Chapter 10
Ten
Bristol
I am dead. I might as well just disappear right now to save myself the humiliation. I slip my shoes on, not answering Liam as he stares at me.
He holds the scrap of paper that I wrote his address on at work.
I had been planning to drop by unannounced and was hoping he’d be glad to see me.
Except I knew he wouldn’t be glad.
There’d be zero reason for him to be happy for me to show up, because we hate each other.
Hate isn’t even a strong enough word for my feelings toward Liam Moretti.
In middle school, he told everyone that I let him get to third base with me. After that incident, a jock shoved his hand up my skirt in our next class.
I punched the asshole in the throat. Liam looked surprised. I’m not sure if he was more surprised that I got felt up or that I had the balls to punch and silence him.
The next day, the jock came in with a black eye.
Rumor had it that during hockey practice, someone slammed a puck into his face.
I’d like to think that someone did it on purpose.
“The piece of paper with my address, Bristol. You’re not getting out of this. What’s going on?” He sounds angry, his voice raising an octave as he stands and comes face-to-face with me, but it’s more like face-to-chin.
He’s a lot taller than I am.
“I just … I wanted to talk to you.”
“Okay.” He tilts his head, and his mouth drops. “You showing up at the coffee shop. Have you been stalking me?”
It’s Saturday. He’s made it a habit of grabbing iced coffee nearly every Saturday between late morning and early afternoon.
I’ve been watching his habits from the computer system at work. Ariella granted me access to help her with some projects she’s working on. A step up from filing.
I may have been taking the research a little too far, doing my own project in secret.
“I wouldn’t say stalking.” I force a nervous smile and head for the door. Maybe I can just slink out and never speak with him again.
“What would you call it?” He slips on his shoes and follows me as I head outside, hoping to disappear into oblivion.
“This is the first time I’ve been on your campus.” It’s definitely the truth. I’ve never even so much as toured Evergreen University.
I knew when I wanted to attend college, I’d go to Great Falls College. It’s a small, private school, much more elite and prestigious.
He shuts the door abruptly behind himself, keys in hand. “I’m driving you home.” Unlike earlier, when he was concerned and doting, now he looks pissed.
Honestly, it’s the version of Liam I would expect.
“It’s fine. I’ll take the bus.”
“You won’t.” He points at his piece of shit car and smirks. “I told you not to laugh.”
My eyes widen. I’m not sure it’ll make it to campus. “You really don’t need to drive me home. It’s a couple of hours and going to be really long round trip for you.”
I’m trying to do him a favor, do us both a favor.
Can we really stand being in the same car together?
Why did I think getting his information and meeting up with him would be a good idea?
He follows my every step, and when I don’t head toward his car, he wraps his arm around my waist, guiding me where he wants me.
His breath tickles my ear, sending a shiver down my spine.
I inhale sharply, trying not to let my senses overwhelm me, like earlier. He has a way of doing that to me.
“Tell me again why you have my address in your skirt pocket.”
The way his breath caresses my skin fills my stomach with butterflies.
“I was stalking you,” I whisper, and my mouth is parched.
He studies me, like he’s waiting for me to laugh, but the joke is entirely on me.
My cheeks are hot, and while the sun isn’t helping, the flush has to be evident as he glances me over.
“Get in the car, Greyson.” He clears his throat, all business, and I step toward the passenger door.
“Are you sure your car is … safe?” I’m afraid if I open the door and sit in the front seat, I might actually see the pavement beneath my feet.
“I’d never do anything to hurt you, Bristol. You or anyone else—” He’s quick to make that clarification.
He waits for me to slide into the passenger seat as he stands outside my car door, leaning in, brooding. He’s hot, and his t-shirt rides up just inches, revealing the V between his waistband and navel.
I can’t stop staring.
He backs up when he’s satisfied that I’m buckled in and slams the door shut.
I exhale sharply, not realizing that I’d been holding my breath, and shut my eyes.
The heat in the car is stifling, and Liam hurries around to climb into the driver’s seat and start the engine.
He lowers the windows, letting the heat escape, but it’s still stifling. It could also be the heat between us burning me alive.
“You okay?” he asks as I feel the car hum to life and the engine is louder than expected. It’s almost like you have to shout over the roar to hear one another, at least with the windows down.
“Fine.” I open my eyes and glance at him.
He puts the car in reverse, backs us out of the parking space and pulls onto the main road.
“You can drop me off at the bus station, it’s not too late.”
