Gemma bristles and I grab her around the waist before she dives across the table to deck my cousin for being a little shit.
“What is wrong with you?” Gemma shouts. She turns to her friend and nudges her tray closer. “Here, Blair. You can have the rest of mine.” She tosses a dirty look at Devlin. “I’ve suddenly lost my appetite. The smell of pompous asshole is lingering like a rancid fart.”
Davis snorts and takes a potato wedge from Gemma’s plate. “That’s exactly what it smells like. Old Spice and privileged manbaby tears.”
Gemma cracks a smile that I want to kiss. “Can I buy you another tray? They had pizza today. Want some?”
“No, it’s fine.”
“Are you sure?” Gemma jabs a thumb at Devlin. “We should make him buy you more for trashing your food.”
Devlin’s lip curls and he moves down the table a few seats to flirt with the girls at the other end. Gemma frowns at him.
It’s sweet that Gemma stands up for her friends. But Devlin’s got a point. Davis isn’t one of us.
“Careful,” I warn, tossing a sidelong look at Davis. “Not everyone here appreciates when criminals hang around. My Jeep hasn’t been right since your accomplice touched it.”
Mentioning Davis’ involvement in the stunt with my Jeep makes Gemma’s eyes go wide. Her gears turn frantically in search of something to get my attention off Davis. She bounces her gaze between my eyes and then fists the lapel of my blazer, dragging me down to press her soft lips to mine.
As far as distractions go, it’s an obvious attempt. A bit sloppy for Gemma’s style, but I won’t deny a kiss.
For a minute I sit still and let her move against me. When she gets desperate, her tongue swipes against my closed lips and I can’t hold back. I lock my arms around her and take my fill, slipping my tongue into her mouth. It doesn’t sate my hunger for her, only stokes the flames higher.
When I release her, she’s left with a stunned expression.
The bell rings to signal the end of the period. I’m not ready to say goodbye to Gemma yet. As she and Davis go to dump her tray, I follow and lift her up in my arms. She makes an aborted sound of surprise and kicks her legs.
“What are you doing, caveman? I get it, you’re stronger than me!”
I exit to the busy hallway with Gemma, carrying her around school. Other students catcall us and slap me on the back like I’ve won a prize.
The raging green monster roaring inside my chest is impossible to fight. The thought of her leaving my side right now is something my entire body bucks against.
I’ve never been this possessive over any of my girlfriends before. It’s a little crazy.
“I’m sick of everyone else getting to look at you all day,” I decide, hauling her body against my chest with ease. “I’m not letting you out of my sight. You’re coming with me for the rest of school.” I pause to give her a wolfish smile. “I’m in the mood to kidnap you again.”
“What?” Gemma blushes a pretty rose color. She writhes like an angry snake. “You’re so annoying! Lucas, let me down!”
“Nope.” I sidestep the clapping onlookers and drop my lips to her ear. “You belong to me, so I say where you go.”
Gemma’s jaw works, her bottom lip pouting. I doubt she’s aware of her expression, but it makes me lose sight of logic. I want to shove her against the wall of lockers and drive my cock into her as I attack that sexy mouth.
“People can’t belong to others,” Gemma mutters.
A growl rips through me. I let her drop to the floor and herd her against a locker with nowhere to go. Cupping her face, I bend to speak against her mouth.
“When I say you’re mine, I don’t just mean you’re my girl, sweetheart. I mean I want to own you all the time.”
Gemma’s lashes flutter as she peers up at me with a stubbornness that I’m growing fond of.
“Do you understand how much I want to sneak up to your window at night to watch you sleep? To slip into your bedroom and touch you? I need to keep an eye on you all the time. If I don’t, I’m going to give into this urge I have to take you away and hide you at my house. I’d keep you chained in my room and never let you leave.”
Gemma’s throat bobs. “You’re…crazy.”
A hollow laugh punches out of me and I swipe my thumb over her lip.
“Maybe. You make me that way.”