Page 19 of The Anti-Bachelorette (The Anti-Bachelorette 1)

Alaric just rolls his eyes. “I was driving. We just got home.”

“We? So you actually got Emory home?”

Alaric just laughs. “Wow. Thanks for the vote of confidence.”

My dad laughs. “It’s not you I was worried about. Emory can be a bit much to deal with sometimes.”

I scoff. “I can hear you dad!”

He just laughs again. “I don’t hear you denying it.”

I roll my eyes. “I’m going to bed. Night.”

I turn around to leave, but my dad’s voice stops me. “Emory, you know I don’t like you walking back to the guest house in the dark. Take Alaric with you.”

I throw up my hands. “You’ve got to be kidding me. It’s literally right next door. I’ll be fine.”

I look up to Alaric’s face and can tell my dad is giving him one of those ‘you better walk her home’ looks. “Ugh. Fine. Hang up dad. I need to take Alaric to come tuck me in and read me a bedtime story now.”

My dad just laughs. “That’s my girl. Love you. I’ll be home late tomorrow.”

I shout over to him. “Love you too. Night.”

Alaric says bye and then hangs up the phone, and then it is just the two of us. I don’t think I’ve ever felt so awkward in my life. I shuffle on my feet for a second then throw the flip flops I wore over earlier on. “C’mon I know you aren’t going to let me go alone.”

He just nods and doesn’t say anything. We walk in complete silence over to my front door. When we walk up onto the porch and I grab my keys to open the front door, I don’t know what to say to him. I turn to him before I open the door. “Thanks for driving tonight.” Again he just nods but doesn’t say anything back.

I look down to the ground and blow out a breath. Then I look back up at him. “Look, about whatever that was.” I point between us. “Let’s just forget that ever happened.”

He doesn’t miss a beat and just gives me his usual mean stare. “Done.”

I can’t help but give him a glare back. “Good.”

He gives a fake smile. “Already forgotten.”

I narrow my eyes at him. “Me too. You’re easily forgettable.”

He gives me a side smile. “Fuck you.”

I turn around and unlock my door. “Yeah, you wish.”

I hear him step forward. Then I feel his arms come around me as he places his hands on the door boxing me in. I can feel his breath on my ear before he starts talking. “Don’t push me Emory.”

When he says my name, shivers run down my spine. I turn around and look up at him. “Or what?”

Alaric just smirks back at me and takes a couple steps backward. “Goodnight princess.” He says sarcastically. Then he turns and starts walking back toward the house. I watch him as he leaves. Alaric throws his hand up and without looking back says, “Stop checking out my ass.”

Ugh, why does this man always know when I am checking him out?

I just call out. “No, I don’t think I will!”

He just continues on back to the house without ever looking back. I shut my front door and lean against it. Wow. This was a strange night. I seriously don’t know how to feel right now. My mind tells me I hate Alaric. He’s such an asshole, and even if he wasn’t, I can’t be into my dad’s friend. My body doesn’t want to listen to my brain though. I bring my fingers up to my lips and remember what Alaric’s mouth felt like on mine. Ugh I hate this man so much. Why did he have to go and confuse me like this?

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