Page 91 of Tricky Girls

Shit, I hadn’t thought that far. I suppose I’ll have to actuallydostuff with him if I want it to look authentic. He’s half in shadow out here, the single florescent light not doing much for his features. God knows how I look under it. I’m always better in half light.

Sipping my drink, I take him in properly, for the first time considering him in a romantical way. He’s close to pretty, his face nicely symmetrical and always looking to be on the cusp of smiling. His hair’s definitely his most unique feature, a cute mop of tight brown curls. Not as cute as Elly’s tufty ginger mess, but close enough.

I lick the drink from my lips. ‘Kiss me, please. I can’t do this with a wet fish, desperate or not.’

Tommy shakes his head. ‘This is so fucking weird.’

Straightening up from the wall, he cups my cheeks. I close my eyes as his lips descend on mine. He moves them gently, carefully, and I let him go on like that for a bit before pushing him away. ‘Alright. Adequate.’

He lets out a spluttering laugh. ‘High praise.’

I backhand him on the chest. ‘Let’s go get you your beers.’

I take his hand as we re-enter the club. Reorientating myself with Haz’s and Elly’s positions, I pull Tommy to the bar and buy him two pints.

I hope they didn’t see that. No guy worth their salt would let a girl pay for his drinks, not in their book anyway.

I down my next drink quickly, hoping to make this feel less weird. Which is odd because dancing suggestively with Haz and Elly feels like the most normal thing in the world. But with this guy, I imagine it feels like dirty dancing with a sibling.

We only kiss again one more time. Just enough to get the message across. Then, making sure they’re in view, I lean up and say into his ear, ‘Onto phase two. Ready to go back to the lodge?’

‘Uh.’ Tommy draws back, hesitancy etched on his face. ‘Doesn’t Nic live there?’

I think about Nic on the sofa. No doubt she’s still there, drinking alone and reading her books. So bloody moody. ‘Probably. Is that a problem?’

‘Potentially.’

‘Don’t be a wimp, she hates me too and I make do. We’ll just go straight to my room and have the world’s loudest sex.’

Tommy laughs. ‘Is that right? Buy me one more beer to wet my vocal cords and we can be off.’

I swing Tommy’s hand, giving him a whack when he tries to commence a thumb war. ‘Quit it,’ I hiss. ‘Stop acting pally.’

Tommy sniggers, taking a peek over his shoulder to where Haz and Elly follow at a distance, displeasure stark on their faces. I hadn’t expected the tantrum they’d thrown when I told them I was going back to the lodge with Tommy. I thought Haz was going to punch him.

Now they’re trailing us back through the forest, their intentions unclear but undoubtedly sinister.

‘I think they’re legit going to murder me,’ Tommy says, breathing out a shaky breath.

I squeeze his hand. ‘Chill. I won’t let them. What’s their issue anyway? Something to do with Nic, I’m guessing.’

‘Yeah,’ he sighs. ‘Just fucked up family stuff.’

‘What?’ I look at him, briefly forgetting about the girls prowling behind us. ‘You’re related?’

‘Cousins. Though we’ve not spoken in years.’

‘Wow.’ I bring Nic’s face up in my mind, hunting for the similarities. Apart from their hair colour, there’s none. Then again, I don’t look like any of my cousins either. ‘So why don’t you speak anymore?’

‘She fell out with my brother…kinda disowned us all.’

By the way Tommy has his head tucked, I can tell this topic discomforts him. Since he’s doing me a huge solid tonight, I don’t push despite desperately wanting to.

‘Well, you don’t have to talk to her. You don’t even have to stay the night.’

Tommy smiles, eyes sliding to me. ‘Just a booty call?’

I nod. ‘Yep. Booty and bail.’

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