Page 18 of Lost Boy

I sit on my barstool after an hour-long practice with Poppy. Ioffered to bring her here to get a bite to eat. I know I haven’t exactly made it easy, us being partners and all. And I feel like a dick. It’s pretty clear she’s got some shit going on personally, and if anyone understands struggling, it’s me.

“Are you going to stare at that corner booth all night or …” she mutters, leaning closer. “I just spilled my life secrets, and you’re just over here, completely ignoring me.”

I turn back toward her, slowly turning my beer bottle around in front of me. “Sorry.” I shrug. “And all you told me was that you grew up near campus and that your parents aren’t around. That’s all. It’s not like you told me where you buried your bodies or anything.”

She widens her eyes. “Keep screwing off during our practices, and you’ll find out. Now … tell me the dirt,” she says, taking a sip from her Sprite. “Is it the blonde or the brunette that’s got your nuts in a bind?”

“Neither,” I mutter, looking straight ahead before picking my beer up and bringing it to my lips.

“Oh, wow. I … uh, I didn’t really see that coming. But it’s totally cool! And I guess I shouldn’t be surprised, considering your dance moves. Clearly, that should have been a giveaway. But why do you spend your time with every chick on campus if you’re gay?”

I almost spit a mouthful of beer out, looking at her. “What?”

“You said you weren’t looking at either of those girls. But since we got here, you’ve been glaring in that direction. Like, basically setting the place on fire with your eyes. So, if you aren’t looking at them, I figure you’ve been looking at one of the football players.” She leans forward, checking them out. “Not that I can blame you. Every one of them is fucking hot.”

“I’m not looking at anyone,” I grumble. “And I like women. If you want me to show you how much I like women, I can dothat right now.” I lean closer. “Quickie in the bathroom, Princess Poppy?”

Scrunching her nose up, she pushes me away. “Hell no.”

I rear my head back. “Seriously? You really wouldn’t fuck me right now?”

She snorts from laughing so hard. “No way! Sorry to bruise your ego, big guy, but I wouldn’t touch you with a ten-foot pole. Are you attractive? Obviously. But you aren’t my type.”

“I am literally everyone’s type,” I say, looking at her like she has five heads. “Your loss.”

When I glance in Haley’s direction again, Poppy sighs. “All right, I’ll give you two nights off from practicing our routine.Ifyou tell me why you keep looking over there.”

“Three nights off.” I swing my gaze back to her. “And you have to let me choose a dance move to add into our routine.”

“Three nights off, and you arenotadding shit into our perfectly thought-out dance.” She laughs. “So, tell me, Cade Huff, infamous bad boy of Brooks University, who are you looking at?”

Finishing my beer, I lift it toward the bartender so she knows I’m ready for another. And within seconds, it’s replaced with a fresh one, and she gives me a sweet, sexy smile.

That girl blew me last year in the utility closet. Deep-throats like a fucking champ too.

“Haley Thompson,” I say, dipping my head down slightly.

“Blonde or brunette, Huffypuffy? Don’t leave me hanging here. I’m invested now.”

“The blonde,” I mutter. “The one in the green T-shirt with her hair in two French braids.”

She leans around me, whistling low. “She’s hot, I’ll admit. But her last name, Thompson? Does that mean she’s—”

“Hunter’s little sister,” I finish her sentence. “Yep.”

“If it makes you feel any better, she’s looking this way right now.” She turns her attention back toward me. “I’d say she’s feeling you too, big fella.”

“I doubt that,” I huff out even though I know she is. But I’ve been sending her mixed signals. Mostly because I don’t have the willpower to fully push her away. “She seems like she’s having a good time.”

When I look at Poppy, she just smirks. “Wanna make a bet?”

And before I can answer, she leans forward, planting a kiss right on my lips. She smells like cinnamon. Spicy and bold. Nothing like the way Haley smells. And her lips feel all wrong. And when she flicks her tongue against mine, my dick feels nothing. Not an electric jolt or a small twitch. Nothing. Just a fucking dead, soft, hopeless zone.

Because of fucking Haley Thompson. That’s why.

I pull back, not wanting to play this game. At the end of the day, I don’t want to make Haley upset. Even if she probably doesn’t give a fuck. I don’t even want to take a chance.

Poppy gives me an amused, satisfied look. “Yep. She’s pissed now.” When I start to turn, she stops me. “Don’t look at her. It’ll look like you did that just to make her jealous.”

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