Chapter 11
Eleven
Lucas
She’s back to testing me.
I don’t know what happened between the moment in the hallway and listening to Moose and Bethany talk each other’s ears off like they’ve known each other for years.
But that soft expression Denise wore for all of ten minutes is quickly replaced with crossed arms and constant eye rolls. She also feels the need to throw in a few little jabs at me here and there.
“Stop standing so close. You’re all sweaty.”
“You call this a drink, Callahan?”
I take her complaints and simply grin because I don’t think she has any fucking idea how much her whining turns me on.
Or maybe she does and that’s why she’s doing it.
I lean against the wall, arms crossed and a shit-eating grin on my face. Denise turns away from whatever conversation she pretends to be listening to, but she clearly doesn’t give a shit about what the girl hanging off Preston’s arm is saying.
Mariah, the girl, talks about some overseas trip she and her friends are planning to take over the summer. She sits perched in Preston’s lap, who unlike everyone else around, doesn’t pretend to give a shit. Like he knows this girl is going home with him regardless.
I scoff at the confidence in this dude.
That or Preston is already drunk enough to genuinely not care who goes home with him, as long as it’s a warm body.
“You know, you should come with us, Pres.” Mariah turns her head to look at him.
Preston finishes gulping whatever he had in his red solo cup, leaning back further into the couch, hands lazily resting on Mariah’s hips.
He blinks up at her a few times, clearly not having caught exactly what she just said but instead of asking her to repeat herself, he just nods and says, “Sure.”
And I snort again because I know for a fact that Preston isn’t going to go anywhere with anyone.
“What about you, Lucas? Got any plans for the summer?” Xanthe, Mariah’s friend, turns from her spot on the couch to look at me.
She scoots closer to me, despite the fact that Denise is perched on the arm of the couch next to me with my arm loosely wrapped around her waist.
I don’t want to push but I also can’t seem to keep very far from her. Considering she hasn’t pulled away yet or told me to stop, I keep my hand there and her close by.
Attitude and all.
I shrug. “Usually I just head back home to see my family.”
“Aww.” Xanthe pouts. “You should come with us too.”
I open my mouth to explain that there’s nothing that can really stop me from going back home to San Diego for the summer but Denise speaks before I get the chance.
“Xanthe here has a point, Lucas,” she says, her voice sweeter than I’ve ever heard. My spine straightens at her tone. “I bet you’d have so much fun. You know, maybe you and Xanthe could even fuck.”
Xanthe’s and my eyes widen and my head snaps to look up at Denise but she’s laser focused on Xanthe.
She’s wearing a smile, leaning in like she’s just a friend giving advice but she shifts so my hand falls away.
Xanthe awkwardly laughs, looking at me like I’ll have the answer to what’s happening. I want to tell her to give me a minute to decode Denise but I remain quiet instead.
“I’m sorry?” Xanthe says.
And I got to give it to the girl because her smile only falters for all of a second before she straightens her shoulders and pretends to be unaffected.
“That’s what you want, right?” Denise crosses her arms. “Why you’re practically climbing onto his lap, twirling your hair and laughing a little too loud?”
Xanthe doesn’t know how to answer. I don’t say anything but only because things are starting to click into place.
Denise continues. “But don’t worry babe, given the fact that Lucas is allowing all of this to happen, I’d say shoot your fucking shot.”
And with that, she gives Xanthe one last sickeningly sweet smile before standing up and walking away without another word.
I watch her move through the crowd—my handprints on her ass—before she disappears.
I turn to look in front of me to see Moose and Bethany curled up together on the opposite couch, eyes wide, apparently having watched the whole thing.
Sarah and a few others try to hide their laughter while Mariah and Xanthe both look at each other like they’re silently asking the other if that just happened.
And Preston…well yeah he doesn’t give a shit. He just slips Mariah off his lap to go in search of another drink.
I don’t even allow anyone else to say anything before I stand up, offer Xanthe a quick apology, and move past people to search for Denise.
Like she knew I’d follow, she didn’t go very far. She only made it down the hallway where she’s currently standing in line to use the bathroom. It doesn’t take her very long to notice me, eyes locking on mine, testing.
I don’t know how she hasn’t learned by now that I’m willing to play whatever game she has in mind. I finally step closer to her so that her shoulder is brushing against my still bare chest. Her arms are crossed and that sugary sweet smile is completely gone.
