Page 57 of Obsession

I tried to walk past him, but he grabbed my arm and stopped me. It wasn’t aggressive, so I didn’t react and just looked up at him. Again, I got dangerously close to him, and he pulled me closer still, until our chests brushed together.

“If she didn’t exist, would you react the same way?”

I swallowed as my gaze drifted to his lips. “I don’t understand.”

“Would you send me home so quickly?”

My gaze lifted to him. Bad fucking idea. I fell into the black hole, my thoughts mingling with my hormones, the wet, coldtank top starting to burn against my skin. He towered over me, but this embrace felt different than before, gentle. I could pull away at any time. Maybe that was why I didn’t.

“I don’t know, and I don’t want to think about it.”

His eyes dropped to my lips while I spoke, while his other hand traveled to the back of my neck and his fingers tangled in the wet hair at the base of my skull, turning my resistance to dust. His hair was wet too, and all I could think about was sinking my hands into it. He slowly leaned over me until I could feel his hot breath on my lips, my skin, everything.

“You promised,” I managed to speak, more afraid of myself than of him.

With a deep sigh, he let go of me and stepped back. “I promised,” he repeated, even though I could have sworn his thoughts were different.

He turned around and brushed his hair back while I took a deep breath as quietly as I could and reminded myself that I would not get involved with a guy in a relationship. I’d never sunk that low, but he was temptation incarnate and resisting him was pure agony. He asked if I would have kicked him out if it wasn’t for Amber. The answer startled me. I wouldn’t have, and worse, I wouldn’t have held back.

“You don’t seem to like being a cheerleader very much, so why did you join if you don’t like it?” He changed the subject, and I was grateful for that.

“Believe me, it wasn’t my decision. The principal skillfully manipulated me.”

Harris took the cutlery and glasses to the sink and then looked at me, confused.

“How did she manipulate you?”

“With the promise that I wouldn’t fail any subjects.”

He raised an eyebrow.

“She never gave me that opportunity.”

I started to laugh. “Did you ever think that you might not be good at everything?”

“Never.”

I laughed even harder now, but his answer didn’t shock me. He gave me a cheeky grin.

“Now I’m really curious. What got you manipulated into this?”

I blinked. “You’ll never find out.”

I picked up the tray from the table and searched for a container to put the leftovers in.

“Oh, come on, I assume you’re a very good dancer, are you not?”

“Your supposition would be right.”

He rolled his eyes.

“Anyway, you don’t have to do it if you don’t want to. And don’t think I’m trying to make you quit because of Amber. Not at all, but I don’t like the idea of you being forced to do anything.”

I looked at him and shrugged.

“It’s a long story, but either way, I don’t think the principal will leave me alone. This cheerleading thing isn’t so bad after all.”

I tried to end the conversation because I didn’t want to get deeper into the heart of the problem or have him question me about dancing and why I quit. We’d had an acceptable hour together, but that didn’t mean I was ready to tell him my life story.

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