Feeling the world beneath my feet tilt, I leaned further into him, giving him most of my weight. He willingly took it, tightening the arm wrapped around my back even more.
Swallowing, I gazed up at him with heavy-lidded eyes. "What are you going to do?" I asked, my throaty voice nearly unrecognizable.
After tracing his tongue over his bottom lip, he whispered, "I'm about to steal a kiss from you"—oh God—"just like how you stole one from me."
Heart nearly bursting free of my chest, my eyes slid closed. "So what are you waiting for? If you want to, then kiss—"
Chase's lips instantly found mine, silencing the words I was about to speak, and his hand, the one resting on my lower back, descended south of the Equator, sliding over my bottom. I froze as he cupped my jean-clad flesh softly, fully expecting my demons to begin their usual song and dance.
Surprisingly, they stayed dormant.
Huh... well, would you look at that.
Relaxing once more, I melted into him, my body gone completely boneless.
Groaning, he nipped my bottom lip, and my breath hitched as my cherry-glossed lips parted of their volition.
He took full advantage.
Dipping his tongue into my mouth, he sampled my taste, giving me a hit of his in return while simultaneously working me into a heated frenzy, the likes of which I'd never experienced before.
Skin on fire and needing a whole lot more of him, I looped my arms around his neck, melding my body to his. Hands shaking from excitement, I slid my hands into his hair, silently demanding that he deepen the kiss, giving me more of the very thing my starving body craved.
But he never got the chance.
Like the first time our lips touched, an unwanted interruption sliced right through the euphoric veil blanketing each of us, completely obliterating the moment.
Only this time, it wasn't Anthony who shattered the peace that only Chase had been able to give me.
Instead, it was the incessant ringing of his phone.
A phone which I wanted to shatter.
Annoyance washed over me at the sound of the high-pitched ringtone. I was so close to throwing a full-fledged hissy fit that it wasn't funny. To say I was a bit agitated at the way things were unfolding would have been the understatement of the century.
"Sweetness," he said, once again resting his forehead against mine. "I've gotta get that. It may be—"
"Answer it," I said, interrupting him. "It's okay."
As irritated as I was, I understood his need to take the call. So, unwinding my arms from his neck, I took a step back, unhappily extracting myself from his warm embrace.
Jaw clenched, he pulled the phone out of his pocket, and without checking the Caller ID, he pressed it to his ear. "What?" he snapped, his irritation matching my own. Eyes narrowing before mine, he turned, giving me his muscular back. "What do you want? I'm goddamn busy," he snarled a second later. "Fine, I'll be there in an hour."
My brows furrowed.
He'd just gotten here.
Now he was leaving?
Ending the call, Chase shoved the phone back in his pocket. Hands fisted, his shirt-covered back rose as his chest expanded, the unchecked anger that simmered in his veins nearly reaching a boiling point.
Though I had no idea who had just called him, it was obvious he wasn't happy about what they had to say.
Wanting—no, needing—to comfort him, I placed my hand between his shoulder blades and gently massaged the flesh that laid beneath. "Hey," I said, my heart climbing high into my throat. "You okay?"
I dropped my arm when he spun around, his eyes blazing. Refusing to meet my gaze, he stared past me, his attention focused on something behind me. "I'm fucking fine." I flinched at his harsh tone, one which I'd never heard from him before. "But, I've gotta go."
Alarms began to ring in my head.
Nodding, I took a step back as trepidation settled in my belly. "Okay," I whispered, unsure of what else to say or do. "Are you..." Swallowing around the lump in my throat, I took a breath. "Are you still going to meet me later or—"
"I don't know," he snapped.
My chin trembled. "I don't understand..."
It was the truth.
For over a week, we'd had plans to spend the night at the fair together. My family, along with some of the ladies that worked at the shelter would be there too. When I'd first brought the idea up to him, he'd seemed excited.
Extremely so.
But now...
Well, I didn't know what to think.
