The Way to Game the Walk of Shame(69)

Annoyed as I was with Taylor, I couldn’t help snorting. “You’re no damsel, and you’d beat up anyone who caused you any distress.”

“Well, you’re right about the first part, but not the second. The cause of my distress is looking fine and healthy right in front of me.”

I didn’t take her bait. “So, where do you want to go?”

“Anywhere.” Lauren leaned even closer until her chin was on my shoulder. “You’re the one who called me, remember?”

My jaw clenched. I grabbed my sunglasses from the compartment beneath my radio and slipped them on before jerking the shift stick into drive. My abrupt movement dislodged Lauren from my shoulder. “I didn’t really have anywhere in mind. I just wanted to get away.”

She nodded. “Then how about the lake?”

The lake wasn’t really a lake, more like a giant puddle that was a mile off the freeway. The cool thing about it was that no matter how hot it got—even if it hadn’t rained in weeks—or how much it poured, the puddle was always the same size. It never evaporated or anything. It was also the first place where Lauren and I had hooked up when we started dating the first time.

My fingers drummed on the leather steering wheel at a red light. I snuck a glance at her out of the corner of my eyes. She was sprawled out on the passenger seat. Her red curls swept back as she leaned out of the open window.

There were barely any cars on the highway when I pulled onto the deserted road. I parked the car beneath a tree by the lake’s edge and rolled down the windows, breathing in the musty air. Dark clouds rumbled in the distance. It was going to rain soon. This was probably a bad idea.

I turned my head to suggest that we go to the mall or something instead, when Lauren pounced.

As she pressed her pouty lips against mine and ran her tongue along the thin line of my mouth, dozens of images washed over me. Our first time at this very lake in this very car. Hanging out in the park. Snuggling together in the back of the worst movie showing so we’d be sure we’d be alone.

Suddenly, a picture of Taylor and Brian alone in the library flashed in my mind. Arms touching. A harmless hug. A light kiss. Something more. A lot more. And that was it. Something inside me snapped. I wanted to prove to myself that I didn’t need to be with Taylor. My lips opened against hers, barely parting a centimeter.

But a centimeter was all the invitation that she needed. Lauren climbed onto my lap with the grace of a cat, never stopping the kiss as though she couldn’t even if she tried. Her right hand ran through my hair while the other took my hand and laid it on her waist beneath her shirt. I rubbed against her silky smooth skin and pressed my hand against the small of her back. Her body fit against mine perfectly.

She let out a sigh and leaned her head back so my lips could trail down her throat.

We moved together with ease like we’d done this a thousand times—which we had. I breathed in the familiar scent of the perfume on her neck. Flowery, like lavender or something. Lauren always wore the same perfume. The smell alone used to turn me on, but now it was just that. A smell. And no longer one that I liked. If only it was a little sweeter, like vanilla or cinnamon. Or maybe the fresh smell of apples.

Like Taylor.

With a sigh, I gently pushed Lauren off my lap. I shouldn’t do it. I couldn’t. Not when my head was filled with thoughts of Taylor.

“What’s wrong?”

Yes, what was wrong? I glanced over at Lauren’s indignant face—shirt crumpled and still raised enough that I could see her tanned, flat stomach—and groaned. Damn, she was sexy. Shit. I closed my eyes and rubbed my temples, mentally cursing myself out for being an idiot. “Nothing, I just don’t think this is a good idea anymore.”

“Is it because of Taylor? Have you seriously fallen for her?” I don’t know what she saw on my face, but something convinced her that she was right. “Look, I was fine with you messing around with the little virgin, because I thought you were just having fun. But she’s different from us. She’ll never understand you.”

She was right. About everything. But that didn’t make my feelings for Taylor change. If anything, it made me like her even more. And in some ways, Taylor actually understood me better than I understood myself. “I don’t know what you want me to say.”

“I want you to tell me that there’s nothing going on between you two.”

“I can’t.” I winced at the way my voice cracked, and I shook my head. “Why does it even matter to you how I feel about her?”

“Because of the way you looked at me at the beach party! Like I didn’t matter!” Lauren lashed out. Her hands were like claws as she dug at her jean-clad thighs. “Because no matter how many girls you dated or who you had sex with, you always came back to me. Because you cared about me.”

My hand flattened hers until she stopped. “I do care about you.”

“And I care about you, too.” She let out a deep, rattling breath. Her hand tightened on mine. “We belong together, Evan. You and me.”

I was stunned. Lauren never spoke about her feelings, so I never even imagined that she felt this way about me. Especially because I never felt that way about her. I couldn’t help feeling like a complete ass when I pulled my hand from hers. “Lauren…”

“Is it because I won’t commit? Because I can. We could go to prom together or get a billboard to tell the world we’re exclusive if you want. And then after graduation, we could—”