Beautifully Broken

I mimic his gesture. “Are you calling me a bad choice?”

“Point taken.” He smirks as he heads into the kitchen to retrieve two bottles of beer.

&nbs

p; I take a long swig before heading over to the couch to take a seat. Gavin joins me and stretches his long legs on the coffee table in front of him. He releases a heavy sigh and turns toward me.

“Have you talked to him since lunch?”

I shake my head. “No. He’s pointedly ignoring me. He’s pissed.”

“Because of me? Or because you’re with anyone other than him?”

“Probably both,” I admit. “What are we going to do?”

“He has no proof, Kat. We just need to be careful not to give him any.”

“Easier said than done,” I argue. “Dylan knows me…he knows how to read me. He could tell what we were up to by just looking at me, for fuck’s sake!”

“He assumes he knew what we were up to.”

I shake my head. “Gavin, you’re not taking this seriously enough. Trust me, Dylan knows.”

“Why are you so sure of that?”

“Because…he knows what I look like when I’m…in the mood.” I don’t miss the scowl forming on his face as the words leave my lips.

“I still think we should go with full denial. He has no proof. And we’re not going to give him any. We’ll stay away from each other at school outside of second period.”

“I don’t know if that’s going to work, Gavin. What if he says something to Principal Edwards? Or anyone for that matter?”

“Then we deal with it as it happens. You know him better than I do—obviously— but I think you should talk to him tomorrow. Say whatever you need to say to alleviate his suspicions. Convince him to keep his mouth shut.”

“In other words…you want me to flat out lie to him. Dylan is smart, Sparkles. I really don’t think it’s going to work.”

“Kat, we don’t have a choice. Unless you don’t want to move forward with me?”

“I’m not going to change my mind. If you’re willing to take the risk, I am too.”

“I am,” he says. “I definitely am.”

“Okay…but it’s only a matter of time before he does the math. I told him I met someone—somebody that I wanted to be exclusive with. He knows that it would take someone pretty special to make me consider that.”

He flashes a blinding smile. “Anyone I know?”

I roll my eyes. “Just some guy. Although, now that I think about it…he is somewhat of a cocky ass. I might change my mind.”

Gavin catches me off guard by launching himself on top of me. The bottle that I was holding bounces off his chest and rolls onto the floor, spilling beer all over the hardwood.

“You’re going to pay for that, smartass,” Gavin promises.

“Gavin!” I yelp. “Be serious! We need to talk.”

He grinds his growing erection into my thigh and begins kissing my neck. “Does this feel serious enough for you?”

I arch my back as goose pimples scatter across my skin. His tongue flicks out, licking my earlobe before biting down. I grab onto his firm biceps, unable to decide if I should pull him closer or push him away. I suck in a deep breath, trying to identify this unfamiliar feeling roaring beneath the surface. My libido is raging like wildfire—it’s always like this with him. But the confusing part is that while ensconced in his arms, I feel protected from everything. He makes me feel invincible. The pessimist in me can’t help but question that. What happens when he decides that I’m not worth the gamble? Because let’s face it—the risk is astronomical. He could ruin his reputation—his entire career. I could fall right back into the black hole that once threatened to swallow me whole. I’ve suffered my fair share of heartbreak over the years but for some reason, the thought of Gavin breaking me makes me feel like there’s nothing that could possibly mend me back together afterwards. There’s no backpedaling if we decide to venture down this road together. The funny thing is, I don’t think either one of us really has a choice. No matter our differences, or the challenges we face being together, we can’t seem to stay away from each other. This connection we share is fierce and undeniable.

He runs his hands through my hair, pulling harshly at the ends so I’m forced to focus on the here and now.