Boys Like You(24)

Shit. My suspended license was going to bite me in the ass over and over again. Frustrated, I yanked off my bandana and balled it in my fist.

That got her attention, and once more, those pale green eyes focused on me. “What’s wrong?”

“My car is still under house arrest, so it’s not like I can actu-ally take you anywhere.” Pissed at myself, I offered her the glass back and shrugged. “Never mind. It was a stupid idea.”

“Won’t your girlfriend be mad if she found out you’d invited another girl to go hang at some watering hole? I mean, I’m not 97

BoysLikeYou.indd 97

11/19/13 10:02 AM

Juliana Ston e

saying there’s anything going on between us, because we both know that’s not true, but still…”

Oh, there’s something going on. I just don’t know what it is.

“If I was the girlfriend of a guy who did that, I wouldn’t be happy.”

A shot of hope ran through me. So that was it. Her only thing was Rachel, and since Rachel and I had…

“I broke up with Rachel yesterday.”

Sunday had sucked. Not surprising, considering the epic failure Saturday had been, but waking up to find a very naked Rachel in my bed had been the icing on the worst cake ever.

I can’t lie. At first it had felt pretty damn good, but I guess that’s because I’d been half asleep, and though I wouldn’t admit it to anyone, in some far corner of my screwed-up head, I thought it was Monroe.

I’d been half asleep as Rachel kissed her way down my stomach and tugged on my boxers. I might have let her finish, but then she opened her mouth— and not in the way I’d been anticipating— and reality crashed in hard.

“Babe, I heard you went to the Peach Festival with some skank ho and then out to the bush party. Tell me it isn’t true.”

“Shit, stop,” I said, coming fully awake.

“You’re kidding, right?” She’d sat back, pissed and confused.

“What the hell is wrong with you, Nate? On what planet do you turn down a blowjob?”

98

BoysLikeYou.indd 98

11/19/13 10:02 AM

BOYS LIKE YOU

I pulled away and rolled out of bed, swearing as I tripped over her clothes and shoes.

What followed had been twenty minutes of listening to her scream and rant, and when she brought up Trevor and the accident, I blew her off and told her to leave. I especially didn’t want to talk about that night with her.

I couldn’t explain the feeling I got inside when I thought of the party and of Rachel and Trevor and his girlfriend, Bailey.

Everything had been so great, and then in an instant, it was gone. All of it.

I was left with this dark, mean kind of feeling, and it made me hate myself more than I already did.

“You and Rachel…you guys broke up?” Monroe’s soft voice brought me back from before, and it took a moment for me to focus.

I saw her clear eyes watching me warily. “Yeah.”

“I’m sorry.”

“Don’t be. It was a long time coming.” Longer even than the accident. The more I thought about it, I realized that Rachel and I hadn’t been on the same page for a long, long time.

“Okay,” she said.

I grabbed my bag and slung it over my shoulders before bending over and scooping up the paint can and brushes I’d used.

“Okay, what?”

“Okay, I’ll give you a lift.”

99

BoysLikeYou.indd 99

11/19/13 10:02 AM

Juliana Ston e

“A lift?” I took a few steps until I was close enough to smell that fresh scent that clung to her skin.

“Well, someone’s gotta be your taxi, and since I don’t have anything better to do, it may as well be me.”

“So you’re offering to drive me to Baker’s Landing out of boredom.”

A smile lifted the corners of her mouth, and I thought that her lips must feel incredibly soft. I thought that maybe it would be cool to find out just how soft they really were.

“Yes, Nathan. Only because I’m bored.”

“Nate.”

“What?”

“Call me Nate.”

“Okay, Nate. But just so you know, I’m only giving you a ride. Nothing more.”

“We’re living in a freaking oven and you’re not coming in?”

“I don’t think I packed a bathing suit.”

She started walking toward the house and I fell in beside her, liking the way she jumped when I leaned close and whispered, “Who says anything about wearing a bathing suit?”

She stopped so fast that I nearly ran her over. “I am not skinny-dipping with you.”

Her cheeks were pink and hair stuck to the side of her neck.

It was crazy that she could make me forget how shitty I felt about everything. Trevor. The accident. But I’d take it.

I’d play with it.

100

BoysLikeYou.indd 100

11/19/13 10:02 AM

BOYS LIKE YOU

“Could be fun,” I said with a laugh.

“For you maybe.”

“What?” I said, watching her back as she walked away. “I know a lot of girls who’d love to get naked with me.”