Oh, Dakota.

Chapter Sixteen.

Dakota Aniston

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I was all too aware of Stacey’s eyes on Elijah.

Standing in line for the bumper cars (my idea, I’m a child, what can I say?), Stacey leaned against the metal railing; her eyes flickering up and down him. To my dismay, Elijah looked back, his gaze never once straying away from Stacey. Her lips turned up in a flirtatious smirk and Elijah returned the gesture.

My stomach took a deep plunge, startling me. I wasn’t sure why there ogling eyes were shredding my last patience. Breaking my glare away from them, I moved my attention over to Ryan. Either he didn’t notice his girlfriend or was just ignoring it, he didn’t say anything, expect kept Stacey tucked under his arm. As though feeling my eyes on him, he turned to me and gave me a winning smile.

Why was it that his smile wasn’t affecting me the way Elijah’s does? I desperately wished Ryan would make my heart skip, make my face blush, just anything; but, nothing. I smiled back awkwardly, having no where to look but the wood of the boardwalk. I scuffed my shoe along it, unconsciously moving along as the line did.

Elijah’s fingers accidently brushed against mine as I moved and curse me now, a smooth, hot tingle shot across my skin. I’m not positive if he felt it too, because the tips of his fingers hesitated over mine before he abruptly pulled back, clicking eyes with Stacey once again.

I surprised myself with the longing to wrap myself around Elijah. I don’t know where the hell these feelings or desires or whatever you want to call them are coming from, all I do know is that they are here and I don’t like them.

Maybe it’s because we slept together and I haven’t been that intimate with someone in so long. Since the end of freshman year to be exact, but then I pushed that logic aside because I don’t even remember being intimate with Elijah. Hell, if I did, trust me when I say, I would remember. I felt myself blush profusely at my thoughts.

“Are you alright?” Stacey asked me, eyeing me densely. “You’re all red.”

A paragraph of profanities rushed through my head at that moment as all three pairs of eyes landed on mine. Elijah’s gaze was heavy as lead, burning through me. I gave a shaky smile and slapped my hands to my cheeks, a little angry that the night didn’t cover my blush. “What? No, I’m not. I’m fine.” I scrambled, apprehensive to the way I was rambling idiotically. I pointed to the ride. “Oooh, look we’re next in line!”

Stacey gave me a strange look, scrunching up her nose. “Girl, you need to chill.” She laughed lightly.

“Are you kidding? I love this ride!” I shouted excitedly, earning a few crazed glances from people around us. I murmured an excuse me, pushing my way up to the entrance gate, smiling broadly at the man working the ride.

He took once glance at my stupid grin and chuckled. Oh, mother cow. This boy was good looking. His floppy blond hair curved adorably over his icy blue irises. His jaw was defined and angular, and he gifted me a with a crooked smile. “Ticket?” He drawled and I caught his eyes dragging along me before innocently going back up to my eyes.