Page 3 of Princess of Hawthorne Prep

“Shut the fuck up,” I growl.

Then, I scowl at his friend. “You, too.”

Their smiles dim in wattage as they glance at each other before disappearing into the throng.

“So fucking childish,” I grumble, pissed they intruded on the moment we were having.

“Welcome to high school,” Delilah says lightly. What I’ve noticed is that she doesn’t like confrontation and avoids it at all costs.

Since their comments don’t seem to bother her, I decide to let it go. There’s no need to ruin our evening.

My muscles loosen as my lips hitch at the corners. “Yeah, I guess so.”

A burst of wind whips over us and another shiver shimmies across her flesh. Even though she’s wearing a lightweight sweater, it’s not enough to stop the cool breeze from slicing through the garment. When she presses closer, I grab the hem of my sweatshirt and yank it off before dragging it over her blonde head until the thick material settles around her waist.

“Better?”

“Much,” she says with a smile that arrows clean through the heart of me. “Thanks.”

Once she’s wrapped up in my hoodie, she snuggles against my chest before slanting a look upward. “Aren’t you cold now?”

“Nope. I’ve got you to keep me warm.”

My hands slip beneath the hem of the sweatshirt before drifting along her ribcage and settling under the gentle swells of her breasts. All I’d have to do is inch my thumb upward and I’d be touching her softness. The sweatshirt is so oversized on her small form that no one would be the wiser.

Her gaze stays fastened to mine as I stroke her bare flesh.

This right here is what heaven must feel like.

Minutes tick by before she lifts her head and glances around the party that rages around us. Her muscles stiffen as she averts her head. Impatient for her attention, I nip at her plump lower lip. That’s all it takes for her gaze to slice to mine. It’s a surprise to find distress clouding her expression.

I search her wide blue eyes for clues as to why her demeanor changed. It’s like a light switch flipped. One moment, she’s all warm and pliant in my arms and the next, she’s stiff as a board.

“What’s wrong?”

She forces a smile. “Nothing.”

That’s all it takes for my contentment to dim. “Don’t lie to me.”

With the moonlight slanting over us, I notice the color seep into her cheeks. I glance over her shoulder, knowing exactly who I’ll find.

I’m not wrong.

“Looks like we have an audience,” I mutter, gazed locked on Jasper.

Unease flickers across her face. “Unfortunately.”

The corners of my lips lift as one hand slips from beneath the sweatshirt before sliding into her thick hair and dragging her forward.

“Let him watch,” I growl. “You belong to me.”

My lips crash onto hers as my tongue delves into the warmth of her mouth.

Fuck that guy.

He’ll never have her again.

He’ll never touch what’s mine.

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