Page 27 of Little Devil

“Wh– tonight?” I stammer, spinning to face him fully. “Why can’t we do it next weekend?”

“Because I want you now.”

I gape at him and he sinks the last three balls one after the other, winking at me while he sets his cue down and walks off towards the bar. My heart leaps up into my throat and I lift my hand to cover it, swallowing the unease there while I tip my head back to look at the sky.

What the fuck did I just do?

h

I’m standing in the middle of my closet with a white towel wrapped around my body and my phone in my hand, nervously tapping it against my palm while I move my eyes over the mountain of designer dresses I’ve accumulated over the years.

He didn’t tell me where we’re going or what we’re doing or what to wear, and now I’m officially freaking out over my date like a thirteen year old girl.

I consider calling Travis to get him to give me Xander’s number but decide against it, knowing that’s stupid, then I consider calling to tell him I’m not going but decide against that, too.

This is pathetic.

Taking a long breath in an attempt to rebuild my sinking self-esteem, I grab the black dress I’ve had my eye on since I came in here and snatch a strappy pair of red bottoms to match, then I take my hair straightener from the bottom drawer and walk out to my bedroom, dropping down at my dressing table to get to work.

12

Xander

“You’re really gonna go through with this?” Travis asks, sitting back on the couch in the pool house with a beer in his hands and his eyes on me.

“Go through with what?”

“Forcing JJ to go on a date with you.”

“I’m not forcing her to do shit,” I argue, pulling out a black t–shirt from my closet to throw it on over my head. “She could’ve said no.”

He rolls his eyes and I check my hair in the mirror, secretly excited for the night I have planned for her.

I’ve never been on a date before.

I’m used to picking up random girls at parties and going from there, but I’ve never gotten the chance to really earn it like I get to do with Jordyn.

It’s fucking thrilling.

I say goodbye to Bear and pocket my phone and wallet, bumping Travis’ fist on my way to the door.

“Don’t you dare fuck her, Xan.”

“Is that a dare?” I joke, laughing lightly when he bangs his head back against the couch and covers his eyes with his forearm.

Such a fuckin’ drama queen.

h

I get to Jordyn’s house a couple minutes before eight and pull up on the driveway, jumping out of my car to walk up to the front door. I’m just about to knock, but then the door swings open and Jordyn appears with only one shoe on and her purse clutched under her arm, breathing heavily like she just ran all the way down here to get the door for me.

“Oh, shit, you look ho–”

“Are you out of your mind?” she hisses, angrily walking me back with a hand on my chest. “You were just gonna knock on my front door and say hey, Maryanne, I’m here to pick up Jordyn for our date?”

“What’s wrong with that?”

She glares and holds on to my shoulder while she bends over to wrestle her other shoe on, then she straightens up and takes her phone out to set the timer for six hours. “Let’s just get this over with.”

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