Chapter 12 Heath
HEATH
Next morning, I see Rose coming down the road, having no idea that I’m waiting for her in my car. After the shit show last night, I barely slept. I stayed awake thinking about stuff, and when the morning came I just wanted to see this girl, knowing being with her will help me.
She’s holding a book close to her chest and looking down at the road, not being vigilant at all.
She takes a left, passing me without a single glance.
People are usually aware of their surroundings, but this girl never is.
What am I going to do with you, Rose?
I press on the horn and she jolts in shock. Turning around, she looks at the car and then me. Joy replaces the shock and she quickly hurries to me.
I cock my head to the passenger side, signaling her to get in.
A few seconds later she’s in the passenger seat looking beautiful in a white sweater and jeans.
I swear, she makes me forget how to breathe with how stunning she looks.
Her hair is down, cascading in waves that makes me want to get my fingers tangle in them.
And she has no makeup on her face which only accentuates her natural beauty.
My hands tighten around the steering wheel. All I want to do is reach over and kiss her. But the conversation I had with Sebastian comes to my mind.
I need to make some things clear so we’re on the same page.
There shouldn't be any doubt in her mind when it comes to us.
I want her. She should know it.
“Hi,” she says shyly.
“Hi,” I reply.
My gaze falls on the book she’s holding.
I put it in her bag yesterday. A few weeks ago she told me about it and looked so excited.
I couldn’t help but order it for her. From the looks of it she’s read a lot of chapters.
Her makeshift bookmark is wedged deep inside the book. Bookmarks are next on my list.
“You didn’t text me.” My voice is deep and firm.
Hope gulps, looking all sorts of nervous. “I… forgot.”
She’s lying.
I put my elbow on the console between the seats and lean over. “What’s the real reason?”
She backs up until her spine hits the door. “I…um…”
She is not herself today.
Raising my arm, I touch her cheek and caress. “Did your dad do something?”
She shakes her head. “I got lost in reading.”
Her words are a muffled whisper as I cup the side of her face and lift. Her pretty brown eyes stare at me. They are the reason that got me into this feeling mess—not that I’m complaining.
Brown eyes are so common. Every other person has them. I see them a thousand throughout the day, but something about this girl’s—my girl—eyes is just different. They affect me. One look at her and I’m a goner.
The color dances the line of whiskey and honey, the perfect blend that makes the exquisite shade of brown I’ve ever seen.
They are addictive in nature, and filled with so much innocence and sweetness.
There’s no way you can’t no say to her or won’t do whatever that she says.
Or perhaps it’s only me who’s a prisoner of this gaze.
I near her and her soft breaths graze my lips.
For fuck’s sake.
Does she have any idea how much she affects me?
Blood rushes down to my body into an area that shouldn’t be getting aroused at this moment.
It’s not the right time.
Not until she says so.
There is tiny space between our mouths, if one moves even a little, our lips will meet.
But before that happens, I need to have the conversation. Even though I can hardly think of words right now. All I want is to taste those damn lips.
“Rose, I need to talk to you,” I rasp.
Hope is staring at my lips and I’m half convinced that she’s not a single word.
That would be a big problem, because I don’t want to talk, only kiss her.
She nods but doesn’t look at me.
Please.
Stop staring at my mouth.
Or I won’t be the gentleman that I always am with you.
I lean back her head and only then she looks at me. “You are my girlfriend.”
Way to be fucking straightforward.
In her romance novels, this title involved a question that I didn’t ask.
Fuck me.
I screwed up.
Hope gapes. “What?”
“Yesterday, I told you that you’re my girl. Maybe I should have been more clear.” I run my thumb back and forth over her cheek. “I want you to be my girlfriend, Rose.”
Her cheeks turn red. “Girlfriend,” she repeats. “You and me.”
I nod. “You and me.”
“Um…I….” She tucks her hair behind her ear and closes her eyes.
“I kinda assumed that you meant that yesterday but I wasn’t sure and told myself that maybe you just wanted me to be your…
special girl. Not like a girlfriend. I was a bit confused because the way you hold me and kiss me made me feel like I was more. ”
My breath gets stuck in my throat.
This is the first time she’s spoken exactly what’s on her mind without letting herself overthink and layer her words with lies.
It takes me a minute to find my voice. “You are more.”
She opens her eyes and stares back at me with such a heavy gaze. It’s filled with vulnerability and a magnitude of emotions I can barely decipher.
I can tell no one has ever uttered those words to her before.
