Chapter 6
CHAPTER 6
Hudson
M y hair was dripping when I got back to the car. Presley had pulled her hair from the holder, letting it fall around her face in soft curls. She looked younger, more natural like this, and I couldn’t help but like her that way. I handed her the food, shucked off my wet jacket, and tossed it into the backseat before sliding inside.
Running my fingers through my damp hair, I glanced over to see Presley diving into her burger. She took a massive bite, moaning as she chewed, eyes half-closed in satisfaction.
“Damn,” I smirked, my voice low. “If I thought that’s all it took to get you to moan…”
She elbowed me, not missing a beat, and when she swallowed, her eyes flashed with challenge. “Might be the only moan you ever hear from me.”
I leaned back, half-grinning as I muttered under my breath, “Not if I have my way.”
“Huh?” Presley’s head tilted slightly, her brows knitting together. She stared at me, burger forgotten for a moment.
I pointed to my full mouth, chewing deliberately. She wasn’t letting it go, though, her gaze fixed on me, waiting.
“What did you say?” she pressed, her voice sharper this time.
I sighed, swallowing before meeting her eyes. “I said I doubt it. You’re wrong for him.”
Her lips twitched, but she didn’t respond, biting into her burger again, this time taking smaller, more deliberate bites. I shoveled some fries into my mouth, the tension between us simmering in the quiet. She was thinking, I could tell, probably figuring out how to deflect.
“Do you love him?” I asked, breaking the silence.
As expected, she ignored the question, her jaw tightening as she stared out the windshield.
“Why were you with Reagan at lunch?” she asked suddenly, her voice deceptively casual.
I grinned, the corner of my mouth lifting. So, it bothered her. Exactly what I wanted. “To get a rise out of you.”
Presley’s lips parted slightly, her teeth catching the bottom one as she stared at me with those dark, accusing eyes. “Why would you think that would bother me?”
“Because I know it does. Admit it, Pres. You’ve got a claim on me.”
She tossed the rest of her burger into the greasy paper bag, folding her arms tightly across her chest. “I don’t own anyone.”
“You made me a promise. Remember?” My voice softened, but there was a challenge in it.
“I already told you?—”
“There was another promise, too.” I leaned closer, my voice dropping. “You promised to wait for me.”
Her head snapped toward me, her brow furrowing. “You broke that the moment you stopped answering back. Did you actually expect me to wait for you?”
I held her gaze and nodded. “Yeah, I did. I’m back for a reason.”
She scoffed, rolling her eyes. “You moved here because you had no choice.”
“I’m back to save you,” I said, leaning in further. “To make good on your promise.”
She laughed bitterly, her voice hard. “Forever is a fucking joke. We were twelve.”
“Do the dare,” I growled, my patience thinning.
“No.” Her voice was defiant, but there was something wavering behind it. “Why does it matter to you?”
I didn’t answer, not with words. Instead, I reached out, curling my hand around the back of her neck, pulling her closer until our lips met. The kiss was soft, sweet—gentle, not the kind of kiss I really wanted, but I wasn’t about to push her. She didn’t resist, and I kept it light, savoring the moment.
When we broke apart, Presley’s eyes searched mine. “Why did you do that?”
“Forever,” I whispered.
She lowered her gaze to her lap, quiet for a beat. “I’ll do the dare,” she finally said, her voice barely audible.
“Pres, I didn’t kiss you to make you do the dare,” I said, shaking my head. “That’s your choice. But you know the consequences if you don’t.”
We’d made the rules a long time ago. If one of us didn’t carry through, two dares would follow. And if she didn’t break up with Evan, well, I had ideas for those consequences.
“And breaking up with Evan has consequences too,” she muttered, her jaw tight with frustration.
I snorted, leaning back in my seat. “Like what? Freedom? He’s using you as much as you’re using him.”
“I’m not using him,” she snapped, her voice rising. “This conversation is pointless.”
“You know it’s not,” I said softly, the tension thick between us as she stared at the dashboard, her lips pressed into a thin line.
Presley turned in her seat, fired up the Jeep, and gunned the engine a couple of times before flicking on the headlights and wipers. I gathered up the crumpled wrappers, shoving them into the bag before hopping out. The rain hit me immediately, cold and relentless, but I darted toward the trash can, tossing everything in with one smooth motion.
Just as I turned back, Presley yanked the door closed with a loud thud and slammed her foot on the gas, backing out of the parking space. She stopped about twenty feet away, her headlights illuminating the downpour. I started walking toward her, only for the Jeep to lurch forward another five feet.
I froze, staring her down. She grinned and raised her eyebrows as if daring me to chase her.
“Really?” I muttered, wiping rain from my eyes as I jogged forward.
She did it again. Five more feet.
By the time we got over her little game, I was drenched, water dripping from my hair and running down the back of my neck.
“That wasn’t funny!” I shouted, arms raised in exasperation.
Presley flashed me a grin, her straight white teeth glowing in the darkened cabin. “It was totally funny,” she said, her voice unapologetic.
I shook my head, sending droplets of water everywhere, including all over her. Presley shrieked, arms flying up to shield herself as I laughed uncontrollably.
“Now that was totally funny,” I teased, feeling victorious.
She glared at me, then shoved me hard in the shoulder. “Jerk!”
