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All he knows is that I was high because he thought I took something willingly. I never corrected him.
“See how easy this is? You could have had me at your mercy, but instead, you’re at mine.”
“Are you coming, Landon?” Snowy white and electric sapphire swirl in my head. My name leaving her lips catches me off guard.
I dip my head to fully see her face, and still the smile lingers. “What’s that?” “What’s what?” she asks, setting the knife in the sink, and washes her hands. “That thing on your lips. Julianna Sparks, are you smiling at me?” Her eyes grow and as if she realises what she’s doing, her lips cast downward and she turns her back to me. “What? No, I’m not.”
Something is severely wrong with me because I’ve checked eight—not including when I checked in my room—times now to see if she followed me back and she hasn’t.
Nice is too bland of a word to use on her. She looks…heavenly.
Brook says something, but I can’t hear it because my gaze lands on his hand on the small of her back. As they walk out, something consumes me. Suddenly, I have an odd desire to punch him in the throat.
“Yes, Hollywood.” I smirk and connect my phone to the TV’s Bluetooth. She pins me with a glare, but I shrug. “Nicknames weren’t on your terms and conditions.” “You’re impossible.” “Next time, be more specific, Angel.” “I’m still plotting your downfall.” “And I’ll still be waiting.”
“Oh, come on, it’ll serve as great spank bank,” she teases, but then freezes as if she’s acknowledged what she said. Her cheeks flush, but she doesn’t take it back. “Say it.” I do a double take on her face because I’ve never seen her blush. I’m sure it’s happened before, but I’ve never been on the receiving end of anything like that coming from her. Not that I’ve ever deserved anything, but I like it so much, I want to see it again.
Grabbing her wrist, I tug the phone close to my mouth as I look her in the eyes and say, “Fuck me, you’re lovely.”
“Is something wrong with the flowers in the trash?” Gabby interrupts my thoughts, dragging my focus away from Landon to the stainless steel trash can. “Huh?” A small crease forms between her brows and stares at me, bemused. “There are white roses in the trash. I didn’t take them out, but they look perfectly fine to me.” “White roses? White…ro…ses.” No he didn’t. I stalk to the trashcan and sure enough, they’re in there. Some of the petals have wilted a little, but other than that, they look great. “Oh, they, uh, they had…bugs. Yeah, they had bugs, so I threw them away.” “Oh, okay.” My answer
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How can anyone else want me when the people who are supposed to love me unconditionally didn’t?
She doesn’t look at me when I’m tutoring her. Doesn’t acknowledge me when we run into each other on campus. For fuck’s sake, she doesn’t even argue with me. How are we supposed to get along if we don’t argue?
“I’m already going out with you guys on Halloween. And I’m not interested in any of those girls,” I deadpan. Saint groans, but then beams. “Is there a girl you’re interested in? I can get her to come easily. Or what’s your type? I can help you find her tonight.” “Any girl with big tits.” Jagger doesn’t miss a beat. “Oh, that’s easy. I got you.” Saint nods to himself.
When I open it, I’m momentarily stunned. “Is the hot chocolate offer still available?” Landon asks. I stare at him, stupefied. “I thought you had plans tonight?” “They’re not important.”
“Well…” I lick my lips and his gaze draws to them. “It’s your fault.” “I don’t see how your attitude problem is my fault.” His eyes sweep over me like he’s thinking of something. “But I can fix it,” he huskily says. He didn’t just insinuate what I think he did, but the serious expression on his face tells me he’s not joking.
“Don’t worry, no one has to know. It’ll be our secret.”
“I want you, Julianna. I’m desperate for you.”
“I’ll get what I want and I’ll treat you the way you’ve always fantasised about.” I swallow hard. “And what do you want?” “To taste you.”
“No one will ever make you feel like this,” he says harshly, each word piercing a part of body. “No. Fucking. Body. Do you understand me?” “Y-y-yes.”
“Talking to her made me feel my best.” And what happened in her room has nothing to do with the way she made me feel. A pleased smile curls on his lips. “Does this her have a name?” “Julianna Sparks.”
