He takes my face in his hands and smiles that little dimpled smile at me. “You’re so beautiful, and you don’t even know it. It’s what makes me want you so much.” He leans forward and kisses me again, deeply, and I lose myself in it.
I can feel his fingertips as they move across my cheek and slowly down my neck. It’s like a trail of electricity is streaming behind his touch, and it makes everything in me heat up even more.
Blair leans me backward as he kisses me until I’m lying on the sofa and he’s lying on top of me. His fingers drift over my shoulder and then to my chest, and I push his hand away in a brief moment of self-control.
“Blair, no,” I somehow manage to whisper breathlessly.
He just moves his hand down my side as he kisses me more passionately, his fingers moving over my hip and down my thigh until he reaches the hem of the dress. His fingers waste no time sliding underneath it and he starts to push the dress up my leg
.
Panic hits me hard and jolts me out of my rapture. My eyes open wide and I reach for his hand.
“Blair! No!” I tell him, more adamantly this time.
He looks at me with a cute little pout and touches his finger to my lips. “No? Why not? I promise you’ll like it. Once you’ve had it … you won’t be able to get enough.”
I sit up sharply and push him away from me. “No. I’m not … we’re not … just … no. That’s not happening.” I’ve never gone so far with a boy before. In fact, I’ve never even kissed a boy on the mouth before. Blair is my first ever. I’m definitely not ready for more than some kissing.
I crawl out from under him and get to my feet. Blair remains on the sofa, looking up at me in disappointment. “My sweet Bunny. We were having so much fun, too.”
I grow irritated with him. “Why do you keep calling me Bunny? I have a name!”
Blair laughs and gets to his feet. “You’re a sweet little playmate Bunny. My Bunny. That’s your name.” He leans close to me and kisses my cheek, and for a moment, I can’t move.
“Listen, if you change your mind, you let me know. I am all yours. Bunny.” He kisses my mouth once more, slow and sensual, and then laughs as he walks out of the room, pausing only long enough to pick up his bottle of wine on the way.
I’m dizzy and I feel sick. I’ve had too much to drink in too short a time, and the room feels like it’s on fire. I’ve had enough for one night. I don’t have years of drinking experience like the rest of them already do … and I actually have something to lose if I make a mistake. Not everyone can be untouchable.
I leave the library and make my way through the other rooms. I notice Victoria hanging out right beside Astor, trying as usual to get his attention. Astor has eyes only for me as I walk across the room and head for the door. Just as I leave, I look back over my shoulder and see him laughing in a strange, cruel way ... and somehow I know it’s directed at me. I don’t know what he’s up to. All I can be sure of with him is that he is not to be trusted. Not at all.
I find the flight of stairs that goes clear up to heaven, and after the first two floors, I give up and take the high heels off. I’m too tired and too buzzed to try to maneuver endless flights of stairs in them.
After an eternity, I make it to the room, and close the door quietly behind me. That’s when it hits me. The thing. The thing that has been nagging at the back of my mind all afternoon and evening. The thing that I forgot.
“Oh no … Dana. I’m so sorry,” I cry out softly as I look at her desk and see her biology project sitting on it. She’s sitting up in bed, reading a book. She looks up at me over the top of it and glares.
“Wow. You’re home so early tonight. Was the party a dud?” Her sarcasm is definitely on point. I deserve it.
“I didn’t mean to stay so long. I was going to come right back and help you with your project.” I’m lying again.
“Yeah, I’m glad you did that. Thanks for the help.” She slams her book on the bedside table and flips her little lamp off, turning her back to me as she has been doing so often of late. I realize then what a jerk of a friend I’ve really been to her.
“Dana,” I say, stumbling toward her bed, feeling even more dizzy than I was half an hour ago. “I really am sorry for—”
That’s when it happens. I throw up on the floor right then. There’s no warning sign, no little urp, no queasiness, no. Just projectile vomiting on my feet and the floor. I’m so grateful that I dropped Victoria’s shoes behind me when I came into the room. I’d never be able to pay for those if I ruined them. I stare at the mess at my feet.
“Could you please clean that up right away? It reeks,” Dana growls at me and turns her back to me once more.
I close my eyes and cover my mouth with my hand. It’s going to be a long night.
Chapter 14
When I wake up, I feel like I’ve been hit several times by an oncoming train.
I have a pounding headache all day, and I don’t want to talk to anyone. Breakfast is not an option; all I can handle is coffee and water and even that makes me want to puke again. It took me half an hour to get the floor cleaned up to the point that it didn’t smell last night. Dana hasn’t spoken to me since, which is entirely fair. I deserve nothing better.
To top it off, the holy trinity keeps snickering at me all day. I’m sure I was quite the sight last night, stumbling off after a little rough and tumble with Blair. Knowing the way boys talk … I doubt he told them the whole truth of what actually went on.