Page 75 of Ruthless Rose

Chapter 40

I’m dead—so fucking dead—from the way he’s kissing me. It’s like he’s fucking my mouth with his tongue. Right here, in the middle of the hallway between classes. Fucking. My. Mouth. He turns and presses my back to the locker behind me.

“Hot damn. Are you sure you don’t want to take her to homecoming tomorrow, Big Man?” Max leans against the locker right next to where Micah still has his tongue half down my throat. I pat Micah’s chest, and he groans, easing away from me. My face flushes. I’m not sure I’ll ever get used to kissing Micah at school. Ever since we slept together Tuesday afternoon, he’s been insatiable, putting his hands—and mouth—on me anytime he can.

Of course, the downer is that before he does it, I’ve noticed he always gives a look around to see who’s nearby. My guess is that he doesn’t want to do it in front of Alora—but whether that’s to spare her feelings or to protect me, I’m not one hundred percent sure. Honestly, I’m unsure of everything except Micah’s ability to make me lose my damn mind in the middle of the hallway. I’ve never felt like this about anyone else. Ever.

I shake my head, scowling at Max. “I thought we’d decided to go together? I’m not going to ditch you two days before.”

“Well sure, but—” He meets Micah’s gaze behind me.

Micah pulls my body closer to him, his chin resting on the top of my head. “I wouldn’t want to steal your date, Max. It’s cool. But she did promise to dance with me.” He clears his throat. “I almost forgot.” He lets go of me and turns to his locker. He spins the dial and, once he has it open, he pulls a folded jersey off the shelf. “Coach has called an extra-long practice tonight, so tutoring is off, but—”

I frown, noting the odd look on his face. “What? What is it?”

Max looks on in delighted amusement as if we are characters from his favorite new reality TV series.

“Tomorrow is Spirit Day.”

My eyes do that weird darting-back-and-forth thing as I try to figure out what he means.

“I noticed you haven’t really dressed up for Spirit Week.” He presses the jersey into my hands. “But I was hoping you’d wear this tomorrow.”

“Oh.” My brows shoot up to my hairline.

“It would mean a lot to me.”

A whisper of a smile pulls at my lips. “Okay. Thank you.” My voice hitches before I can say anything else.

Micah stamps a kiss to my lips. “I’ve got to get to study hall. You’ll wear it?”

I nod, bringing it up to my face and inhaling. It smells like him.

As he walks backward, his eyes still on me, Micah says, “There’s something pinned to the inside. Make sure you look.”

It’s not until I’m standing across from Scarlett at our table in the art room watching her begin to wedge her clay that I realize what Micah was referring to is actually an envelope pinned to the tag.

“What’s the deal? Micah wants you to wear his jersey?” She barely pauses. “Xander gave me one of his, too. It’ll be like we’re doing twin day, just a few days late.”

I nod in answer, but focus on the envelope in front of me. Glancing over my shoulder, I see Ms. Simpson helping Kira Thompson, whose clay looks flat as a pancake instead of the way it should. “Pull it up and back, then push forward and down. Keep doing it. Oops, no, not like that. Here, let me show you.”

With our teacher clearly occupied, I open the flap and slip the folded note out. I’m not usually one who would ignore my assignment, but knowing this envelope was in there waiting for me is way too tempting. It’s really thick. When I unfold it, there are several crisp hundred-dollar bills inside. Five of them, to be exact.

I get hot all over, kind of like when I’m about to have a panic attack, and my hands shake.

My eyes flick up to Scarlett just in time to see her lips part. She breathes out, “Whoa. How much is that?”

“Um.” I swallow hard, looking at the note. I lower my voice. “It’s five hundred dollars.”

Scarlett’s pretty blue eyes go wide, then soften. “Oh my God. Tell me he didn’t.”

But I think he did—I know he did—before I ever read the note.

Daph,

You’ll be the most beautiful girl at the dance no matter what, but I don’t want you to stress out over the cost of it. Please use this to get whatever you feel you need to make the night special for yourself. That’s why I fibbed and told you I couldn’t do tutoring today. Grab Scarlett after her practice is over and go shopping.

Micah

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