“Pres, I love when you get mad,” I said, still chuckling, “but can you please get me home? My underwear’s soaked.”
Her eyes flicked down, tracing the way my shirt clung to my chest and torso, soaked through and sticking to my skin. I caught the briefest flicker of something in her expression before she quickly averted her gaze, her hands tightening on the steering wheel.
“Fine,” she muttered, shifting the car into gear. “But you deserve it.”
“Yeah, yeah,” I sighed, leaning back in my seat, dripping wet but more amused than annoyed.
I didn’t see Presley for most of the week, and even worse—she hadn’t done my dare like she promised. Instead, she clung to Evan in the cafeteria like he was her lifeline, the perfect little couple everyone admired.
To mess with her, I ramped up my interest in Reagan. She was easy, always eager to be noticed, and the way she pressed her body against mine when she sat on my lap left no question as to what she wanted. Her ass rubbed against my thigh, and while it was obvious, it did nothing for me.
But I knew it grated on Presley. I could see the irritation in her eyes, the way her jaw tightened whenever she looked my way. She had a choice—keep dating Evan, riding the high school popularity wave, or break it off and stand on her own. I hated how he treated her, like she was his personal assistant, always talking down to her. She didn’t need him, but she couldn’t see that.
Reagan leaned in, her lips brushing against my ear. “Wanna go to the movies tonight?”
I barely turned my head. “What’s playing?”
She giggled, the sound high-pitched and artificial. “Does it matter?”
I shrugged, keeping my voice indifferent. “I guess not, but I’ve got plans tonight.”
Reagan slid off my lap, taking the chair next to me, her brow furrowing. “Like what?”
I leaned back, casual. “My stepdad’s out of town on a business trip. I don’t want to leave Mom alone with the unpacking. Still have boxes everywhere.”
“I could help,” she offered, eagerly.
I arched an eyebrow. “Don’t you have a game tonight?”
“Yeah, but it ends at ten. I could come by after.” She smiled like she thought it was a solid plan, but I wasn’t interested.
“Nah, we’ll figure something out another night.”
Her smile faltered, and she pouted. “I guess.”
The first bell rang, saving me from the awkward tension. We stood, and I made a quick excuse to head to my locker, needing my history book. When I opened it, there was a small note folded neatly on top of my stuff.
I’ll take the two dares.
I crumpled the note in my fist, shoving it into my pocket. A rush of excitement and disappointment hit me at once. She didn’t want to break up with Evan, but at least she was playing along. I had all weekend to think up dares. It hurt, though, knowing she wouldn’t end it with that asshole. Evan was the worst kind of guy —the kind who peaked in high school and would fizzle out the second he stepped foot in college. Presley deserved more than that.
The rest of the day passed in a blur. By the time the final bell rang, I was already out the door, hurrying toward the gym where I knew Presley would be practicing. The hallways cleared quickly, everyone rushing to kickstart their weekend. I found a spot near the gym entrance, leaning against the wall, waiting. The rain outside had slowed to a drizzle, casting a gray light through the windows.
And then there she was, rounding the corner with her blonde hair loose, framing her face. My breath caught for a second, and I stepped forward, blocking her path.
“Shit!” she gasped, nearly bumping into me. “You scared me.”
I smirked. “Avoiding me?”
Her cheeks flushed, but she stood her ground. “No. Why would you care? You’ve got Reagan,” she spat, her voice sharp.
I pushed a hand through my damp hair, letting it fall messily across my forehead. “Your jealousy is showing, Pres.”
She scoffed, crossing her arms. “She’ll sleep with anyone.”
I raised an eyebrow, leaning in slightly. “She’s your best friend. Why would you say that?”
“Because it’s true.”
“Is that supposed to make me stop?” I challenged, bouncing on the balls of my feet, keeping her pinned with my gaze.
Presley slipped around me, her expression hard. “Just make sure you wear a condom.”
I let out a low chuckle, shaking my head. “You’ve got two dares, remember? Be prepared for Monday.”
She stopped and turned, hands on her hips. “When’s it your turn?”
“When you finish your dares. You asked for one and didn’t follow through, so now you get two. That’s how this works.”
She rolled her eyes, muttering under her breath. “I should’ve chosen truth.”
I laughed softly, shoving my hands into my jacket pockets. “Might’ve been worse. I won’t go easy on you, Pres.”
She sighed, shoulders sagging for a moment before she straightened up. “You never did.”
Without another word, she turned and yanked open the gym doors, the smell of her perfume lingering in the air as she disappeared inside. My heart raced, and I wanted to chase after her, bury my face in her hair and breathe her in, but I stayed rooted to the spot, my hands clenched.
“Hey!” a voice called from behind.
I turned to see Reagan walking toward me, her grin wide, but I stifled a groan. Almost home free.
She placed her hand on my chest, tilting her head. “Are you sure you can’t come out tonight?”
“No,” I said quickly, stepping back a bit. “I’ve really gotta help my mom. Maybe next weekend?”
Her face brightened at that, eyes gleaming. “I’d love that. Maybe dinner?”
I forced a tight smile. “Possibly.”
She leaned in, pressing a kiss to my cheek before skipping off toward the gym. I let out a breath, shaking my head. Reagan was going to be a problem—and it was entirely my fault.