Play With Me: A High School Bully Romance (Diamond In The Rough Book 1)(35)

To this day, I can fully remember just how amazing that massage felt.

Rae sighed with relief as I slowly popped every knuckle. One by one, down her finger, until I’d traced all five of them. I massaged her palm slowly, being careful with the bones in the top of her hand. I worked my way toward her wrist, getting lighter and lighter until she flinched. Then I began backing up, making my way down the hand, back into the palm, and up to the tips of her fingers.

Giving myself time to process everything I thought. Everything I felt. Everything I wanted to do, but couldn't.

“You wanna tell me what this fight was all about now?”

I settled Rae’s hand against my thigh, feeling her heat penetrate my jeans. Did I want to come clean? Did I want to open up to her? Did I want to let her in again?

Yes. Yes, I did.

I licked the blood off my lips. “This weekend was rough. Dad came home.”

She paused. “What did he do, Clint?”

I shrugged. “The usual. Cecilia stepped in this time, though. And he wasn’t happy about that.”

“Is she okay?”

I snickered. “He punished me with a hand wrapped around my neck, and he punished her by leaving her behind while he jetted off on yet another business trip. Yeah. I think she’s okay.”

“So you lashed out at those guys because you needed… an outlet?”

“It’s the only thing I know how to do when I’m confused and angry. It’s the only way Dad ever taught me how to deal with shit.”

“And you think that’s productive?”

I shrugged. “Maybe not.”

“I wouldn’t think so either. Since you weren’t doing a very good job of fighting.”

I grinned as a soft chuckle bubbled up the back of my throat. I looked over at her, finding her smirking at me as her hand moved down to my knee. She squeezed it before moving it again, and I ached for her touch against my body again. I loved how she made me smile. How she had this ability to light up my world, even at a time like this.

“Don’t be a smartass. It’s not a good look.”

She giggled. “And yet, it’s in my blood.”

I quirked an eyebrow. “I don’t think it’s genetic more so than a chromosomal defect.”

“I’m shocked you even know what that is, considering you almost flunked out of sophomore science.”

“And here I thought you never paid attention to me.”

She snickered. “The only thing I paid attention to during that class was Mr. Blackman’s ass. He had a nice one.”

“And you weren’t staring at my ass? How rude.”

“Yours wasn’t very nice back then.”

“So you were looking.”

And all at once, her face flushed red. It trickled down the nape of her neck, forcing me to swallow back a growl. I enjoyed bantering with her. I enjoyed making her flustered. The big, bad, tough girl from the wrong side of the tracks, melting into a puddle of embarrassment.

It looked spectacular on her.

“Well, Rae. The good news is that your wrist isn’t broken.”

She rolled her eyes. “I could’ve told you that.”

“I’m sure. Can you tell me what it actually is, then?”

She glared playfully at me. “It’s sprained, jackass.”

I patted her head. “Good job, Rae. You get a gold star.”

“You’re a dick.”

“And you love it.”

Her eyes whipped up to mine and I saw something flash behind them. Something hot. Something passionate. Something way too fleeting for the moment. She looked away from me, casting her eyes down into her lap. So I decided not to back her into a corner over it.

I mean, I’d already gotten her to admit she enjoyed staring at my ass.

“Here. Let me get that ice pack real quick.”

My hand pressed against the back of her shoulder and she leaned up. I heard her groaning a bit, which meant her muscles were already stiffening from the jarring impact. I stood up and took the ice pack back into the kitchen, tossing it into the freezer. Then I rummaged around for a washcloth.

“Time for some heat,” I murmured to myself.

After drenching the washcloth in hot water, I wrung it out. I walked back into the living room, watching as Rae’s eyes found mine again. I felt her studying me carefully. Trying to figure out her next move. I motioned for her to sit up and placed the washcloth against her bare skin, and the hiss that left her lips filled my ears.

“Does that hurt?” I asked.

She shook her head. “No. Just jarring, after the cold.”

“Do you need a couple minutes?”

“No, no. I’m good. You can leave it.”

“All right. Lean back for me. Like you did with the ice pack.”

And after sliding her shirt down, she eased herself back into the cushions.

