Page 77 of Always You

“Nothing.” I lean in, resting one arm against the doorpost above her head, bringing my lips barely an inch from hers. “Looks damn good on you.”

“Stop flirting with me,” she says, even though there’s a hitch in her voice.

“Can’t.” I shake my head, pushing her back into my room. “You look too hot.”

She lets out a frustrated groan, flopping back onto the bed, clearly trying to create some distance between us.

“Are you ready?”

“Not sure. Can’t we just stay here?”

“You basically put me in a headlock to go!”

Yeah, stupid Hunter.

“I take it back. Let's just stay here and watch a movie.” Netflix and chill, probably a dumb suggestion.

“Hunt, it’s the last bonfire before graduation. Half of our class will be off to college soon.”

“You can’t stand half our class.”

“I know, but I already missed so much.” My heart tenses at her gooey eyes.

“You can’t look at me like that.”

“Like what?

“Like that!” I gesture at her. “With those puppy eyes.”

She snorts. “I’m not looking at you with puppy eyes!”

“You are! You’re looking all cute and adorable, not to mention fucking hot in my hoodie.”

“Hunter!”

“What?” I scoff, feeling bold. “Can’t say you’re hot, Charls? Because you look very hot,” I tease. “Extremelyhot. In fact, can I help you out of my hoodie? You look a little flushed. Wouldn’t want you overheated and all.” It’s a joke. It’s always a joke, but really, it’s anything but.

Her soft cheeks turn a rosy pink, her lashes fluttering as she throws a pillow at my head.

“Stop!Please.” Her plea does very different things to my still very much active groin, and a loud growl rumbles through the room.

“Fine.” I look around the room for my wallet, spotting it on my dresser before I put it in my pocket. “Ready. Let’s go.”

After we go through the drive-through of the Burger Shack, I take us to the edge of the woods, where the boys have set up the final bonfire as seniors. It’s the last Saturday before graduation, and I had to convince Charlotte for days to come with me.

A decision I now wholeheartedly regret, because having her curled up against my chest, watching a movie, sounds so much more appealing than making small talk with people I’ll never see again after next week.

I point my finger at the tree line in front of us when I notice Julie getting out of the car with Jacob. “Julie’s here. What does she see in that guy?” He has that same arrogant grin on his face, strolling around like he’s better than us just because he’s asophomore in college. I swear, I have no clue how he and Jason are even related.

I catch Charlotte’s frown from the corner of my eye. “You don’t like him?”

“I’d like him better if he showed up as roadkill one day.”

“Why? He’s Jason’s brother. How bad can he be?”

“You do not want the answer to that question.”

“That bad?” Her head tilts at me with wide eyes.

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