Unexpectedly, his kisses gentled before stopping altogether. I glimpsed his disgruntled face before he turned away. “Rest up. We have a big day ahead of us tomorrow.”
I stayed quiet while he left the room and returned shortly after with my bag. Disturbed, I decided not to think anymore about how I could like kissing someone so much that I couldn’t stand.
CALEB
What the ever-loving hell was I thinking? I couldn’t seduce Gianna. She wasn’t just some random girl that I picked up at a party. I couldn’t have sex with her and ditch her like I did other chicks. I needed to avoid kissing her again. I had a feeling it wouldn’t be so easy. She was so freaking hot and beautiful. But I had to remember she was off limits. If I hurt her the fallout would be epic. It’d piss my dad off more than anything else I’d done.
When I saw her kissing Jared, something inside me awakened for the first time. It was ugly and jealous. I didn’t want her kissing anyone else, but I couldn’t be with her myself. She deserved someone who would be willing to commit. I could never do that, refused to fall into that trap. I lived through my parents’ tumultuous relationship before they finally divorced. Relationships weren’t worth the headache they caused and they always fizzled out, leaving the people involved with nothing but regrets.
CHAPTER EIGHT
“Taking joy in living is a woman’s best cosmetic.”
-Rosalind Russell
CALEB
I woke up on the couch and remembered Gianna sleeping in my bed. Walking down the hallway, I half expected her to be gone. A peek through the cracked door showed me her sleeping form. She looked good in my bed, wearing pajama shorts and a tank top, with a sheet tangled in her legs. Even with her hair all messed up she was still the most beautiful girl I’d ever met.
Pushing the door open, I ran in and jumped onto the bed. Simulating an earthquake, I yelled, “Wake up, princess! I’m bored and need your grouchiness to entertain me.” Her eyes snapped open in alarm, but when she saw me she scrambled upright to take a swing at me.
“You scared me, Caleb!” She fought a grin while trying to appear mad.
I dodged out of the way, laughing at her. “I’m hungry, make me some breakfast.”
“Why don’t you make me some breakfast? I’m the guest here,” she grumbled, laying her head back on the pillow and pulling the sheet over her.
“Fine, lazy, but get up and get ready. We’ve got things to do today. Do I always have to be the responsible one around here?” I joked, earning a glare.
“I need to go home. My mom will be expecting me,” she argued.
“Don’t worry. I’ll take care of Julie. She loves me.”
“She’s the only one,” she muttered under the sheet.
“That’s not nice. I’m going to have to tell mom you’re being mean to me,” I threatened.
Gianna threw the sheet off her head to shout, “She’s not your mom!”
Thank god for that, I thought to myself. Otherwise I’d have been making out with my sister last night. About last night, what would she do if I kissed her now? Better not. I couldn’t mess around with her like that. I turned away, shutting temptation out.
“I’ll go make breakfast. I hope you’re not counting calories ‘cause we’re eating pancakes.” While in the kitchen, I was determined not to think about Gianna naked in my shower.
Thirty minutes later, I’d already eaten when Gianna came out of the bathroom dressed casually with her dark blonde hair still wet. “Go ahead and eat while I take a shower. I left a pen and paper on the table. Your homework for today is to write down all the things you’d do if there were no consequences.”
“Why should I do that?” she asked belligerently.
“Because I said so and I’m the boss.” It was that simple. Whether or not I’d actually rat her out to Julie, I didn’t know. If she didn’t do what I said, I’d decide then.
“Whatever, go take your shower. You stink.”
After my shower, I found Gianna sitting on the couch with an amused, self-satisfied look on her face. I sauntered over to the dining room table to read her list.
1. Punch Caleb in the face.
2. Steal Caleb’s car and go for a joy ride, which may involve crashing into a brick wall.
3. Find a way to get Caleb expelled from my school, so he’ll have to live somewhere else.
I glanced up at Gianna to take in the smug grin on her face. “What?” she asked innocently. I rolled my eyes at her and kept reading.
4. Go tagging (that means spray painting your name in public places, white boy!)
5. Get a tattoo
6. Street dance downtown at the 16th Street Mall