Page 6 of The Blackmail of Denise Randall

I jerk away when I hear movement. “Is someone here?”

Keaton’s forehead falls against mine as he growls. “Shit.”

Then I heara woman’s voice call out. “Keaton? Are you here?”

I shove him away, but he doesn’t budge. “Listen, Denise. I was expecting someone, but she’s—”

“The person you were originally planning to do that with. But then I showed up. I get it. I’ll just be on my way so you can get to it.”

This time I push harder, and he stumbles back. “Hey, are you trying to push me over the ledge?” I shrug and grab another bottle for the road. Keaton grabs my wrist. “You’re not driving.”

“You’re not in any better condition.”

“I usually spend the night here if I’ve been drinking.”

“I’m not about to spend the night here with you and your friend.” Speaking of, her voice is still calling out to Keaton as she climbs the stairs, and he has yet to answer her.

“I’ll tell her to leave.”

I step closer to him and whisper, “What just happened between us?” What I’m really asking him is, did you feel it too?

Keaton’s eyes go wide. “Was that your first orgasm?”

The sound of ripped plastic causes both of us to step apart. “Who’s first orgasm?” I turn mortified to find Alice and Rachel’s friend, Emily. Oh my gosh. Emily, who used to date Keaton. Or I guess still does. She’s a gorgeous woman. She’s dressed in designer jeans and a cute cut-off top. She steps farther in to the room and into the light from the street lamp. I shrink away from him, but he steps back into my space.

“We’re not finished,” he says.

“Yes, we are.” I speak through gritted teeth.

Emily laughs. “Well, it sounds like somebody finished from what I heard. What are you two up to?” I raise my chin and she gasps. “Denise?”

“Hello,” I sneer, and then snatch my bottle back from Keaton.

Emily points her finger at Keaton. “Have you lost your damn mind? Isn’t she in high school? You’ll lose more than your job with Richard. You know Noah is going to be furious. Trent! He’s not only going to come after you, but he’ll kill you. What the hell are you thinking touching Denise Randall?”

I wipe away a few angry tears. “I’m right here, ya know. And I graduated.”

Keaton chuckles. “Today actually.”

“I’m sorry honey,” Emily speaks to me like I’m a child. “But Keaton has been best friends with Noah for years and recently started hanging out with your big brother and working for your daddy. No way is this going to go down well.”

“Are you sure you’re not just upset that I’m up here with your boyfriend?”

“Boyfriend?” Emily giggles. “Keaton and I broke up after high school. You’re about to find out that a lot of things change when you get out of school.”

“I can only hope.” All three of us are quiet, and then I speak again. “Nothing happened, just so you know.”

“Well…if you call you falling apart in my arms nothin’, then yea, nothin’ happened,” Keaton says.

“Nothing happened.” I want to smack that cocky smirk off his face. Is he mocking me? Before the tears can come, I storm past them and rip through the plastic makeshift door. As I’m walking down the stairs, I hear Emily say, “Something definitely happened.”

It definitely did. I probably seemed so stupid to him. Never having orgasmed before and my first time was like that. We didn’t even remove any clothes. Ugh. Isn’t that just the cherry on top of this shit-tastic day. What would’ve happened had Emily not shown up? Would I have went all the way? I can’t believe I was so willing to give myself to him. Cocky Keaton Sloan.

I was falling apart in his arms. I was hungry and desperate for him, and he mocked me. Like everyone else …I’m so ready to get out of this stupid town and never come back.

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