Just a Little Crush(52)

“I hated high school,” he said.

I spun to him. “What? Why would you hate it?”

He shrugged. “My parents divorced at the beginning of sophomore year. I was expected to be this outgoing guy who always wanted to party and hang out with friends when all I really wanted to do was be alone. Nobody understood. Life was perfect for me, right? I had nothing to complain about.” He shook his head. “I was happy to finally go to college and stop pretending to be the person everyone thought I was.”

“Is that when you got your tattoos and pierced your lip?”

Just the mention of his lip caused him to grin. He sucked it into his mouth and I tried hard not to stare.

“Yeah, didn’t fit my perfect image. But you and I both know, I’m far from perfect.”

He looked pretty freaking perfect to me. Tattoos and all.

He cocked his head to the side and studied me. “What are you thinking?” he asked.

“Nothing.” I looked away.

He grinned then plopped onto the bed, grabbed the remote and aimed it at the TV mounted to the wall. “Come watch a movie with me.” He patted a spot on the bed, near the wall.

I kicked off my shoes and climbed over him, but he captured my hips and stopped me. He brushed my hair back and said, “I’m not going to lie. That was an excuse to get you into my bed.” He flipped the TV off.

“You didn’t need one.” I smiled, leaned forward and kissed him, my tongue finding its favorite spot—the cool metal against his warm mouth.

He pushed his fingers into my hair and tilted his head, better matching our mouths. He licked my top lip, then slipped his tongue over mine. Our tongues twirled as his hands slid down my back and along my thighs. He flipped to his side and laid me on the bed.

Angled over me, he ran kisses down my jaw and across my neck. “I’m sorry I flipped out earlier,” he said. “I shouldn’t have dragged you away from your mom like that.”

“Don’t worry about it.” I ran my thumb over his bottom lip as he stared into my eyes.

“I couldn’t stand the way she talked to you, but still, that doesn’t make it okay. I should have let you choose to leave on your own. If you want me to take you back, I will.”

“I don’t want to go back.” My eyes welled with tears and I looked away. Dammit. Now wasn’t the time to cry, but the embarrassment combined with Grandma’s condition was a lot to bear. “I just really wish you hadn’t heard that.”

“I already told you it doesn’t matter.”

I kept my gaze on the wall.

“Hey, look at me.” With his finger, he guided my face toward his. “Honestly, Brinley.” He studied me a second. “Does she always say those kinds of things to you?”

“Only when she’s really drunk.”

“But she’s an alcoholic. Isn’t she always drunk?”

“Yeah.” Tears flowed down my cheeks and I really wanted to change the subject.

“I’m so, so sorry.” He brushed the tears away with his thumb. “It’s the alcohol talking. You know she doesn’t really mean that stuff.”

“I think she does.” I sniffled.

“Did that man ever touch you? Truthfully.”

“No. He made some lewd remarks and…and one time he cornered me in the kitchen, but Grandma walked in. He didn’t know she was home. That was the last day he was allowed in our house.”

Ryder clenched his jaw.

“Nothing ever happened though. Honest.” I despised the way Ryder looked at me. I didn’t want to be some charity case. I’d gone out of my way to keep my family life private.

“I hate the thought of someone hurting you.”

“Then don’t think about it.” I pulled him to me in a kiss. He pressed his lips to mine and I tried hard to concentrate on him and not the horrible things my mother had said, or my grandma so frail and sick in the hospital bed, or Mike towering over me, his hand snaking toward my thighs. I wanted the thoughts forced out of my mind. I needed to forget.

“Ryder.” My throat was thick with anguish, and my words were strained as I summoned the courage to finally ask, “Have sex with me?”





Chapter Twelve


Ryder froze. “We can’t—”

“You promised. You can’t say no.”

He looked pained as he stared down at me. “Not like this, Brinley.”

I shook my head. “You said you wouldn’t say no. You said I just had to ask. Well, I’m asking.”

“This isn’t what I…”

I blinked slow and hard. Rejected. Again.

I shook my head. “Just admit it. You don’t want me like that. It’s always been an excuse.” With my hands on his shoulders, I shoved him off, jumped out of bed and turned away. “Take me home.”