Page 73 of Rich and Bossy

She bites her lip and looks away. Then, her voice sounds like she’s pleading. “Please, I can’t do this, Paxton. Not right now. Not here.”

“I’m not leaving until I get a yes. I just want some of your time. Please?” I ask as earnestly as I can, hoping it’ll be more effective.

She glances back at the house again, then up at me. “I can’t.” Her voice is pleading with me.

“You can, and you will.” I glance toward the house. “Don’t make me kiss you in front of your mom and your friend in there. I know they’re watching.”

A smile appears, then it’s gone, like a comet cutting through the sky. “Please, Paxton. Please, leave and go home.”

“Tell me you don’t like me. Be honest. Tell me there’s not something between us.” I lower my brow, staring into her gold-flecked eyes. “Be honest with me, and tell me that’s not true, and I won’t bother you again.”

“Somehow, I doubt you would do that.”

“Then you don’t know me as well as you think you do.” My tone is so sharp she jolts a little. “You look me in the eye and tell me you seriously don’t like me, that none of this is real between us, and you won’t see me again.”

She bites down on her lip harder than before, her forehead creasing as she ponders this. It’s so obvious she’s full of shit. The fact that she has to think about it at all confirms what I’ve always known; that I’m not alone in this. She feels the exact same way I do.

“Look.” She shrugs with a sigh heavier than anyone her age should heave. “I don’t want to like, never see you again, I justwant you to go right now. Please.” Her voice goes higher on theplease.

“So you’ll go out with me?”

“I swear to God, Paxton, why are you…”

“Tomorrow night? A real date?”

She stands there with her arms crossed, bouncing on her heels, lips quivering. “Seriously, can you just…”

“Tomorrow night.” I take a step toward her. “Say yes or get kissed.” When I start to move in, she smiles and shoves me away, glancing back at the door.

She lowers her voice and through her teeth says, “Fine, okay? Yes, I’ll go out with you. If you leave, now. God, you’re so annoying.”

I back away, smiling from ear to ear. “Alright, then.” I point right at her. “You said it. No take backs.”

She grins at my antics. “Just go, you idiot.”

“I’ll send you a time, that’s a promise.” I walk away from the house on top of the world. No professional victory will ever feel as sweet as this.

It’s a huge mistake.

It’ll probably end with both of us getting hurt—badly.

I can’t stop though. I know it’s right. I’ve never had a feeling this strong.

It’d be wrong to ignore that. Hazel Strous is mine.

She’s fucking mine.

CHAPTER 20

Hazel

How doeshe do this to me?

Even with Campbell on the other side of the door watching, I still couldn’t tell him to get lost.

I’m still covered in goosebumps and the hair on the back of my neck is standing straight up while I stand in the front yard, watching him walk confidently back to the Charger. He is so damn full of himself.

I hate how much I like him. I hate how hard I have to fight to keep from smiling.

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