Never Been Kissed(60)
“That was fucking weird, even for Russia. I mean, what the fuck? Why is he so interested? Shit, I hope he listens to you, Sera. That asshole has a potential to ruin a good night.” Katie says, adding some more lip gloss to her mouth without a mirror. Pretty badass, if you ask me.“Why are we friends with him again?”
“Because they came in a packaged deal. Take one, take them all.” I bite my lip, stomach growling and wondering what I’m doing two feet away from the food. “What the frak am I going to do with him?”
“You better not be talking about Tommy when you have MacLaine right over there.” She puts a hand on my shoulder, giving me an affectionate squeeze. “And whatever you want to, you lucky bitch. It will be glorious. I can just tell.”
“God, if you’re lying about this, I will make your life a living hell. So hellish, in fact, that Dean Winchester’s stay in the fiery pit will be like a bloody vacation.”
Katie blinks at me. “I love how I have no idea what you’re talking about half the time. I always end up Google-ing half the shit that comes out of your mouth.”
“I’m expanding your knowledge.” I take another sip of Corona, letting the bubbles hit my stomach. Hunter’s talking with Eli, who’s talking to MacLaine while staring into his glass of scotch.
“Shut up. Let’s eat, I’m starving.” Katie sounds like she’s been starving her entire life, instead of a few hours. “I could eat General Tao every single day for the rest of my life and die happy. Wait, have you kissed him yet?” she whispers as we make our way to the food.
I give her a look. “It’s been five days since I last saw you, don’t you think I would have told you something so monumental?”
She nods. “Right.” She looks over my shoulder and nods again. “Maybe you should go talk to your man. He doesn’t look too happy.”
My man. Bloody hell, that sounds awesome.
I glance back to where Katie indicated, and stop piling food on my plate. Hunter’s nodding but in a way that tells me he’s not listening to a word Eli’s saying. As Eli moves to get a plate of food, Josh, Alex and Tommy come forward to keep him engaged in conversation. I watch Hunter’s eyes rove over every person in the room until he finds me.
And with that one look, I know what to do. I register the paleness of his face, and the way his lips look white. But his eyes do me in – they’re glassy and lost. Tearing my eyes away, I work fast.
I make a plate for Hunter, high with protein and vegetables. I snag a glass and pour some apple juice from the fridge – without asking Alex’s permission ‘cause I’m a badass like that.
Hunter is surrounded by all my boys. He has a red cup of most likely beer in his palm, frowning and listening to what Josh is saying. His eyes hit me as I come closer to the group, unsure if I’m interrupting something important – like fantasy hockey pool or whatever.
“Here,” I say, holding out the plate to him. I included a napkin and fork along with it, doing a trade off so I get his cup in my hand, having left my beer behind on the kitchen counter. I make sure he gets the apple juice and watch him put it to his mouth, drink as his eyes slide shut.
I’m floored that he trusted me enough to get him apple juice without saying anything.
“Jesus, what did you do? Give her the best orgasm of her life? Fuck, man, she never gets us plates of food, no matter how long we beg,” Tommy says, clapping Hunter hard on the shoulder, jostling his cup in his hand.
I’ve been electrocuted with shock and can’t move from my spot, tingles of embarrassment crashing over me. I can’t find words to speak – my tongue is paralyzed.
All I see is red, and it’s the color of Tommy’s blood spattering the walls after I’ve killed him for fraking embarrassing me.
In my head, I’ve killed him three times, each more gruesome than the last. Decapitation, disembowelment and castration – in that order. My skin feels tight on my bones, and all my cells are vibrating, screaming for some small measure of revenge.
I keep staring dumbly at Tommy – the blue eyes, the light brown hair and wonder how I’ve made so many excuses for his behaviour in the past. Because I had a stupid crush. I snap back to the present, staring at the shocked faces of Josh, Alex and Eli looking between Hunter and I.
Tommy, with a grin on his face, eyes bright. Josh, eyebrows high, mouth open. Katie, flawless lipstick being chewed on as she waits for my reaction. Eli, hastily taking a drink and looking anywhere but at me.
And Hunter, imploring me with a gaze that is part sugar-low and part something that could look like love. The anger gets sucked back into a spot inside me, leaving me deflated and alone. Josh explodes first – he who’s known Tommy the longest, and dealt with all his bullshit. “What the FUCK is wrong with you?”