Page 38 of One Little Kiss
What I wanted.
What Iwanted?
I don’t even recognize this ugly, twisted rage that’s flooding my veins and making my thoughts go haywire.
I open my mouth and shut it again quickly.
Noelle’s smile fades, her steps slowing to a stop when I reach her. “Yeah, it’s what you wanted, right? You keep harping on about this stupid kiss for your stupid scavenger hunt, so I did it. Now it’s done.” She grins, but it doesn’t reach her eyes. “Guess that puts me in the lead.”
I don’t say anything. I can’t. Because, freakin’ A, she’s right. This was my doing. And there’s a little part of me that doesn’t want to think about my real reasons for pushing this kiss challenge.
Like a freakin’ itch I can’t stop scratching, I can’t stop thinking about the way I’d almost kissed her that night of the party.
I can’t stop imagining what it would have felt like. Had I maybe sorta hoped she’d kiss me to win this challenge?
Maybe.
The realization makes my stomach turn and some of my disgust must show on my face, because Noelle goes on the defense.
“Look, this was your challenge, okay? It’s not like I normally ask random dudes to kiss me at school, you know?”
Random dudes.I cling to that phrase like a lifeline. Was Dominic just some random guy to her? With another surge of toxic poison in my veins I remember the way she’d come out of the pool house with him. The way he made her smile and laugh…
My hands are fists at my side and there’s a muscle in my jaw that won’t quit ticking.
I’m doing a crappy job of hiding my emotions, and if Noelle would look directly at me, she’d no doubt see exactly how I’m feeling.
Jealous.
Holy crap. I’m freakin’ jealous as hell of Dominic. It was a dumb little peck and, hell, I’d even snapped the photo so I know exactly how staged it was.
But that doesn’t stop my gut from twisting at the mere memory, or my blood from turning hot with anger at the thought of him trying it again.
I turn away, thrusting a hand through my hair as I try to get a hold of myself.
I don’t want to think about what this means. I don’t want to know why I’m jealous.
But it’s too late. There’s some part of me that already knows.
There’s some part of me that’s known for a while now.
I have a thing for my best friend.
Crap. This cannot be happening.
“Look, I gotta go,” she says.
I can hear her backing away.
“This college fair is basically an excuse to cut out early, right?”
She sounds like she’s trying to lighten the mood as she forces a laugh, but it’s not working.
“I’ll give you a ride.” It comes out like a gruff command rather than a casual offer.
And even as I say it, I wonder what is wrong with me. I should let her go. I need space. We both need space.
She’s clearly wigging out about something, and I’m not sure I want to know what. I’m a little afraid that if I ask, it’ll turn out to be something to do with Dominic.
