Page 32 of I Blame the Alcohol

She’ll be waiting in case I need to be put back together again.

Chapter 10

Cody

“What the actual hell, Cody?”

We don’t make it ten feet from the gym entrance before Stella explodes. She whirls around to face me, index finger jabbing my chest hard enough to leave a bruise.

“You made me look like an idiot yesterday. You better start talking. Now.”

I sigh, gently taking her hand and tugging her into an empty corridor. There isn’t a lot of students wandering the halls at this time of evening, but this discussion calls for some privacy.

“I’m sorry Stel.”

The words I need to say and the words I want to say stumble over themselves in the race to the surface, turning my cohesive sentence into an intangible mess so I’m left with no words at all.

“Is that it? Pretty sure you could have messaged me that.”

Stella rips her hand from mine and takes a step back to increase the distance between us. Every cell in my body wants to counteract the action and close the gap, but the look she’s giving me right now makes the Ice Age seem like a balmy vacation.

“Look, I really don’t want to be near you right now. Say what you need to say then leave.” Stella spits out the words, her topknot slowly unraveling as though it too can’t stand the sight of me.

“When it comes to leaving, we both know you’ve got that move down.”

Ouch.

But not uncalled for.

“I shouldn’t have left the way I did.” My voice comes out gruff as I push past the lump in my throat. It feels like a small victory until I see Stella’s defensive position hasn’t budged an inch.

“No kidding.”

I didn’t think the hostility could grow any stronger, but she keeps proving me wrong.

“I’ve wanted to kiss you for a long time, Stel.”

Stella’s jaw drops, her eyes widening as my admission sinks in.

I shrug, condemning myself to the honest route, “It’s true. Ever since that first day I met you, I’ve wanted to get to know you better.”

My eyes flick to her lips, “I’ve wanted to know what you taste like.”

Stella’s mouth snaps shut, a red flush spreading across her neck as her eyes take on a shine that has nothing to do with post-workout endorphins.

Great. Now we’re both turned on.

So much for having a game plan.

“But you’re my mentor’s younger sister.Mighty Mo’syounger sister.” I swallow thickly, pushing past the urge to abort mission. “We can’t ever be together, Stella. If I were to hurt you, Mo would never forgive me.Iwould never forgive me.”

A single tear hits her cheek and I hastily wipe it away before it can leave a permanent mark on my heart.

Meeting with Stella tonight, I was expecting anger. Part little man syndrome, part younger sibling syndrome, Stella is a hothead through and through but once she lets off some steam, she’s normally pretty quick to calm down.

What I wasn’t expecting was the vulnerability shining through every pore of her being.

“What if you didn’t hurt me?” Her question is barely above a whisper, as if all the wind has disappeared from her sails of fury and taken her voice with it.

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