Nothing But Trouble (Malibu University Series)(65)
How did I not notice how self-absorbed he was before? If he’s not talking about himself, he’s discussing pop culture ad infinitum. Not once did he ask me something personal. Not a single question. And when he dropped me off at my dorm and I leaned away when he came in for a second kiss, I got this––
“How about some head, then?”
Which naturally prompted me to request, “How about you leap off a tall building into a concrete pit?”
He didn’t even wait for me to get inside before he peeled away. I guess I won’t be using the Avid machine. It breaks my heart. The Avid machine, that is.
“Alice!” I hear a familiar voice shout at my back. I’m thinking he needs to go look for a tall building too.
Headed nowhere in particular, I pick up my pace down his street, each house I pass bigger than the last. It empties directly onto the beach so I figure I could work out the major fit of anger I’m having before I order another Uber that I really can’t afford.
The electric blue Manolo Blahnik sandals I borrowed from Blake hit a rock and my ankle wobbles. This is why I don’t wear heels. Although I catch myself in time, it scares me enough to stop and take a breather. Last thing I need is another sprained ankle.
“Alice! Where are you going?”
“Go back to your party.” Asshole. I leave that part out. He doesn’t need to know that I’m so jealous I’d like to take these sandals off and throw them at his junk. Behind me, I hear running footsteps. A large hand cuffs my bare bicep and I yank on it, breaking his hold on me.
“Don’t touch me,” I spit out, wheeling around to face him.
He looks crazed. His eyes wild, his hair disheveled, his lips pink and puffy from the When Animals Attack episode he was imitating only a moment ago.
“It’s midnight. Where are you going?”
“Nowhere. To call an Uber. I shouldn’t have come,” I huff, exasperated, angry. I feel a thousand mixed emotions right now and most of them are telling me to hurt him. Turning, I continue my march to destination unknown. He catches up, takes my arm again. This time his grip isn’t going anywhere.
“What are you doing?” I whisper-hiss as he hauls me off the deserted road and drags me toward the houses on our left. It doesn’t escape me that I look ridiculous tiptoeing as fast as I can down a narrow stone walkway.
“This is private property!” I screech very, very quietly when he leads me between two gigantic beach houses with barely a few feet separating them. “They probably have security cameras everywhere!”
He spins me around and backs me up against the house, caging me in with his body, his hands planted on both sides of my head.
“I kissed her on purpose.”
Oh, please. Does he think I’m clueless? “I don’t care.”
“Yes, you do,” he insists with careful patience. As if speaking to someone who doesn’t have the mental capacity to know her own mind. I am pumped with indignation at this point.
“No, I really don’t,” I snap. “As a matter of fact, why don’t you go back to eating that chick’s face off. I think you missed a spot, Hannibal Lecter.”
It’s dark. The dim light of the streetlamp is all I have to go by. And still, I see him tip his face down to hide the grin. “I’m glad you think this is funny. Now let me go.”
When he doesn’t respond, I push at his pecs and he leans closer, his chest grazing mine. His head dips and he places a soft kiss on my neck. “I wanted to make you jealous the same way you made me jealous.” He kisses the other side of my neck and my chin lifts involuntarily, giving him better access. I’m annoyed at this, my body’s inability to resist him. It’s not even putting up the slightest fight.
“Going on a date with shady Simon was mean. It hurt my feelings.”
“Stop trying to be cute. It’s not going to work on me anymore.”
I have no strength to push him away. The kisses are diabolical, sapping me of all my anger. And my willingness to say no.
“Not trying to be cute.” He kisses the corner of my mouth. “It did hurt my feelings.” A tiny, little baby pang of guilt hits my heart. He sounds earnest.
“I needed to know if you want me as much as I want you,” he murmurs into my skin, the vibration making me shiver.
The declaration does, however, manage to snap me out of the lust-induced daze. Palms to chest, I push him back far enough that I can look into his eyes.
“You’re the one that friend-zoned me. You’re the one always pushing and teasing me, and then pulling away. And now you want to place the blame at my feet?” My voice rises and falls. The anger bleeds away and a stale, hollow feeling remains. “You know what I just realized about you, Rea…you’re a fucking coward.”
That finally wipes the amusement from his face and a nameless emotion clouds his eyes.
“I have an expiration date hanging over my head. It haunts me every day. I’ve had it since I was fifteen and Nancy told me that there’s a chance, somewhere down the road, I’ll get the same thing my mother and grandmother had, and you don’t see me scared to give anything a chance…to give us a chance.”
He cups my cheek with one hand and I brush it away. I’m on a rant now and I intend to finish it.
“And I’m so sick of your mixed signals. Will he? Won’t he? Will he? Won’t he? You’re worse than a virgin. I’m done.” I duck under his arm for a quick exit and he stops me.