The way he says it makes me feel strangely proud. And the way he looks at me causes tingles to nip at my neck where he sucked. I’m not sure I like how great he’s making me feel at the moment.
“Why are you looking at me like that?” I ask.
“Like what?” He keeps looking at me the same way.
I eye him over. “I don’t know … Like you’re a sugar junkie, and I’m a candy bar you’re about to devour.”
His teeth sink into his lip, and he turns away, staring at the road, his fingers gripping the wheel so tightly his knuckles turn white. “You have no idea, Alexis, no idea.”
“Okay, what the freakin’ troll babies does that mean?” And why does my belly feel like it’s full of wiggling jelly beans?
Instead of answering, he gives me another look. A look that I’m pretty sure a guy has never given me before, one that makes my entire body tremble.
I try to tell myself that I’m all amped up over what happened between Masie and I, but I don’t think that’s the real reason. Is it because I’m hurting and seeking a distraction from the pain?
Yeah, that’s got to be it. My walls have come down and I’m feeling too much. I need to put them back up so I don’t have to deal with reality. And the reality is that I thought I was in love with a guy who will never love me back. And for weeks he’s known I’ve been in love with him and has been hiding the fact that he’s been hooking up with Masie. My two best friends have been lying to me. Together.
And then there’s West. He’s always honest. Too honest most of the time. Still, I’ve never had to guess anything with him. He’s always been pretty straightforward, and he really saved my ass when all this shit hit the fan. In fact, he’s been kind of sweet.
“Okay, now why are you looking at me like that?” he asks, releasing his lip from his teeth.
“I’m not,” I lie, tearing my attention off him. Then I hastily change the subject, not ready to confess exactly where my thoughts were. “So, where are we going?”
It takes him a moment to answer, his gaze practically boring a hole into the side of my head.
“Fine, I’ll let you off the hook for now. Next time you look at me like that, though, I’m going to wiggle the truth out of you.” His tone turns devious. “No matter what it takes.”
“Oh no, not the ‘no matter what it takes’ threat,” I mock in an attempt to sidetrack us away from whatever the hell this hungry, belly full of jelly beans thing going on between us is.
“And we’re going to Masie’s,” West adds as an afterthought as he glances at his phone.
“What?” I reach for the door handle, preparing to jump out of the car if I have to. “No. Don’t take me back there. I’m worried if I see her again, I might kick her ass. And I can’t get arrested again.”
“Again, huh?” he teases. “What’s your number up to now?”
“I don’t know … Like, five?”
“You’re lucky your sister has a cop for a friend.”
“Yeah, probably.”
He grins, and the corners of my lips quirk up into an almost smile, yet I don’t quite make it there.
He sighs. “I’m taking you to Masie’s so we can look for that clue. And don’t worry; she won’t be there.”
“How do you know that for sure?”
Guilt masks his expression. “I’m not sure if I should tell you.”
“West, just tell me,” I gripe. “You’ve always been honest with me, even when the truth hurts.”
“That’s not completely true,” he reminds me. “Remember that one time when I saw your cat get ran over and I didn’t tell you for a week because I knew you’d get upset?”
“Oh, yeah, I forgot about that.” I drum my fingers on top of my knee. “I actually thought that was kind of sweet.”
He gives me a skeptical look. “Really? Because, at the time, you seemed pissed off.”
I offer him an apologetic look. “Yeah, I know. And I’m sorry I did. I just get that way sometimes. Besides, there’s always sort of been this challenge going on between us.”
“What do you mean?” he asks too innocently.
“I think you know what I mean.”
“Okay, maybe I do.”
“Then why pretend you didn’t?”
He shrugs then sighs. “Because I don’t want it to exist anymore.” He shrugs again, seeming lost and confused and kind of vulnerable. “When I first met you, it was pretty clear you weren’t a fan of me, so I played it off by teasing you.”
“It’s not that I didn’t not like you. You just know how to push my buttons.”
His brow curves upward in skepticism. “Really? Because sometimes it seems like you hate me.”
I cross my arms, feeling vulnerable, and I don’t like it at all. “I know we tease each other and everything, but I’ve never thought: hey, I hate West. In fact, I’ve always thought you were kind of funny, even when I’m the butt of your jokes.”
“You’ve never been the butt of my jokes. And I’m sorry if I made you feel that way.” He nibbles on his lip, appearing undecided about something. I can tell the moment he arrives at the decision, though, because he smirks. “I’ve always thought of our little bantering as flirting.”
“Ha, yeah right.” I roll my eyes.
“Deep down, I know you think the same thing.”
“I so do not.”
“Sure, you don’t.”
“West, I do not and stop saying that.”
“What? Stop saying the truth? That just seems silly.” A wicked glint flickers in his eyes. “Besides, back at the park, I could tell you liked me biting your neck.”
“No, I didn’t.” The way my neck tickles in the most wonderful way ever suggests otherwise. “Dude, you’re so about to get your ass kicked.”
He grins. “Aw, please don’t tease me.”
I glare at him. “I’m not joking.”
“Whatever you say.” His smug smile irks me in a way that I just about lose my shit.
“The neck biting thing was the most unpleasant experience I’ve ever had,” I argue. “And I’m going to show you.” I lean over, put my mouth beside his neck, part my lips, and sink my teeth into him. I don’t bite hard enough to draw blood, but he’s definitely going to have some teeth marks on his skin.
After a little bit of sucking, I move back and smirk at him. “See? Told you it doesn’t turn me on.”
He doesn’t respond, just pulls the car over and turns off the engine.
I glance around and realize we’re parked on the corner of Masie’s street. I start to get out, ready to get this over with, but West captures my elbow and pulls me toward him.
“We’re not done yet,” he all but growls. Then his mouth is on my neck, and his teeth are gently grazing my skin as he sucks and nips and bites.
I groan. Oh, my God, do I groan, my chest arching into him as he leans farther over the console and pins me against the seat.
“West,” I gasp, threading my fingers through his hair.
He groans, moving his hands to my waist, inching up the hem of my shirt with his fingers.
I don’t know if he’s playing a game with my mind or totally getting off on this, and I don’t freakin’ care at all. Not at the moment, anyway. But I’m sure I will later. Right now, though, it feels too good. And I want to feel good. I want to forget all about Blaine, and stupid Masie, and their dumb kiss, and this … This is working.
“Harder,” I beg, sounding completely unlike myself.
He complies, biting harder, slipping his hand all the way up the front of my shirt. It feels like I should be freaking out, but I’m not. In fact, my body likes the way his fingers graze my skin right below my bra, the way his teeth graze my neck, and the way he moans out my name.
“Harder,” I beg again.
Seriously, why do I keep saying that? What the fuck is wrong with me?
Regardless of why my mind is messed up, he does what I ask while pushing me further until I lose control completely, cr
ying out his name and stabbing my fingernails into his arms.
By the time I return back to reality, I’m feeling strangely content, utterly confused, and at the same time, kind of pissed off. The latter is more at myself.
As reality douses over me, I move to lean away from him, but West holds me in place, resting his forehead against mine.
“Don’t get shy on me now,” he breathes against my lips.
“I’m not getting shy,” I say. “I just think what happened … was just …” Gah, why can’t I get a coherent sentence out of my mouth?
“An orgasm,” he says bluntly. “Yeah, I know. And it was fucking beautiful. Seriously, the hottest thing I ever saw.”
I roll my eyes. “I highly doubt that.”