Page 26 of Choosing You

“It’s okay, Garret. I don’t care if you like cartoons.”

“That isnotmy movie. She must’ve stuck it in the box when I wasn’t looking.”

I laugh. “Yeah, sure she did.”

“Give it here.” He reaches for it, but I won’t let him have it. I quickly stand up, holding it behind my back with one hand while putting my other hand out in front of me trying to keep him away.

He quickly backs me up against the wall, forcing my outstretched hand against his hard chest. I lower it to my side as he leans his hand on the wall near my head. Then he slowly reaches behind me with his other hand to get the movie. Our bodies are now touching and our faces are just inches apart. My heart is beating erratically and I struggle to keep my breathing steady as I feel his body against mine.

“Jade.” He gazes down at me with this incredibly sexy smile. “Give me the movie, please.” I try not to stare at his lips but they’re so close and so inviting.

The movie is still in my hand wedged between my lower back and the wall. I push my hips forward slightly to release it, which positions me even closer to him. As he goes to take the movie, I accidentally drop it and he catches it, right behind my butt. I feel his hand there and I freeze as my face heats up. He slowly takes his hand out from behind me and rests it on the wall by my head. I realize I’ve been holding my breath and I force myself to breathe again.

I look up and our eyes meet. “For the last time, the movie is my sister’s. But if you really want to watch the crime-fighting dog cartoon, we’ll watch it. Or,” he pauses and that sexy smile reappears, “if you want to do something else, we’ll do something else.”

I know from his tone what ‘something else’ is and I really, really want to do ‘something else’ but I promised myself I wouldn’t get involved with a guy at college. Unfortunately, I’ve never been very good with promises.

CHAPTEREIGHT

“Let’s find another movie,”I say. “I’m not in the mood for a cartoon.”

He moves away slowly as if hoping I’ll change my mind about the ‘something else,’ but I don’t.

I search through the cardboard box and pick out an action film. After living with Frank and Ryan, I’ve seen a ton of action films and have even come to like some of them.

As Garret puts the movie in, I try to figure out where to sit. Other than his bed, the only seating options are his desk chair or his oversized navy blue bean bag chair on the floor. I pick the bean bag chair.

“Care if I sit there, too?” Garret asks standing over me.

“No, not at all.” I scoot over.

“Do I smell or something?” he asks.

I notice the large gap I left between us and realize that I’m so far over I’m practically falling off the chair. “Oh. I was just making sure you had enough room.”

“I have plenty of room, Jade. You can move over.”

I scoot back toward the middle. He smells so damn good. I don’t know if I can be this close to him, especially after he pressed me against the wall like that. I still have this intense urge to kiss him, which I shouldn’t do because we’re just friends. That’s it.

About halfway through the movie, Garret’s phone rings and he gets up to answer it. “What do you want, Blake?” He turns away from me. “No, I’m not going over there. You’re not even making sense. How drunk are you right now?” He listens. “Yeah, well, keep them for yourself. I gotta go.”

“Are you supposed to be somewhere?” I ask as he puts his phone away.

“No. Blake’s just drunk dialing everyone trying to keep the party going at his apartment.” Garret sits down again, closer to me than before. The weight of his body causes the chair to sink in between us, pushing me into the side of him. I’m not sure if I should push away or stay in this position. I stay and try to act normal.

“You know, if you want to go out with Blake, I can leave.”

“I don’t want to go anywhere. I’m in the middle of a movie. And I have a guest.” He puts his arm up behind me, a classic guy move that’s usually awkward and makes me laugh. But Garret’s completely confident with the move, like his arm is supposed to be there, which I find kind of hot.

His arm maneuver has pushed me even farther into the sinking chair, my hip now wedged against his thigh. I sit there stiffly, completely still.

“Would you like me to move, Jade?”

It seems like a simple question, but the answer says a lot. If I tell him to move, it says I’m not interested. But if I tell himnotto move, it’ll expose the fact that I actually like him. I decide to do what I always do with guys and try to confuse him.

“You might as well stay there.” I act annoyed. “If you move again I’ll sink even farther into this stupid chair and I may never get up.”

“You don’t like my chair?”

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