Without thinking, I cup her face and smile down at her. “You are my special girl and girlfriend, Hope.”
“Are you sure?” Doubt is thick in her tone.
“Yes, I’m sure.”
I’ve barely let those words out when her mouth is on me and she kisses me so hard my head spins.
Her hand rests on the back of my neck and her strokes get deeper and slow, devouring my mouth.
Everything about this kiss makes my feelings stronger for her.
Her fingers graze my scalp and I groan.
Chemicals mix like a fucking cocktail inside of me and I grab onto every string that I can to keep my control in reins.
Vivid images of explicit activities fill my head. And I hate myself for wanting to do all those things with her when she isn’t ready.
I swear if she saw the way I have her in my imagination she’ll break up with me and be out of the car in less than a minute.
No girl has ever driven me this crazy.
My hormones are high and fanatic like a fiend.
And fuck. When she kisses me like this, I lose my fucking mind.
Hope breaks the kiss, pulls away from me and faces the window. I lean my head against the headrest, panting like a fucking dog who ran a mile.
Fuck. Me.
Please.
I watch Hope through the side mirror, her cheeks are bright red and she’s breathing hard. After a moment, she touches her lips gently and finds them a bit swollen.
“Looks like you know how to kiss now,” I tease her.
Her eyes meet mine in the side mirror and she quickly turns around.
A grin curves on my mouth.
“Sorry…I…”
“I’d like it if you kiss me like that again.” It’s a terrible, terrible idea because now I’m hard.
“You liked it?”
I nod. “A whole fucking lot.”
“I learned that from you.”
I smirk. “I can teach you other things.”
She blushes. “Okay.”
Yeah. I won’t survive this girl.
I’m in a lot of trouble.
___________________
The moment we get out of the car, everyone stares at us. We’ve been the breaking news since yesterday and I hoped that the attention would go low, but that doesn’t seem to be the case.
I come around the front of my car and stand next to Hope who looks at every face that’s staring back at her with so many questions and much judgement.
She looks like she wants to crumble to dust rather than enter the school and take classes The waves of anxiety radiate off her and infuse into me, making me feel every single thing that she’s feeling.
I send a glare to everyone. A few cower and avert their gazes, but some stare back at me with the same confusion and question: are you really dating her? I narrow my eyes, shooting a clear threat of declaration of war if any of them come near and talk to my girl.
I stand in front of Hope, blocking her line of vision like a shield.
The rays of sun hit my back and the thin black sweatshirt I’m wearing itches. But that thought fades away when I look at Hope who looks breathtaking under my shade. The sunlight doesn’t get to her and she stays tucked in the shadows, exactly where she likes to be.
“Are you okay?” I ask.
She nods. “I’m fine.”
“Are you sure?” I narrow my eyes purposefully.
She breaks. “Everyone is staring. They know about us and what happened on the weekend.”
I clench my teeth together. “You don’t need to worry about any of it. If someone says something, tell me and I’ll take care of them.”
“Take care of them as in beat them?”
I don’t utter a reply because we both know it would be a lie. I will use my fists to silence anyone who tries to hurt her by their words. It’s fucking enough that she endures abuse at home.
Instead, I grab her hand and lace our fingers together. Giving a squeeze, I say, “Let’s go inside.”
Our walk to her classroom looks like straight out of a movie. Everyone stops and watches us in bewilderment. I send a glare at them but it doesn’t work. The whispers and looks continue.
Rose has a different class which annoys me. I don’t want to let go of her so soon.
We stand near the assigned classroom and look at each other.
A minute passes and I make no move to leave.
Hope gives my hand a squeeze and slowly pulls away her fingers, one at a time. “I’ll be fine—”
A girl bumps into her, sending her straight into my chest.
I wrap my arm around her waist and steady her.
“Are you okay?” I ask.
She gives me a nod.
“Are you—”
“Ah! Look at it. You have a girlfriend.” I avert my gaze from Rose to the girl who stands with a hand resting on her hip.
I think I’ve seen her before. Her blue eyes and blond hair.
“You got a fucking problem?” I ask her, point blank.
She scoffs. “Just unimpressed with your taste.”
“I don’t care about your fucking opinion.”
Hurt flickers through her gaze. “You don’t remember me, do you?”
I shake my head. “I’m glad I don’t.”
“I’m Shian,” she tells me.
I look down at Hope. “Text me if something happens.”
She nods.
I bend my head down and kiss her softly. And then I’m gone.
—————————
Classes go by and it’s lunch time when I finally get to see Rose.