Clearing his throat, he pulled his keys out of his pocket. "I've got some shit to handle, but I'll try to meet you there like we planned." The air surrounding us shifted, and after a second, I realized the coldness that nipped at my skin was coming from him. "I'll call you later and let you know if I can make it."
I blinked back tears. "Okay."
Stepping forward, he leaned down and pressed his lips to my cheek in what felt an awful lot like a consolation kiss. It made my skin burn and my stomach roll. Something was off. Like, really off. I just didn't know what it was or what it meant for us.
"I'll call," he repeated, his voice flat and monotone.
Replying wasn't an option.
Between the grief causing a stranglehold in my chest and the voices in my head screaming, I told you so, doing anything other than breathing was impossible, and even that was hard.
Without sparing me another glance, he silently turned and walked away, taking a piece of my tattered heart with him.
* * *
Wet paper towel in hand, I was standing in front of a clouded restroom mirror, viciously scrubbing away the fresh tear tracks that stained my flushed skin when the bathroom door swung open and three girls—all of which I recognized—stepped inside.
My stomach immediately dropped.
This isn't good...
"Well," Bianca, of all people, said, her pretty face twisting into an ugly sneer. "If it isn't the new girl."
Knowing that nothing good would come of this encounter, I tossed the used towels into the trash beside me and turned, more than ready to make a hasty exit.
But it wasn't that easy.
Though I had nothing to say to someone like Bianca, nor the posse of mean girls that flanked her sides, she had plenty to say to me. "You're not thinking of leaving, are you?" she asked, tilting her head. "Because if so, I'm afraid I'll have to insist that you stay, at least until we have a long overdue chat."
Shaking my head, I moved toward the door. "There's nothing for you and me to say to one another."
Done with the entire situation, I went to pass her, but before I could, she wrapped her bony fingers around my forearm, halting the steps I'd only just begun to take. My eyes flared, then narrowed in response. "Let me go."
Ignoring my demand, she tightened her grip. "You're wrong, Trashley. I have plenty of things to say. First, let's start with the reason that you're spending so much time with my boyfriend."
I almost laughed.
The girl was crazy.
That much was obvious.
Chase wasn't her boyfriend.
He didn't even like her, something he never failed to remind me of each time we ran into her at school.
"I know what's going through that pretty little head of yours," she continued, moving her make-up-laden face closer to mine. "And let me just tell you, new girl"—she paused—"you are completely wrong."
Bull-freakin-crap.
Chest heaving, I ripped my arm free of her hold. I didn't give a flying crap how tough Bianca thought she was, I refused to let her intimidate me. She may have succeeded in doing so on the first day of school, but it wouldn't happen again. I'd dealt with being pushed around for far too long, by bullies much more sinister than her.
Enough was enough.
"Save your breath," I whispered, my voice surprisingly steady. "I want no part of whatever trouble it is that you're trying to stir up."
She chuckled humorlessly. "Are you sure? Because
if the shoe were on the other foot, I'd want to know if I was secretly the laughing stock of the entire school."
I froze. "What do you mean?"
The malevolent smile she wore grew. "You didn't really think that Chase liked you, did you? I mean, I know you're most likely gullible, not to mention desperate, but come on."
When I didn't reply, she took it as permission to keep talking. "Oh sweet little Trashley. Chase has only been spending time with you because Ryder Jenkins bet him two-hundred bucks that he wouldn't be able to seduce you before graduation rolls around."
It isn't true...
She's only saying it to hurt me.
Even as the words echoed through my head, doubt crept into my mind as the sound of my hammering pulse filled my ears.
Aware that her words were having the desired effect, Bianca continued, not missing a beat. "Why do you think Ryder came into the library that day?"
Silence.
Then, "Since you're likely too dumb to figure it out, let me break it down for you." This bitch... "After Chase failed to seal the deal, something that's never happened before, Ryder decided to step in and finish what he couldn't."
My temple pulsed. "You're lying."
"Am I?" she asked, eyes twinkling.
"You are." I prayed she was. "And I know you are because a girl like you would never allow her boyfriend to sleep with someone else, bet or no bet."
