Colliding with You

Chapter 2-1

Chapter 2

Cori’s curiosity grew the moment she spotted the two men standing at the corner of the church. She didn’t recognize them from a distance, but if her instincts served her right, she knew who it was. Jesse and Allen.

Mariah spoke in the same soft voice she had during the drive there, though Cori hadn’t the slightest clue what she was saying. The moment she shut the car door and neared the edge of the parking lot, a train wreck wouldn’t have diverted her attention. Both guys wore long-sleeved button-up shirts that rolled up high enough to show some of their ink.

Damn, she loved a guy with tats.

She couldn’t make out what theirs were, but it didn’t matter. It was sexy. So was the way their jeans hugged their asses.

Heat rose in her cheeks. She’d never admired Jesse’s physical qualities until her freshman year, and even then, it was nothing like she was at the moment. The definition of his muscles, the pout of his lips, the way his eyes roamed over her, it was new. She wasn’t the same shy teenaged girl. Hopefully, he wasn’t the same annoying older brother she remembered from her youth.

He sure as hell didn’t look the same. Though he still towered over her at six feet, he’d definitely bulked up. He wasn’t that tiny to begin with. Now his biceps were thicker than her thighs. He sported a short stubble beard that outlined his jaw and lips. And that hair . . . The short sides and longer top of brunette strands brought out his gray-blue eyes.

“Cori Clarke.” Amusement played in his voice as much as his gaze. “I’d say it’s been a long time, but in reality, it’s been a few months.”

“Touché.” The innocent tone of her voice gained her a grin. He’d called her out for hiding her identity from him and Theo that night at the club. She knew he would, but at least he was humorous about it.

“Damn, girl.” His husky voice caused her breath to catch, especially when he took in every inch of her body. “You look amazing.”

“Thanks.” She winked as she smoothed her hand over her skirt. “So, how pissed is my sister?”

Confusion washed over Jesse’s face. “I wasn’t aware she was upset.”

“Oh really? Then how long have you been out here?”

Shrugging, he glanced at his watch. “I don’t know. Ten minutes, I guess. Why?”

“Because I’m late. Ten minutes is long enough for my sister to lose her s**t. Those damn hormones have her acting crazy some days.”

He chuckled. “Relax, doll. Your sister and Theo aren’t even here yet. He texted me about fifteen minutes ago to say they were running late. They got stuck in traffic downtown. They’ll be here any minute.”

“Wonder why Cass didn’t text me anything.”

Mariah stepped next to her as she quipped, “Probably because she knew you’d be late.”

Cori narrowed her eyes at her friend. She noted the smirk on Mariah’s face before she pressed her lips together and glanced away. Cori knew she had a point, but it didn’t make her less irritated with her sister. At least Cassie would never know she was late now.

Unless Jesse or Allen mentioned it.

“I’m glad to hear I made it before her. Would you mind keeping my late arrival between us? The last thing I want is for my sister to transform into Bridezilla.”

Laughter echoed between Jesse and Allen. They gave each other knowing glances before Jesse refocused on her. “Don’t worry, Cori. I got you covered. Your secret is safe.”

“Thanks.”

An awkward silence followed as she and Mariah exchanged glances with Jesse and Allen. For the first time since . . . ever, she was at a loss for words. She always had something witty to say to men. Playing the whole cat-and-mouse game was her specialty, and yet there she was, dumbstruck from any clever retort.

Why was she getting worked up? This was Jesse Woods. Despite his charm, she hadn’t forgotten how much he used to annoy her. She and his sister Jamie used to get so frustrated with him for eavesdropping on their conversations, teasing them about anything possible, and just being an overall pain in the a*s. He belched, farted, scratched his a*s, and did every gross thing a teenage boy does. She had witnessed it too many times, and it sure as hell wasn’t attractive.

But now . . .

Mariah tugged on her arm, breaking her thoughts. “Come on. We need to go inside the church. If Cassie and Theo pull up, you’ll look more guilty of being late if you’re out here.”

“You have a point,” Cori agreed. As Mariah led the way, she regarded Jesse once more. “You wanna come with me?”

She regretted her choice of words as her mind went totally in the gutter. When she noticed the devious gleam in Jesse’s eyes, a wave of heat consumed her face. His response to her question didn’t help matters.

“You first, doll.”

The innuendo didn’t go unnoticed by Allen. His lips curled, and he turned his back to them as if he was giving them privacy. He didn’t need to bother. This had to stop now. She couldn’t flirt with Jesse anymore.

Before she could talk herself out of it, she spun toward the steps and followed Mariah, who had already opened the door. The heat in Cori’s face began to diffuse once she joined her friend, though guilt still consumed her. At least she was inside the church. It was the best place for her, especially after her last few seconds with Jesse.

Maybe she needed to say some prayers while she was in there to give her strength to stay away from Jesse. She would need all the help she could get if the rest of the weekend went the way that encounter had. It would be the longest one ever.