“Landon?” Finnick Kamiński stares at me, bewildered, but he smiles nonetheless. “What are you—” I push off his 4Runner and toss him the reason for my headache. “This is yours.” He catches it with ease and stares, puzzled. “What are you doing with this? I thought I gave this to—” “Julianna, yes. She doesn’t need it anymore. It’s washed.” I’d be damned if I returned it back with her scent. Realisation settles on his face, as does a smug smile. “It’s not like that. We’re just friends.”
“Don’t care.”
Hehehe
I swear I see red, but I shove the bubbling bitterness away and lift my hand behind my head, grab the neck of my jumper and take it off. I don’t miss the way her eyes land on my exposed abdomen. I’d call her out on it, but that’d only encourage an argument. I don’t mind them, but I’m still in the hall, waiting for her to let me in. “Here, it’s made out of the same material.” I hold it out for her to take, but she stares at it with hesitation. “Don’t be difficult.” “I’m not being difficult, but I don’t think you understand. Finn didn’t let me borrow his sweater. He let me keep it. I don’t want
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I’ve never imagined Julianna wearing anything that belongs to me, but now it’s all that’s seizing my thoughts.
“Why is it best if we don’t?” “Because it wouldn’t work out.” “Why wouldn’t it work out?” She chews on her bottom lip, fingers fiddling with my jumper. “I don’t share. I don’t think I could sleep with you knowing you’d be sleeping with other people. And no, I’m not judging, do what you want, but—” “And you think I want to share you?”
“Do you still have our tutoring contract?” “Yeah, why?” “Do me a favour and look at it before you make up your mind.”
Your body for tutoring. That’s exactly what he wrote at the bottom of our tutoring contract.
But it seems like Gabby and Polly are rooting for my downfall because what the fuck? How am I supposed to manage a conversation and not stare at her breasts or think about how she came when I simply played with them?
“Okay,” I huskily reply and lick my lips. She watches the movement and before she asks because I know she will, I say, “The Aquaphor is in my pocket.” And pat my right pocket. Her eyes train down but because it’s kind of dark in here, she can’t see it, so I grab her hand and press her palm to it. “I always carry it with me. No more chapped lips.” She chuckles, lifting her gaze, but keeping her hand in place. “Good…because you know how I feel about chapped lips.” “I do. So don’t worry, they’ll be soft only for you.”
“Don’t fucking talk about her. I won’t repeat myself.” Her smile only grows. “Or else what? I can say whatever I want.” I was trying to be the bigger person, but I’m over her bullshit and she’s pissed me off. “You’re right, you can, and I can, too.” I nod and look at Leah. “Ask Nikki what she was doing the day you waited for her to help you move. You waited, what, three hours, right?” Leah was also staying at the apartment complex that burned down a few months ago. Panic sets on Nikki’s features and I swear the colour drains from her face, but I’m not sure since it’s dim in here, nor do I
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“You really don’t have to do this.” I sheepishly smile, and again, his eyes drop down to my lips. “It’s the bare minimum.”
“I was just thinking about how pretty you are.” Not look but are. My stomach dips the way it would on a rollercoaster and something warm ignites from the tips of my fingers and sets off throughout my body like fireworks. “I’m glad they persuaded us. We look good together.”
“If this gets too boring or if you want to leave, we can. I’m sorry I never asked what you wanted to do. Or if you don’t want to be with me, that’s also okay, too. I promise you won’t hurt my feelings.” It might hurt a little, but he’s not obligated to be with me. “Is this where you want to be?” “Honestly, yeah.” “Then this is where I want to be.”
“You don’t have to answer anything if you don’t want to.” I smile at him, hoping he knows I won’t be upset if he doesn’t. He shakes his head. “I don’t mind if it’s only with you.”
There’s something enchanting about watching him play. Kind of like Haptic.
Landon pauses, his leg rubbing mine. “Play with me.” “Maybe you should just play. I’ll just—” “No, I want you to play with me. You lead, I’ll follow,” he
I turn the TV on and go to YouTube, but pause when I look at myself on the screen. She doesn’t have any idea I’m her favourite singer and I’ll never tell her, but it’s fun to watch her obsess.
