Nothing But Wild (Malibu University 2)

Tired of my game, Zoe looks off and starts a conversation with Blake, which is my cue to delve a little deeper.

“Your friends don’t know, do they?” I murmur quietly.

Silence. More silence. She refuses to look at me. Then I hear a quiet exhale. “P-Please don’t t-tell them.”

My day just got brighter. This time I do nothing to rein in the grin. I couldn’t even if I wanted to. I caught me a naughty kitten and I intend to celebrate. “Don’t sweat it. Your secret is safe with me,” I murmur back.

“Would you two just fuck already,” comes from across the table. The blonde again. “The sexual tension is killing us!”

She’s talking about Rea and Bailey who moments ago were huddled together on the bench engaged in a heated whispering contest. Now they look ready to melt into the ground from embarrassment.

The entire coffee shop erupts. People cheering, clapping, whistling loudly.

“Alice,” Rea calls out as she stands and begins picking her way between tables.

“Alice, don’t leave,” Blake pleads.

Ignoring us, she heads for the door. I’d say this is the perfect opportunity for Rea to make his move but I’m not him. He’s gotta connect the dots on his own…and it looks like he finally has. Getting up, he chases after her.

“That really crossed the line,” Blake scolds.

“You were all thinking it,” the blonde argues in her defense. “Don’t pretend you weren’t. I just did them a favor.”

“She’s not wrong,” I casually remark. The three of them stare at me while I finish the muffin Bailey left behind. “Wha?” I say around a mouthful.

“Is your friend dumb or just dense?” Zoe again.

Snorting, I swallow and chase it with my coffee. “Dense––but cut him some slack, he’s got a lot on his plate right now.”

They know it too. They saw what happened when Reagan’s older brother, Brian, unexpectedly showed up at the match strung out on meth and looking to hit him up for money.

Kitten’s eyes tag mine and hold on. Big and warm. Open with her feelings and secretive with her thoughts. They draw me in a little at a time. My humor fades. I could get lost in those eyes. I could if I let it. “Which one of you is giving me a ride home?”

“You’re in the back, Van Zant,” the blonde orders.

I’m staring at a mint green Fiat 500, and Kitten is staring at me from the other side of the hood, chewing on her lower lip. I’m tempted to pull it away from her teeth and kiss it just to see her reaction.

“It’s a little cramped for a guy my size,” I go with instead.

It’s the obvious answer but the blonde doesn’t seem to care. Shrugging, she points to her abnormally long legs.

“And did you just insult Bernadette?” she snarls.

“Who?”

“Dora’s car, genius.”

Our eyes meet again over the roof of her midget car. “You named your car?” Kitten flushes to the roots her hair. Damn, she’s cute.

“Get in the back, or call an Uber, dude,” says the ornery friend.

Beggars can’t be choosers so I get in. Blake squeezes into the seat next to mine, and gives me a sympathetic smile when our cramped knees bang together. We head for campus first since my house is located in the opposite direction.

“Behave yourself, Van Zant,” Zoe barks as she gets out of the car.

“Bye, Dallas.” Blake waves and shoves Zoe forward. “Enough, Zoe,” she aims at her friend. The two of them stroll inside while I slide into the passenger seat.

In silence, Dora starts the car and merges into traffic. We leave campus and head for the beach. It seems like she knows where my house is.

“Nice friend you got there,” I venture to say. “I’m going to need a rabies shot.”

“She’s l-looking out for me.”

“Yeah? Does she know that you go around kissing strangers in your spare time?” Immediately, her face turns into a stoplight, flashing cherry-red. “So I was right––they don’t know.”

“T-T-That’s private.”

“Oh, it’s a habit of yours. I get it now. What’s it like––a kink? I mean, no judgement. I’m partial to food as foreplay myself but––”

“No! N-no. Gosh, no. It..it only h-happened that one t-time.”

She’s so flustered it almost makes me laugh. Every emotion this girl has is displayed on her face. “So I’m your first?”

Her face gets tight. “You are n-not my f-first.”

“I’m not?” I tamp down the urge to chuckle. News to me. I’m pretty sure I’ve got proof sitting in my backpack that says otherwise.

“I-I mean, it’s the first time I did that.”

Embarrassment coats her face, her cheeks pink with it. She can guard those thoughts all day long. It’s her feelings that give her away.

“Don’t get your panties in a bunch, cat lady. I know how good it feels to be bad. I encourage it actually.”

She rolls her eyes at me. It’s the most spunk I’ve seen out of her yet. I mean, besides her impersonating Beth and kissing me.