“Wanna tell me what that was about?” I ask even though I have a feeling but I’m trying really hard to not let it get to my head.
Denise scoffs. “Don’t act all coy now, Callahan.”
“I’m not acting coy.” I shrug my shoulders, leaning down a little more so that we can hear each other better over the music. “I just want to hear you say it.”
Her jaw tenses and her seafoam green eyes darken at me using her own words from the Clone House.
Was that really only two weeks ago?
It feels like it’s been a lifetime.
“Nothing much to say when everyone saw the way you were eye-fucking her.” Denise states it like it’s a fact which it’s sure as hell not.
I can’t help but grin. “I only looked at her when she was talking. It’s called being polite. But you know who I was looking at that other ninety-nine percent of that time?”
She doesn’t answer and I’ve officially let this get to my head because gorgeous, talented, smart, and funny Denise Stryker thinks I, of all people, would have eyes for someone but her?
It’s sickening how often I think about her. How much I want her. She clearly seems to think that having one taste of her is enough. Like I haven’t practically been begging for more.
Denise scoffs. “Why don’t you just fuck off, Callahan?”
That should definitely not be turning me on as much as it is, but I don’t give a shit about decoding that right now. Instead, I grab Denise’s waist and hoist her onto my shoulder without so much as a warning.
She gasps but she’s quick to start slapping my shoulder and demanding me to put her down but I do no such thing. I walk her all the way through the house, not caring to look at what anyone’s reaction could possibly be. The second we’re outside, I hear Denise’s protests clearly.
“I swear to fucking god, Lucas. Put me down or I’m shoving my heel so far up your ass.”
“Promise?” I chuckle.
That just makes her slap my shoulder harder, which only makes me set her down abruptly in front of my car, deciding that I can’t wait to get her back to either mine or her apartment.
When her heels touch the pavement and she’s no longer in the air, she huffs, face red and attitude all over her face.
“Do you not know what fuck off means? I’m sure you’ve heard it plenty of times before.”
I step closer to her, caging her between me and the side of my car.
“It was a little loud in there, Stryker. Couldn’t really hear a damn thing.”
She pushes against my chest, trying to walk away but this time I don’t let her because I’m not letting her walk away thinking I want anyone else but her. And I know she doesn’t mind when she allows me to pull her right back to me, not bothering to try and push me away again.
Denise looks directly in my eyes, not backing down. “Well, why don’t you go back in and ask Xanthe to translate that for you.”
I hum. “’Cause I’m dumb, right?”
Her breath hitches and for the first time tonight, I think she might actually be sorry about something but I don’t give her time to say or do anything else.
“Don’t know my left from my right?” I continue. “All brawn, no brains. That right, Stryker?”
She slowly begins to shake her head but I grab onto her chin, keeping her in place. My other hand rests on the side of my car, near her head. Her breath entangles with mine and without even kissing her, I can taste the cheap beer she made me get just to complain that it was lukewarm.
“What if I agreed?”
“Lucas—”
I shake my head. “’Cause the truth is, Princess, whenever you’re around, I go completely stupid.
All I can think about is how to get you to touch me.
To talk to me. Smile. Laugh. Fuck, I don’t even care what you do to me, as long as I’ve got your attention.
That makes me a little dumb, don’t you think? ”
I begin to kiss her shoulder, slowly moving to her neck. My hand moves from her chin and down to her neck, giving it a gentle squeeze.
“What?” I chuckle against her skin. “Now you’ve got nothing to say? That’s a first.”
“You’re an asshole.” The insult comes out panted and only further stirs me on.
“Well, that’s a bit of a stretch. I wasn’t the one who called out a girl for simply having a conversation.”
“She knew what she was doing.”
I finally bring my lips to hers, not meaning to groan into her mouth but not being able to help myself, clearly.
She uncrosses her arms and wraps them around my neck, tugging me closer.
Her tongue slips into my mouth, intertwining with mine.
I move my hand from her neck to place both of my palms on my car, steadying myself.
She nips a little too hard on my bottom lip. I wince and pull back, the taste of blood now lining my inner lip.
“You ever gonna learn manners?”
She ruts her hips into mine. “Why don’t you make me?”