I click on the song I recently did a cover on, “Yellow” by Coldplay. She comes out and gasps from behind me, and when I pivot to look at her, I don’t blink or breathe. She’s out of the angel costume, and now wearing the black jumper I gave her and wow, she looks lovely. “Did you just willingly put on Haptic?” “I don’t want to hear it.” I will myself to stop staring at her and grab the pizza from the dining table. She pretends to zip her lips and hums along. “God, I love this song. He must’ve just posted this.” I know she does. She mentioned it once and said she’d love Haptic to cover it. So
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“I’m going to hug you, okay?” “Okay.” She limply nods.
“Has anyone ever told you you’re a great hugger?” I hear the smile in her voice and that pulls one from me. “No.” “Why not?” “I don’t usually make it a habit of hugging people.” “But you’re hugging me?” I suck in a breath as she gently winds the hair at my nape around her fingers. “I guess you’re the exception.” She pulls back, staring up at me with those bright sapphire eyes. “Does that mean you’ll hug me again?” “If you need it, yeah.”
Me: Busy? I set my phone down and watch him stir the ground beef in the pot for the nachos they’re making. Landon grabs his phone from his back pocket, and merely glances at it before he goes to put it back. My stomach almost plummets, but then he does a double take and sets the spoon down.
“Are you…are you smiling?” he incredulously asks, his eyes narrowed on Landon. Landon blesses him with his famous vacant stare, but that doesn’t stop the guys from becoming dead silent. And then a comment pops up. I think he’s smiling too. Followed by another. Wait, I think he was smiling. “Oh my gosh. I think he was!” Gabby enthusiastically exclaims. “I thought I was seeing things. I mean, it was hardly anything, but it counts coming from him,” Polly adds. Saint gasps. They all gasp, dramatically might I add.
“Wait, you were smiling.” Saint gapes at him, but then beams and brings the phone closer to Landon’s face. “Holy shit! Ladies and gentlemen, I think we’re experiencing a rare phenomenon. You’re all going to want to screen record this, because this is rare and will most likely never happen again. The Landon Tay—” “Piss off.”
“Julianna, you’re not bothering me. I’ve been daftly waiting all day for you to reply. Now, tell me where you are.”
“I guess I should let you go. I’ll see you when you get here.” “Why are you hanging up?” he questions, sounding sincerely puzzled. I shrug even though he can’t see me. “So you can focus on the road, since you’re driving and looking at your GPS.” “I’m focused. Keep talking to me.” My smile grows. “Is it because you love the sound of my voice?” I joke and rub my hands together to warm them up. Mental note: always carry a jacket. “It’s mesmerising…the sound of your voice.” I stop rubbing my hands. “What colors do you see?” “That’s for me to know and for you to never find out.”
I take the hoodie from his hand, because who am I to argue? “Thanks, but just so you know, you’ll never get this back.” “I know where you live.” “Congratulations. You’re still not getting it back.”
“In high school, she dated Ashton, my stepbrother.” He doesn’t hide the scorn in his voice. “And no surprise, he cheated on her. I told her not to, but she wanted to give him the benefit of the doubt.” Mischief shines in his gaze. “I told her crying wasn’t worth it, but getting even was.” Now I laugh, because that sounds like him. “Of course you’d say that.
He lazily drags his fingers along my thigh, gently tugging my stocking. “Once or twice a week, unless you’re on your period.” I smirk. “How considerate of you.” “I mean, I’m up for it. Blood doesn’t bother me, but I figured you wouldn’t want to since you never feel good when it comes.” His fingers inch higher until they’re grazing the hem of the blazer. I’m surprised by his nonchalance to my period. Most guys get squeamish or don’t care to talk about it. But I’m more shocked he doesn’t care about sleeping with me if I’m on it. “How do you know that?” “You always look a little paler and carry a
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“And you only drink peppermint tea when it comes, because you found that it helps reduce your cramps and bloating.”
