And fine, sure. I’m man enough to admit it.

I’d wanted Adams to see it.

Now, the regret cringes inside me. It’s only going to encourage Reagan’s interest in me more. Last fucking thing I need.

I take her wrist between my forefinger and thumb and ease her hand aside. My tight smile probably doesn’t do much to lessen the sting. “I actually need to grab something in the... uh, library.”

Reagan’s fallen expression instantly perks back up. “I can come with! Let me get my stuff.”

I shoot Campbell a pleading look. She’s kind of their Queen Bee. She’s with Emory now, but we dated sophomore year. It was a disaster. Campbell and I are way too much alike. But it gave her the social leverage she needed to dominate over the other girls. And, like me, she knows how to keep them in line.

“Reagan,” she says, her green eyes cutting away from mine, “come to the bathroom with me. I need a tampon.”

The guys groan. No one wants to hear about shit like that, which is exactly why she said it. I send Campbell a subtle nod in appreciation.

“Sure,” Reagan says, quickly gathering her things. She’s more scared of Campbell than me. “Later?”

“Maybe. I’ve got a lot of shit to do this afternoon.” Grabbing my backpack off the floor, I bolt before she can say anything else.

I fuck around in the hallway for a minute trying to figure out what to do. Not one person can know about this. I know how gossip spreads in a place like Preston Prep—like chlamydia in a whore house. Fun while you’re doing it. A pain in the ass to recover from.

Ducking into a small storage closet off the main hall, I crack the door and wait. My heartbeat pounds in my ears, some weird thrum of adrenaline. Fear? Worry? Something’s got me wound up, and the rising tide of it fills my chest in a rush when I spot her exiting the cafeteria, parting ways with the new kid. That non-emotive mask slips back on, like the blinders horses wear not to get distracted. Oh, Gwen, Preston Prep is not the place to let down your guard.

Just as she passes the storage room, I reach out and grab her arm, yanking her out of the hall. I shut the door with an ominous click and stand in front of it, blocking her escape.

“What the—” her blue eyes widen with alarm. “Seriously, Bates!”

“Shhhhhhh!” I press my palm over her lips. They’re warm and moist and puffy. I instantly yank my hand away, giving my palm a long wipe on my thigh. “Shut up.”

“You shut up.” She looks around like she’s just realized where we are, eyebrows knitting together in confusion. “Oh, my god, are you going to assault me again?"

“Assau—” It’s my turn to go bug-eyed. “I did not assault you.”

She hisses, “You attacked me in the locker room! At least with your mouth. That counts as an attack.”

“Oh, fuck off.” I sneer down at her. “I can’t be the first person driven to extreme measures just to shut you the hell up.” My eyes narrow. “And let’s not forget the part where you enthusiastically kissed me back.”

Her jaw drops. “You were holding me with those… those...” her eyes dart down to my hands, which I’m desperately trying to keep from throttling her, “animal paws! I had no choice.”

A derisive laugh escapes me. “That’s such creat

ive editing, you should consider joining the AV club. Remember how I let you go? You could have left at any point.”

She blinks, jaw opening and closing like a fish. At first no words come out, so it’s pretty clear I’d one-upped her. I smirk in amusement. But then a flicker of light sparks in her eyes and her upper lip curls. “You had a boner, Bates. I felt it.”

That bit of information clings to the air like an undeniably bad scent.

“So what?” I shrug it off. “I’m a guy, that’s what happens. If my dick doesn’t get hard while kissing a girl, then one of us is broken.”

“So I should be flattered that you were grinding into me like a horny dog.” She snorts.

“Oh please, definitely fucking don’t flatter yourself. I live with teenage boys, Adams. A wet rag could get us hard.” My eyes take her in, head to toe. “You’re nothing special.”

“What, like you are?” Oh, she’s really getting worked up now, all steely-eyed and straight-backed, nostrils beginning to flare. “Maybe having so efficiently starved me of human interaction that your disgusting mouth actually seemed quasi-appealing for the five seconds you forced it on me seems like a big win to you, but trust me, it’s not.” She eyes me in much the same way I’d eyed her. “You’re repulsive.”

I shoot back, “And you’re a bitch.”

“And you’re a sociopath!” she seethes. “I say that, by the way, with deepest apologies to the sociopath community!” She growls, thrusting her hands in her hair. “What is it that you really want, Bates? Why did you drag me in here?”

Tags: Angel Lawson Boys of Preston Prep Romance
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