Page 12 of His Brave Girl

“You should see the texts she sent me last night, dude. Cassie begged me to take her back. Funny as shit to read. I ignored every single one, and the girl still can’t take a hint.”

That doesn’t surprise me. Cassie’s pretty damn stubborn when it comes to hearing the wordno.

“She was trying to climb inside my car as soon as I pulled into the parking lot. I shoved her hands away from my dick and went straight into class and sat with your girl. And let me tell you, that burned Cassie’s ass up.”

“I bet it did.” My girl hasn’t only stormed in and swept my ass off the market, but she’s now gaining a full following.

The girls are deep in conversation as we approach their table. It’s not until my thigh brushes against Presley’s leg as I take myseat that she notices my arrival. Her eyes light up the moment she sees me, but she’s quick to hide her excitement behind that wall she insists on keeping between us. Thought for sure after what happened between us earlier, we’d gotten past this. But I guess I was wrong. Guess that means I’m just going to have to try harder.

“Hope you don’t mind us sitting with you ladies.” I glance over at Ruby who’s looking dumbstruck at the moment. “Didn’t want to ruin my lunch by having to sit with Cassie and her groupies today.” I lean right into my girl’s ear. This is for her ears only. “Plus, I didn’t get to give you a second round and I know you needed it.”

Presley’s eyes flare. This time she does a piss-poor job of hiding her truth. Those cheeks of hers are awfully rosy and her thighs have clamped shut beneath the table. She can give me that glare all she wants, but I know that she’s wet between those sweet little lips.

“Ruby…” Presley turns toward the shy, awkward girl. “Are you okay with them sitting here with us?”

For a second, I think this is my girl’s attempt of getting rid of me, but when I see the concern in her eyes as she waits for her friend’s answer, I realize I’m wrong. She doesn’t want Ruby to be uncomfortable. And that fucking tightens my chest. Presley’s a damn angel, and all that sweetness hidden under her bad girl persona is a fucking turn-on.

“Um…sure…you guys can sit here. I don’t mind.” Ruby nods, striking me right down with shock. Up until yesterday, I didn’t even think the girl could speak. But she’s got one of the prettiest voices I’ve ever heard. Next to my girl’s, of course. There’s something about Presley’s sultry rasp that glides right over my dick and raises my shaft every time she speaks. Damn, I need her. I don’t even care about my lunch. I just want to lay her out on this table and feast away.

“So, hey,” Chase says, cutting through the hunger that’s ringing loud in my ears. “I’m having a party tomorrow night, and I was wondering if you wanted to come, Presley?”

Presley stiffens at my side. I look down and see her hands twisting nervously under the table. Maybe she doesn’t like parties. Or maybe she knows her dad will say no. But when I see her continue to look at Ruby, the reason becomes obvious. She doesn’t want her friend to be excluded. And I sure as hell don’t want my girl to be wearing that frown.

“We’d love for you both to come, Ruby.” I look over at the awkward girl, who now looks extremely nervous. I don’t think she’s ever been to a party before. Not sure if it’s her scene, but hell, there’s a first time for everyone.

Presley’s body relaxes against my side, and when I feel her hand squeeze my thigh, I know she appreciates my gesture.

“Oh…um…thanks for the invite. But…um…I don’t know if I’ll be able to go.” By the way she’s stuttering nervously through her response, I think she’ll be a no-show.

“Please,” Presley says. “I don’t want to go unless you’re there.” She squeezes my thigh again. I’m not sure what she wants me to do, but if I have to grovel in order to get my girl what she wants, I will. “It could be fun, Ruby. Plus it gets us out of the house on a Friday night.”

There’s hope in my girl’s voice, but Ruby looks to be struggling with her decision. I think it’s time to step in.

“It would be cool if you came. Not just because it’d make my girl happy, but I think we’ve been in school for years together and haven’t ever hung out. We should change that.”

Presley’s hand grips me again and this time doesn’t let go. Damn, I love making her happy.

“Yeah, you should come,” Chase finally chimes in. “By the way, I think I was wrong in class. Any chance you’d be able to tutor me?”

Ruby smiles and the two of them immediately begin discussing their schedules to figure out a good time for their tutoring sessions. If I wasn’t so distracted by the hot little number beside me, running her hand up my thigh, I’d be recording their conversation and replaying it for Chase at a later date. I’ve never once heard him admit he needed help with anything.

“Thank you for that,” Presley’s sexy voice whispers over my ear. The feel of her lips sliding across my skin causes goosebumps to run right up my arms. I swear she’s got my dick in a constant swollen state. Ever since we connected eyes yesterday, he’s been hard as a rock.

“Have dinner with me,” I say, turning in my seat, facing her head on. “Tonight. I’ll pick you up at seven.”

Those shimmering eyes of hers study me. It feels like she’s waging a war inside her head, but I’m not sure whose side she’s on. I don’t know whether she wants to give in and is fighting her desire, or if she’s trying to convince herself to give me a chance. The longer I go without an answer, the more I feel like it’s going to be a “no.”

“He didn’t break me, Kyler,” she says, the emotion brimming in each word. “I know that now. But you… You have the power to destroy me. With everything I’ve been through, I know I won’t ever come back from that. I want to go to dinner with you more than anything, but I can’t.”

She stands up from the table and walks away. Heading straight out the cafeteria doors and right out the front entrance of the building. I watch as she fades in the distance, wanting to chase her down. But I know if I do, it will only make her run faster. She’s so afraid I’m going to break her heart. But coming from a boy who’s been in love with her since he was just a kid, that would never happen. When she moved away, I felt the lossso hard. Now that she’s returned to my life, I won’t let her go again.

CHAPTER 9

Presley

Ishut my hairdryer off and hear the doorbell ring. At nine o’clock at night, I doubt it’s a solicitor. And since there’s only one person who’d show up here uninvited, I’m certain it’s him. With every step I take towards the door, another butterfly begins to flutter in my stomach. I peek through the peephole and see my instinct was right.

I press my forehead to the cold, hard wood, struggling to breathe. I shouldn’t answer it. If I let him in, I know what will happen. I’m going to make another mistake. I’m going to let temptation take hold and sink deeper into this hole that’s about to bury me alive. But as my hand turns the lock, I realize I don’t have the strength to resist him. Truth is: I’m going to have to see him every day at school, so I need to figure out how to be his friend. I need to set some ground rules between us so that what happened in gym class today doesn’t happen again.

---