Page 39 of Dare To Break

Catching my elbow, he urges me to turn around. “He and Kellan were always sniffing around her.”

I flatten my hand against his shoulder to keep him at bay. “Jace, don’t.”

His hands find my waist. “You know I like you, Arabella. I’ve made no secret of that.”

“I told you before. I just want to be friends.”

“I won’t let things get complicated. I promise.” He dips to kiss me, his tongue pushing between my lips. He tastes of smoke, beer, and desperation.

As his palms move up my ribcage, I grab his wrists. “Stop it.”

“Don’t you like me, Bella?” He sways on his feet, words slightly slurred.

He’s drunk, and the knowledge makes me uneasy. “I do. It’s just …”

“You’ve never done this before,” he finishes for me.

My face grows hot with mortification.

Jace touches the blush on my cheek with the tip of one finger. “Damn, you really are a virgin, aren’t you?”

I propel him back a step with my hand, and stalk around him.

“Don’t be mad at me. I’m sorry. I’m a little drunk, and I really want you.” There’s a whine to his voice that sets my nerves on edge.

Evan passes me on the edge of the firelight. “Hey, Michigan, if you don’t like Jace enough to pop your cherry, I don’t mind doing it for you.”

Cheeks still burning, I flip up my middle finger at him. “Get lost, Evan.”

He laughs, eyes alight with amusement. “I’m just messing with you.”

I don’t reply and walk off through the trees in the direction of the cemetery. Leaving the quiet chatter of the group behind me, the snapping of twigs behind me becomes the focus of my attention.

“Wait up.” Miles appears beside me, hands in the pocket of his jeans. “I’ll walk you to the tree line. It’s safer to stick together.”

I don’t slow my steady pace.

“Jace not your type?”

“Is this the part where you start hitting on me too?”

He snorts. “You’re not my type.”

“You mean I’m not a cheerleader.”

Grabbing my hand, he pulls me to a stop. “You don’t have a dick.”

I blink and stare up at him. “You’re gay?”

Miles nods.

My eyes dart back in the direction of his friends. “Do they know?”

“Hell no.” He shuffles his feet in the dirt. “No one in the school knows. I don’t need that kind of attention from the other jocks.”

His gruff voice startles me, and I narrow my eyes. “Why are you telling me this?”

Miles stares down at me for a beat. “Is it true? Are you Travers’ stepsister?”

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