I,ontheotherhand,amsecondsawayfromclawingmywayoutofhisgrasp.

Iliftmyheadinstinctively,andthereitis.
Knox.
Watching.
Thespoonhedbeenusingtotorturemejustmomentsagoisdiscardedonhisplate.Hismouthisnolongercurledinamusement.Theresnoteasingglintinhiseyes.Juststillness.Focus.
Finnmustsenseit,too,becausehepullsmeintighter.
*Jeez,youresqueezingme,Imutterundermybreath.
Delilahisntevenlooking.Saveyourdramaforwhensheis.Buthedoesnteaseup.
Hedoesntevenglanceather.
Andthenithitsmehesnotdoing thisforDelilahsbenefit.
HesdoingitforKnoxs.
Itense,acoldshivercreepingupmyspine.
Umm…Finn?Isayslowly,cautiously.Whatthehellisgoingonrightnow? Hedoesntanswerrightaway.Juststaresahead.
Theonlythinggoingon,hefinallysays,isthatyourenotsmiling.
Ipullbackslightly,enoughtolookupathim.WhywouldIbesmilingwhenmyheadistrappedonyourshoulder?Heshifts,placinghisfreehandon mybarethigh.
Justbreathe,Sloane.Youvegotthis.
Gotwhat? Hisfingersmoveup,overthecurveofmycoat,brushingtheedgeofmyneckline.Then,withoutwarning,hecurlsthosefingersintomycollarandtugsmetowardhim.
Ionlyhaveasplitsecondtoprocessthelookinhiseyesbeforehekissesme.
3/3 口 Subscribed