Page 72 of I Shouldn't Feel This Way

“I hope this isn’t something you’re planning for the school talent show.”

“Oh, no!” She laughed diffidently. “We were just messing around, right, Aria?” Jess quickly fixed my shirt since I was still paralyzed, and then she shut her laptop.

Well, I guess it was safe to say our video footage wasn’t going to be uploaded online.

“Hello?” Jess tried to get my attention. “Anyone alive in there?”

Noah slid his hands into his pockets and pushed his weight off the door frame. I think he knew I was uncomfortable. He was staring at me with those seductive blue eyes, and I remained unresponsive.

“I’m going to order pizza,” he said. “Do you girls want the usual?”

“Veggie sounds great. Thanks, Mr. Hunter.”

“Please, call me Noah.”

Something retorted inside me, and I was unexpectedly annoyed. I stormed right up to him with rigorous intent. “Makes you feel old to be addressed so formally—we know!” I said with attitude, rudely slamming the door in his face.

“Aria! What the hell?”

I shot her a guiltless glance. “I just want some privacy.”

“Well, technically, you did leave your door open, so it’s not like he was intruding.”

Ugh.I hated how she was defending him.

“Whatevz.” I shrugged and slumped back down on my bed. Sure, the way I reacted was kind of mean, but I just couldn’t handle him being all up in my space at the moment. It frustrated me that I couldn’t read his expressions. The way he was staring … I couldn’t tell if he was silently laughing at me or checking me out. Well, needless to say, the humiliation of being walked in on had downright left me mortified.

****

Once the delivery guy arrived, Jess and I left my bedroom and joined Noah in the kitchen. He had changed out of his suit and was wearing a pair of faded blue Levi’s and a black tank top. Jessica couldn’t stop staring at his arms, and I couldn’t blame her. Noah was fit, and he worked damn hard to stay in shape. He didn’t get those bulging biceps and six-pack overnight. I remember when he showed me a photo album of his younger years. He was a skinny little kid then. Puberty is such a peculiar phenomenon.

“How’s the pizza?” Noah asked, helping himself to another slice.

“Delicious,” said Jess, smiling. She dabbed the corner of her mouth with a napkin and then sipped on her can of soda.

I could feel his eyes on me, and I swear it was like they gave off an invisible heat wave, because I literally wanted to fan myself and shield my skin with sunblock. He was observing my every move as if I was a test subject. My face felt feverish. I was still embarrassed about him walking in on the slutty dance routine.

“Aria, you’re quiet this evening,” he stated.

I shrugged. “Don’t have much to talk about.”

Jess looked at me, and then at Noah. “Well, I have plenty to talk about!”

She went on and on about how she was going all over Europe in the summer with her cousins. I tried to take a genuine interest, but I was too annoyed to even stay present in the conversation. Noah, on the other hand, gave her his undivided attention, occasionally glancing at me worriedly every now and then. This only enraged me more. Not because he was worried, but because of the way he was making me feel.

“Sounds like you’ll have a blast,” he said to Jess. “Aria and I are going to Italy this summer as well.”

“Saywhat?” Those viper green eyes were suddenly glaring at me. “You never said anything about that!”

“That’s because I changed my mind,” I calmly declared and stood up to carry my plate to the sink.

“Funny, I wasn’t aware of this.” Noah turned his head and found my gaze.

“Sorry—maybe next summer.” The sarcasm in my smile spoke more truth than my words. “Jess, are you done? We still have to finish that stupid project.”

“Yeah, I’m done eating. Thanks for the pizza, Noah.”

“You’re very welcome.” He showed off that seductively charismatic smile that made any woman just about faint, while I scowled at him. Impatiently, I hooked my arm around Jessica’s and pulled her away before she could initiate more conversation.

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