Flawed Perfection (Beautifully Flawed, #1)

Chapter Thirty Six

In the decade Bobby had been my best friend he never once made me feel like I was a prize or that my love was a competition. I suppose that was because he felt he was winning the game. He never really saw Adam as competition, because he was Bobby, and he always won. It didn't matter when I told him I was in love with his brother; he still tried to sway me to see he was the person I should be with. We went years dating other people, but never one another, and he still hung on to that notion. I never once looked at Bobby and felt the way I did when I looked at Adam. Still there was a level of guilt I couldn't explain associated with my actions. Maybe it was because things with Bobby didn't feel like they'd ever be the same. I was reminded of it as I watched Tara and Bobby walking to the car laughing with Bobby's arm slung tight around Tara's waist. I couldn't help but feel I somehow lost more than I thought I would when he started dating her.

"It's getting to you isn't it?" Adam asked as he climbed through the window out to the balcony with me.

I jumped at the sound of his voice. "What?"

Adam leaned on the rail and nodded towards the happy couple. "Them."

"Why do you think that?"

I watched Adam's knuckles go white as he gripped the metal. "The look in your eyes."

"You think I have a thing for Bobby?" I asked.

Adam pulled his lip ring into his mouth and let it out slowly. "I hope not."

"If I had a thing for Bobby I'd have been with him a long time before this," I replied, and I watched as Adam cringed. The look on his face said that wasn't the answer he was looking for. My eyes drifted to the mammoth truck driving away. "I don't have feelings for your brother," I said.

Adam turned to face me, leaning back against the rail, but his eyes stayed on his Nike™ Cortez shoes. "Why are you looking green then?"

I thought about it for a moment. I never felt this way when he was with any other girl. I always dealt with his explanations of his exploits and never batted an eye. This time was different.

I swallowed before answering. I knew it would sound petty. "I feel like I've been replaced."

"That still sounds like you're jealous," Adam said, his eyes finally finding mine.

I stepped forward and wrapped my arms around his neck. "Do I look at him the way I look at you?"

Adam's chest rose against mine. "I don't know."

"I've never looked at anyone the way I look at you," I said as my eyes closed.

Adam tilted my chin, and I opened my eyes as he asked, "Then why do you feel like you've been replaced? You were never with Bobby."

I inhaled slowly, biting my lip. "Bobby used to talk to me about everything..." my mind drifted to the things he told me about Tara and him. My mouth twitched. "Even things I didn't want to know— it feels like Tara's not just his girlfriend, but his best friend. That's how I feel replaced. I used to be the best friend."

Adam's eyes ran over my face, softening. "I get...but, I'm pretty sure he feels the same exact way about you and I."

"How? You were both always my best friends," I replied, shaking my head.

"It's different now, though, isn't it?" he asked, and his thumb traced calming circles over my neck."

He was right. Maybe Bobby was retaliating, or maybe he just found what I found in Adam in Tara. Adam's hands slid down from my face and over my hips before finding their way up the back of my shirt and setting my skin tingling.

"Yeah," I replied.

He leaned forward, trailing kisses down my neck. "So, I was thinking..."

"No, nothing kinky," I replied as my muscles melted at his touch.

Adam's lips vibrated against my skin as he laughed.

"No, but..." His voice drifted off, and I lightly pushed his shoulder. "Fine, I was thinking about our conversation about my band. I'd like you to come see us play, plus you already know my band mates."

I pulled away and blinked rapidly at him. "I do?"

"My volleyball buddies...When I said Joe is a sick guitarist, it's because I capitalize on it. Mark's the drummer."

"A three piece?"

"Yeah, I do the bass and sing slash scream," Adam said.

Tingles spread across my cheeks and then raced down my body. "I'd really like that."

I watched his expression turn nervous, and his foot started to tap sending a hollow pinging noise into the air. "We have a special gig tonight, are you up for it?" he asked with his eyes averted.

I wrapped my arms around his neck, and his gaze wandered up my body to meet mine. His hands slid over my hips to the small of my back, causing my body to swarm with heat. "I've been dying to hear you sing again."

His lips hovered near my ear as he sang to me in that beautiful gravel of a voice, "In my arms I hold the only thing that matters...in my arms I hold the entire world...in my arms is my heart and soul."

"That's not fair," I said in response, my voice barely audible against the sound of blood pulsing in my ears.

"All's fair in love and war." He continued in the sing song voice.

"We have to go to dinner with my parents in twenty minutes," I answered as I looked down at his watch. "So we need to leave, like now."

Adam smirked down at me. "Why? You want to rip my clothes off?"

I pushed my hips into his, and his head tipped back so I could kiss his neck.

"Don't you want me to?" I asked.

He moaned. "Mhmm...what punishment this voice is."

I pulled away from him and headed back inside.

"Hey," he said as he closed the pane behind him; "remember you can't do that at the concert tonight."

"Aww," I said, winking back at him. "Darn it."