My words were confident.
But my heart wasn't.
Lifting her hand, she stared blankly at her flawless manicure. "Guys like Chase are never faithful," she stated matter of factly with a shrug. "But I don't care if he plays around since it's me that he always comes back to." Her eyes met mine once more. "Always."
I'd heard enough.
Letting my emotions get the best of me, I took a page straight out of my mother's book and said, "You're so full of shit, Bianca, it's no wonder your eyes are turd-brown."
Her hand twitched, and for a second, I thought she'd smack me. If she did, I fully intended to pop her right back. I wasn't kidding when I said enough was enough.
Feeling as though my head would explode, I looked at the other two girls, who were, of course, blocking my exit. "Move," I growled. "Or I'll move you myself."
They looked at each other, then back at me before stepping to the side.
After taking three big steps, I wrapped my hand around the door handle, but I stopped short of making my exit when Bianca said, "By the way, I'm sorry Chase had to cancel y'all's fair plans. I know how much you were looking forward to it, but even though cash is involved, my man is getting tired of this charade." She giggled. "Don't worry though. I'll make sure to keep his mind off you since he'll be with me all night instead."
Her words...
They hurt.
Mainly because they were true.
They had to be since the only people who knew about our fair date was my family, Chase, and myself. Not even Grandmama knew, and that was saying something. There was no way for Bitchy Bianca to know what we had planned.
Not unless Chase told her.
That realization hit me like a ton of bricks, knocking the air straight from my pained lungs.
Every word, every action, and every stolen kiss...
It had all been a lie.
The phone call, the one in which he turned cold and left immediately afterward, was probably fake too. At that point, I was busy wondering if Bianca had been the one to call him, giving him the out he needed to bolt.
Anger raged inside me at the thought, but the agony that radiated through my chest as a result of my heart splintering into millions of jagged little pieces was too much to bear.
I was about to lose it.
Completely.
Flat-out refusing to let any of those girls see the tears that were seconds away from spilling down my cheeks in an unending tsunami of grief, I flung open the bathroom door.
Then, doing what I did best, I ran.
* * *
I'd finally stopped crying.
It had taken me nearly the entire ride home from the mall, but I'd managed to get my emotions partially under control by the time Carissa pulled her decade-old Corolla into my driveway.
And thank God for that because I wasn't in the right state of mind to tell my parents why I was such a mess... yet again.
I jumped in my seat, my senses on high-alert as Carissa shifted the transmission into park and unbuckled her seatbelt. Twisting at the waist, she turned, looking back at me. "Do you want me and Heidi Bug to walk you in and stay a bit?"
I shook my head. "No," I replied, my voice a mere whisper. "I'll be fine. Promise."
"You sure?" she asked, her concern-filled eyes locked on mine. "Because we don't mind at all. Neither of us has anywhere particular to be."
"I'm sure," I said, trying my best to assure her. "The Dadinator and Lucca are home to keep me company. Besides, I'll probably just head upstairs and take a nap. My head is killing me."
Heidi scoffed. "Screw a nap. I say you pop an Excedrin or two, and then we go find that two-timing twatwaffle and run him over. I bet he'd make one hell of a speedbump." Eyes wide, she snapped her fingers. "No, wait. I have a better idea. Since you don't want to tell Anthony and Shelby what happened, I say we call Grandmama. I'm sure she'll be more than happy to shoot him right in his cheating ass."
Carissa's eyes flared. "She totally would."
"He'd deserve it too," Heidi added, nodding. "The dickhead must think he's slicker than owl shit to try and pull something like this. Especially with you. I swear if he were here I'd poke his eyeballs out with my keys."
My heart hurt something awful, yet I still laughed. "Slicker than owl shit?" I asked, leaning my head against the car window next to me. "That's a new one."
Carissa's eyes lit up. "Now I know how to make you laugh. All we have to do is release our inner rednecks and let our southern tongues do all the work."
Heidi chuckled. "I think I like this game."
