Page 99 of Kiss and Tell

She turned to head to the brewhouse, but Scottie surprised her, gripping her upper arm and spinning her around.

She shoved his hand off, furious. “Don’t you dare touch me!”

“I don’t know what kind of stunt you were pulling by leaving town with those guys, but enough is enough. I’ve made it perfectly clear how I feel about you, Lucy. I get that you want to punish me for some perceived slight in high school, but don’t you think it’s time to get the hell over it?”

“Really? You’ve made it perfectly clear?” Lucy was aghast. “You hovering and acting like some possessive, jealous asshole, all while never saying a fucking word to me about your feelings isn’t perfectly clear, Scottie. You don’t just get to decide I’m your girlfriend without asking me.”

“Lucy. You have to see how perfect we are for each other.”

Her mouth fell open because…what?

“I don’t like you, Scottie. And while you haven’t bothered to tell me your feelings, I know for afactI’ve made my disdain for you as clear as a cloudless sky.”

Scottie rolled his eyes, like she was being unreasonable. She hated when he treated her like she was some stupid little girl.

“You’re just being emotional. You’ve always been that way. You get upset too easy and it’s always over nothing.”

Lucy narrowed her eyes. “I know you’re not trying to mansplain my feelings to me.”

“I’m tired of the continual temper tantrums, Lucy. I don’t know what happened between you and those guys, but it’s obviously over, considering you’re here and they’re gone. I was wrong to give you so much space. I’m not going to make that mistake again.”

Lucy balled up a fist, but before she could throw it, Scottie grabbed her shoulders, pulled her toward him, and kissed her.

She pushed at his chest and started kicking his legs, twisting her head to get away from his sloppy, disgusting kiss. “Get your hands off me!”

Scottie was stronger than Lucy might have expected, her anger turning to fear when he reached around her body and grabbed her ass, dragging her lower body against his, letting her feel his hard-on.

“It’s always been you and me, Lucy. Ever since we were kids.” Scottie kept trying to kiss her, his fingers gripping her so tightly she knew he was leaving bruises. “Why are you fighting me?!”

“Let go!” she yelled loudly.

“What the fuck is going on?!”

Lucy was besieged with instant relief when Levi’s booming voice bellowed from across the yard. She’d been pushing hard against Scottie’s chest, so when he released her suddenly, she teetered, trying to regain her balance. She failed, falling backward and landing on her ass, hard.

Neither Scottie nor Levi seemed to notice, her oldest cousin charging the mayor like a bull waved on by a red flag. Scottie threw his hands up, though whether it was in defense or surrender, Lucy couldn’t tell. Not that it did him a damn bit of good.

Levi swung hard, catching Scottie partly on the hand covering his face and partly on the jaw.

“What the fuck do you think you’re doing?” her cousin roared.

“You can’t hit me!” Scottie insisted. “I’m the mayor!”

“I don’t give a shit if you’re the King of England. You were hurting Lu!”

Scottie rubbed his jaw. “No, I wasn’t. We’re a couple.”

Lucy pushed herself off the ground in a fury. “Are you fucking insane?!”

Levi grasped the front of Scottie’s shirt. “I heard her saying no. Heard her telling you to let go.”

“It was just a misunderstanding,” Scottie insisted, his hands on Levi’s wrists. Lucy didn’t know if he was trying to pry them off his shirt or if he was just hoping to keep Levi from taking another swing.

Levi shook Scottie roughly. “I didn’t misunderstand a goddamn thing. My cousin saidno, and you ignored her.”

“Lucy.” Scottie looked at her from the corner of his eye. “Please. Tell him to let me go.”

“Like I toldyouto do?” Lucy spat out.

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