I sat down next to her. “You never should’ve charged that field, Rae. The hell were you thinking?”

“I was thinking about you, and how stupid you looked.”

“You put yourself in harm’s way for nothing. You know I can handle myself.”

“And so can I, believe it or not.”

“Says the girl who got knocked on her ass with one push.”

She scoffed. “What? You saying I’m not tough?”

I growled. “No. I’m saying you could’ve gotten much worse, and I don’t like the thought of you getting hurt.”

“Well, I’m already hurt.”

“I mean more hurt, Rae. Stop twisting my words and accept the fact that I give a shit.”

She giggled. “How does that feel to admit?”

I grinned. “Probably more painful than that wrist of yours.”

“You sure about that? Because it’s a pretty gnarly sprain.”

“Gnarly? You been surfing lately?”

She shrugged. “And if I have?”

I smiled. “I’d tell you I’d love to see you in that body suit sometime.”

“And here I thought you liked me naked.”

“I never said anything about not taking it off.”

She blushed again, deepening that color against her beautifully-tanned body. I loved watching it. I adored everything about her reactions. The way she made her hair fall into her face to draw a sort of curtain between us. The way she shivered as I tucked that same piece of hair back behind her ear. The way she turned toward me, begging me silently with her eyes to touch her.

I especially liked the way she nuzzled against my palm, too. Once I offered it to her.

“I’ve missed you,” I whispered.

Rae’s eyes fell closed as I cupped her cheek softly. “I know.”

“I’m sorry for not having the balls to choose you over Roy and the others. I should’ve had a different answer when you confronted me.”

She nodded softly. “I know, Clint.”

“You deserve better, you know.”

She opened her eyes, locking them with my own. She lifted her head from my palm, leaving me wanting more of her heat. More of her skin. More of her body against mine. She scooted closer to me, letting her hurt hand settle against my thigh again. I swallowed hard, watching her face slowly gravitate to mine as the washcloth slid out from her shirt. Her eyes held me. Pinned me. Rooted me to the couch. And as her breath pulsed against my lips, she shook her head.

“Now that I don’t believe.”

I snickered. “You should. I’m not good.”

She shrugged. “Neither am I.”

“Don’t you dare talk about yourself like that. You’re the best, Rae.”

“Then so are you.”

“No, I’m not.”

“Aren’t you the one that pointed out just how much we have in common? You know, back when you stalked me at the park.”

I chuckled. “I didn’t stalk you.”

She smirked. “You stalked me a little bit.”

“I really didn’t. I honestly found you by happenstance out there.”

She shrugged. “It’s fine. You don’t have to admit it. But you're the one who said we were more alike than we seemed. So, if I’m worth it, you’re worth it. Logic dictates it.”

“Logic, huh? You a fan of all that nonsense?”

“Am I a fan of basic arguments and winning them? I mean, I am a girl.”

My eyes fell to her lips before I licked my own again.

“Yes. You are a hell of a girl, Rae.”

She scooted closer to me, our thighs pressed together. Heat crept up the nape of my neck as her hand slid up my thigh. Up my abs. Up my chest, until it settled against my shoulder. She had her arm almost around me. Almost giving me permission to wrap her up and pull her into my fucking lap.

Then her eyes fell to my lips.

“Do you have them now?”

I paused. “Do I have what?”

She giggled. “The balls, silly. Do you have the balls now to make the decision you should have made?”

“Depends. Are you giving me a second chance at the choice?”

And as she nodded, I wrapped my arms around her, pulling her into my lap as our noses nuzzled softly together.

“Yes,” I whispered.





33





Raelynn





I furrowed my brow. “Yes?”

Clint nodded. “Mm-hmm. Yes.”

I grinned. “I mean, positive answer. But you might have to be a bit more specif—”

His lips crashed against mine and I slid my fingers through his hair. He tasted like metal and blood and sweat. The grass from the football field wafted up my nose as he tightened me against him. I felt his chest heaving, gasping for the air I robbed him of. And while I knew I needed to still be mad at him, I wasn’t. I should have still been mad at him, but I couldn't be. He was an ass, yes. He had been an ass today, and he’d be an ass tomorrow. Starting a damn fight like that.