Page 27 of One Little Kiss
So does Elijah.
Which is so not like Elijah.
It reaches a point where I can’t take it anymore. Not Brad’s roaming hands, or the not-so-subtle challenge going on between Brad and Elijah.
Elijah doesn’t like Brad. This much is clear.
Brad doesn’t seem to notice, though. He likes Elijah.
Or, no…he likes Elijah’s wealth.
And really, I’m feeling kinda nauseous when I finally turn to Brad and tell him we have to go. I don’t even have to lie when I say I’m not feeling great.
I take his hand and all but drag him through the house. I call for a car and am in the middle of telling him he’ll have to pick up his car in the morning when he pulls me down onto the couch. “C’mon, love,” he murmurs as he pulls me into his lap. “This is what we came for, right?”
His mouth is hot and wet and he tastes like beer as he smashes his face to mine.
I push away. “Not tonight, Brad.”
His face twists in confusion. “What do you mean, not tonight?”
“I mean…” I pull away from him, off his lap. “I don’t move that fast, okay?”
His laughter makes my stomach turn. “Babe. You’re hot, all right? I get it. You’re gonna make a guy work for it.”
I’m backing away from him, grateful that I’m close enough to the party that I can hear my friends’ voices. I’m not in danger. I know this… but my heart still pounds like crazy.
And it’s his next words that make my stomach surge and my chest burn like it’s filled with acid.
“You’re hot, Noelle. But hot girls are a dime a dozen, babe. You can’t tease a guy all night and expect to get a second date, you know what I mean?”
He may as well have just slapped me in the face, and it takes me a second to find my voice. I can feel something dark and rage-like traveling through my body as I point to the door and snarl, “Get out.”
He holds his hands up in mock defense. “Look, you got your mother’s killer bod and beauty, but clearly not her brain. I’m going places, love.” He stands up and his earnest lecture is undermined when he wobbles. “You want a house like this? You need a guy like me.”
“You’re disgusting.” I keep my voice even, my gaze level.
Every black emotion swirling through me is put on lockdown. I learned a long time ago that bullies love fear and they even feed off of anger. The only thing bullies really hate is apathy.
A bully like Brad?
He hates to be ignored.
Which is why I feign a yawn and toss my hair over my shoulder with a diva look that would absolutely make my mother proud. “Lose my number, Brad. If I see or hear from you again, I’ll make sure your internship disappears like that.” I snap my fingers and give him a pointed look. “Understood?”
He bolts up from the couch with a sneer. “Are you threatening me? You think anyone will take your word over mine? I’m only here as a favor to your dad! You know that, right?” He stalks forward and I don’t budge. “He thinks I’ll be good for you.”
By the way he says it, I know he’s actually quoting my dad, and my stomach turns.
I can see it—my dad going to the upright, responsible pre-law suck-up and having a man-to-man talk with him about his daughter, who hasn’t figured out her college plans yet…
Oh yeah, I can practically hear it, and it takes everything in me not to let him see how much that hurts.
But as Elijah always likes to point out—I have a killer poker face, and I use it now to full effect. I arch a brow. “You actually think a suck-up like you holds more sway than his own daughter?”
Well, you’re probably right.
I lift my chin as he stalks closer, a contemptuous grin making his bland features ugly as his gaze rakes over me. Ugh. I’m going to need twenty showers to get clean after this. “You might be a sexy little thing, Noelle, but God you’re dumb. You have no idea how the world works.”
