Page 46 of Never Kiss and Tell

“I’ve been around.” Charlie stalks around the bench andholds his hand out to me, giving me a look that tells me not to argue with him. I’ve never seen him like this. Sure, he’s always angry, but this is beyond that. This is livid.

His hand is warm around mine and he pulls me to my feet, tucking me closely behind him.

“Peter was looking for the boat dock,” I say, hoping to lighten the tension.

“Peter knows where the boat dock is. His dad owns it.”

Peter flushes, and I step back. Why lie? Of course, some people will say anything to get into your pants. You would think he’d have told me that his dad owns the dock. He’d probably get better results.

“We’re leaving,” Charlie mutters, still holding my hand. He pulls me away from the bench and I grip my drink so that I don’t drop it.

“Bye, Peter,” I call over my shoulder, just because I know it will piss Charlie off. “It was nice meeting you.”

Charlie tugs me through the crowds of people, leading the way back down the street towards home. I’m not ready to leave yet, but it looks like I don’t have a choice in the matter.

“Can you stop dragging me?” I snap, tugging at my hand.

Charlie takes an abrupt left, whirling on me and pressing me back into the brick wall of a coffee shop. My stomach dips when he leans in and my senses come alive.

“Stay away from him,” he practically snarls, getting so close to my face I can taste the toothpaste he used this morning.

I jerk back, my head hitting the wall harder than I would have liked. I wince at the pain, but Charlie doesn’t seem to notice, or he just doesn’t care.

“So, you can get any girl’s number you want, but then you cock block me? That man washot.”

“He’s an asshole. You would be miserable.”

I roll my eyes. “You’rean asshole, yet, here we are.”

Charlie places his arm on the wall beside me, caging me from the passersby on the street. The sun is starting to set, so no one notices us crammed in the small alleyway.

“If I see you talking to him, again, I’ll beat his ass.”

No, he won’t. Will he?

“You’re unsure if I will or not? Try me.”

I roll my eyes, surging out from under his arm and taking off back down the street. He follows me, of course catching up to me quickly.

“What, you’re going home now?”

I don’t answer, angry at his sudden assumption that he’s entitled to tell me what to do because Andi’s my best friend.

“So, you’re ignoring me now?”

I spin around, almost colliding with him, but I don’t care.

“You’re an asshole. You constantly treat me like I’m an idiot or a pest, aburden, yet the moment someone else pays any ounce of attention to me, you get protective. I’m not just your personal punching bag, Charlie,” I snap. I start walking again and I notice that, this time, it takes him a second longer to catch up.

“There are things about him that you don’t know,” he murmurs, dodging pedestrians as they make their way down the street.

“Enlighten me, then, oh holy one.”

He shuts up and I’m thankful. For once, his silence is something that sets me at ease. I stew all the way home, notspeaking a word to Charlie, even when he asks me if I’m hungry. I hike the entire half a mile without noticing.

When we get to the house, I unlock the back gate and step through, only to be grabbed again and pushed up against the wall ofthishouse. This time, Charlie’s hand goes behind my head to stop me from hitting it.

“Talk to me. You always have some nonsense to say.”

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