“What fun is that when I can hold you hostage for the next couple of hours?”
I laugh at the absurdity and stare at him. His jaw is relaxed, more so than usual. Whenever I’m around him, he’s tense and aggravated with me.
I tend to have that effect on him.
“Maybe I should jump out at the next stop sign.”
He chuckles under his breath, shaking his head. “You are something else.”
“You mean, aside from the enemy?” I can’t help but smirk.
I’ve always hated Liam Moretti. He’s a pompous, arrogant jock. Although I despised him long before he started playing hockey.
My hatred for Liam began in the first grade, when he thought it would be funny to raise my desk into the air with his feet.
I was tiny, and it took nothing for him to make me airborne. A few of the kids behind me were laughing. One of them called me floater.
He may not have given me the shitty nickname, but he was responsible for starting the drama.
Never once did he apologize or stop the other kids from bullying me.
I tried ignoring Liam. He kept poking me with his eraser and pulling my pigtails to get my attention.
I went to the teacher, who did nothing about it.
And when I wouldn’t give Liam the time of day, he lifted my desk chair once again. So, I got up, and I slugged him.
I left behind a mark.
After that, we were sworn enemies.
Liam nods. “I do recall you throwing a mean right hook.”
“You deserved it.” I glare at him.
He doesn’t answer me.
The silence is overwhelming.
“Are you still bitter that I beat your ass?”
Liam laughs under his breath. “Only because I’d never hit a girl.”
We arrive at campus, and I’m expecting Liam to drop me off and leave.
I’m dead wrong.
“What are you doing?” I ask when he parks the car and steps out.
“As long as I’m here, I might as well visit my sister.”
Liam is a twin. How do I know this? Because his twin sister, Sophia, and I became inseparable for a few years in grade school through middle school.
By high school, we started having different social circles. She had her friends; I had mine.
There’s a tiny bit of bad blood between Sophia and me. Mostly, it’s me no longer trusting her.
She killed our friendship.
Freshmen year of high school, she knew that I had this huge crush on Zander Hart. Next week, I find out that he knows, and he’s making fun of me. The nickname from the past comes back to haunt me. What a jackass. Needless to say, I never spoke to her again.
I never told Liam what happened. It wasn’t like he and I were ever close. I let him believe Sophia, and I just drifted apart. Unless she told him?
“How do you know your sister isn’t busy already?”
He taps his temple. “Call it twin intuition.”
I roll my eyes and head for the dorms.
Liam is right beside me, like Velcro. “Maybe you should call or text her to make sure she’s home.”
“Surprises are much more fun.” Liam strides right up beside me, his hand falls to my lower back, and I lean into his touch.
I shouldn’t.
I should hate him.
I mean, I do hate him, but he stirs weird feelings and emotions in me.
I blame it all on that one ridiculous kiss we shared.
Fiery.
Passionate.
It made my insides throb, and my entire body responded, heart and all.
He’d better not plan on walking me to my dorm room and kissing me again.
“Surprises aren’t better.” I can’t help but think of the surprise visit to my room, and I can admit I was more than a little taken aback by his visit.
But he seemed genuinely surprised it was me answering the door.
Liam isn’t that good of an actor.
He can fool his parents and mine, he managed to do that when Sophia and I would go ice skating. Liam was forced to tag along, and he pretended to enjoy spending time with us.
Meanwhile, when they weren’t listening or around, he was threatening to pulverize me. He even shoved rock salt in my ice skates.
“Come with me. I’ll prove to you that she’ll love the two of us showing up.”
“You’ll prove to me? Are you willing to make a wager?” I’m joking, but the look on his face says otherwise.
He grins and stops walking, tugging on my hip to draw me toward him.
I suck in an anxious breath as both hands of his touch my bare skin.
I am not turned on by Liam Moretti’s touch.
Except, one touch is like a spark that ignites a firestorm.
I press my lips together, trying not to let the embers spark to life. “What, Liam?”
His usual pale-blue eyes darken to a deep blue like the depths of the ocean. He stares at me, the smile never leaving his lips. “If I’m right, you go on a date with me.”
My breath catches, and I momentarily forget to breathe.
His fingers caress my hip, which sends my heart racing, and I finally exhale.
“A date with you?” I repeat. It’s insane. “Trust me, you and I would kill each other.” He can’t be serious.
Liam snorts with laughter. “Oh, I know, which I think will make it a million times more fun.”
“Fuck, no.”