Carissa smacked her sister's arm. "I came up with it, so I'm going first. Alright, let me think..." She paused and tapped her finger against her chin, seemingly mulling something over. Then, "I've got one!"
A faint smile played on my lips. "Tell me."
"So that Bianca hussy," she said, sneering. "When she walked out of the bathroom after making you all upset, she had her nose stuck so high up in the air that she would've drowned had a rainstorm come."
"That's no joke," Heidi said around laughter. "And did you see those pants she was wearing? They were so tight I could see her religion!"
I had no earthly idea what that even meant, and though my throat was awfully raw from the sobs that had poured out of me an hour before, neither thing stopped my laughter, because for a moment—even as brief as it was—Heidi and C's antics made the pain go away.
Well, more like dulled it.
Like my heartbeat, it never truly ceased pulsing through my veins.
"As for Chase," Heidi continued, rolling her eyes. "If that girl really is his girlfriend, then he's an idiot. Why, I swear there must be a tree stump in a southern Georgia swamp with a higher IQ."
At that, my laughter died.
"Chase isn't stupid," I whispered, the unrelenting torment that held my soul captive returning. "Even if he has been playing me, I still saw pieces of him that I know were real, and each one of them was as beautiful as he was."
"Crap, Dimples," Heidi said, face pale as could be. "I'm so sorry. I didn't mean—"
"I know," I whispered, forcing a half-hearted smile. "I'm not mad at you. I'm just—"
"—hurt," Carissa finished for me.
I nodded. "I am. Badly."
Eyes flashing with anger, Heidi tensed. I had no doubt that there was a lot she wanted to say, but to avoid upsetting me further, she kept her mouth shut.
"Thanks for letting me tag along with you girls to the mall," I said, wrapping my hand around the door handle. "I had a lot of fun. Well, until..." Closing my eyes, I shook my he
ad and popped open the door. "If I don't see you at the fair, I'll call one of you later tonight. Lifting my free hand, I blew them both a kiss. "Love you both."
Without waiting for either of them to reply, I jumped out of the car and slammed the door shut behind me.
Feeling another cry-fest coming on, I bolted up the front porch steps, my purse in tow, and burst through the unlocked stained-glass door. I was about to hoof it to my room but came to an abrupt stop in the middle of the foyer when something in the living room caught my eye.
I blinked, my brain working overtime to figure out what the flash of white I'd seen was. Having disappeared behind Anthony's oversized recliner, I didn't get a chance to have a second look.
It didn't matter though.
Lucca, bless his heart, came to the rescue. "Issy!" he screamed, popping out from behind the sofa. Pointing to the recliner, he smiled. Big. "Ook, Issy! Issa dog!"
A dog?
The thought had just slid through my head when suddenly a ball of white fur charged me, eating up the distance between us in a matter of seconds. I screamed and fell back onto my butt as it lunged at me, tackling me to the floor.
"Oh my God!" I half laughed, half cried as the dog started to lick my face, starting at my chin and ending at my forehead.
"You said you wanted a dog," Anthony said from somewhere close. Eyes pinched shut to avoid having my poor eyeballs licked out of my skull, I couldn't place where he was. "Now, you have one. The problem is, I think he's crazy." He paused. "Which means he'll fit right in with your mother."
Gently placing my hands on the side of the dog's furry face, I held him steady as I sat up and opened my eyes, getting my first good look at him. When I realized what kind of dog he was—not that it would have mattered—I started crying.
White husky.
Beautiful blue eyes.
"You got me a husky?" I asked Anthony, tears pouring down my cheeks. "Just like I wanted?"
Shoulder leaned against the living room doorway, he nodded. "The day you agreed to be my daughter, I swore that I'd spoil you rotten. This is me doing that."
My broken heart swelled as I wrapped my arms around the panting dog's neck and buried my face in his thick-but-soft fur. "Thanks, D-Dad," I stuttered, the maelstrom of emotions tumbling through me, nearly choking me to death. "From the bottom of my heart, thank y-you."
Every Kiss You Steal: A Redeeming Love Novel (Book 7) Page 13
