Page 43 of You Had Me At Thirteen

Who is this guy? The Terminator? I search the crowd where I last saw Audrey, but I can’t see her or Clive, so I race for the front door. All I can think about is getting away, and if I stay in this packed sardine can, I won’t be able to escape him through the crowd.

Old mate follows, calling after me as he laughs to himself. How wasted is this dude? I look around but don't see anyone I know. God, I even keep a lookout for Koby, or Emerson. Even Willis, although he scares me, but he’s better than no-one.

I have to hide somewhere, so once I hit the front yard, I make a left turn and head for the side of the house. If I’m fast enough, I can escape him and head back inside to find my friends. But for a drunk guy he’s fast on his feet, so I pick up the pace, not noticing the body I almost slam into as I round the corner.

‘Matilda?’

Strong hands grab my upper arms and I peer up to see a familiar face even though it’s one I don’t want, but it’s the best I can do on short notice.

‘Wren… thank God.’ My hand on my chest, my body shaking with adrenaline, I glance over my shoulder. ‘This guy won’t leave me alone.’

As I press myself up against the brick wall, trying to catch my breath, Wren glances around the corner, his body going rigid for a moment as a growl rumbles low in his chest.

It’s when I go for another look that Wren takes my face in his hands and crushes his lips to mine. At first I want to push him away, but when he presses into me, the brick wall digging into my back, my hands settle against his hard chest. His heart thrums under my fingertips, letting me know he’s feeling something similar to me.

The soft cotton of his shirt has me wanting to know what his skin feels like underneath it, and I’m tempted to push my hands under his shirt, but I reach for his neck instead, letting my fingers inch their way through his hair. He tastes like mint with a hint of cherry cola. Other than myself, he’s the only person I know who likes the stuff. I want more of it, so I pull him closer, letting my taste buds savour my new favourite flavour. But it’s overwhelming, all my senses in overdrive.

The air around us crackles, and I swear the stars glow brighter against the dark sky. I’m bombarded with all the deliciousness of Wren, his subtle citrus and woody scent mixed with the cherry flavour of his mouth and the silkiness of his hair. My brain is lit up like the red and blue party lights inside.

Wren moans into my mouth, his tongue massaging mine. ‘Goddamn,’ he says, moving his hands from my waist to grip my arse, and dig his fingers into my flesh.

If he was to move his hands just a touch further, he’d find I’ve soaked through my underwear.

As I grab at and tug Wren’s hair, he dips, pulling his mouth from mine to plant wet kisses across my jaw, and down my neck, sucking the skin when he reaches my collarbone. I tilt my head back, allowing him full access to my neck and chest. My dress has ridden up to my waist and the only thing stopping Wren’s fingers from touching my feverish skin is the thin material of my lacy underwear.

‘Wren…’ I say, my voice husky, unrecognisable.

Man, my body is dominating my brain right now. A traitor, pushing against my sworn enemy like a cat arching its body against someone’s leg.

‘Yeah, baby?’ Wren says against my skin, his warm breath sending my eyes flying open.

When my brain kicks into gear, I shove his chest, making him fall backwards. The smirk on his face tells me he knows the game he’s playing. I’m just not sure why he wants to play it with me.

‘What the hell, Wren?’ I say, shoving him again.

He leans against the timber fence that runs down the side of the house, and runs his thumb over his bottom lip. ‘You’re welcome,’ he says, grinning.

I blink at him for a moment before realisation strikes. Of course. Wren kissed me so the drunk idiot would leave me alone. Nice plan. Pity I had no say in it.

‘Thanks, I guess.’ I straighten my dress with one hand as I use the other to wipe the evidence of Wren’s lingering kiss from my lips.

It doesn’t work, though. The taste and feel of him are now etched into my memory for lifetimes to come.

He walks towards the sidewalk, stopping for a second to glance over his shoulder. ‘Coming?’

My feet move without my brain comprehending my movements until I’m next to him. ‘Where are we going?’

‘I’m taking you home. If I see that guy again, I’ll kill him.’

‘Really? We aren’t doing this again. I don’t need you to defend me, Wren.’

He stops and stares down at me. ‘What would you have done if I wasn’t here?’

I fold my arms over my chest, feeling a little exposed under Wren’s glare. ‘I can handle myself.’

‘Jesus Christ, you are painful,’ he says as he marches forward again. ‘You don’t have to act so tough all the time.’

‘What’s that supposed to mean?’

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