“I’m going to be lucky if she even takes my call tonight.”

I looked at him.

“What?” He looked back.

“You hit on me a week ago.” Did it have to be said?

He shrugged.

“So?”

“You were in a relationship and you hit on the ‘girl that screws her movie star neighbor because she’s pissed at how fake her parents are.’”

He flushed. “You’re not ever going to let me live that down, huh?” He shrugged.

“And besides, sex with you is like free champagne. You take it when it’s in front of you and not ask questions or consider the consequences.”

“I don’t know if that’s a compliment or if you just called me cheap.” I seemed to be saying that to a lot of people.

“Neither. I’m just saying I’d jump on another bedspring with you any day.”

Really? I remarked, dryly, “My mom’s back.”

He raised his perfectly plucked eyebrows that God had graced him with.

I sighed, “And she’s back to get the rest of her stuff because her and my father are getting a divorce.”

“Sorry about that,” he said quietly. “I remember when my parents got their divorce. I really think both my parents went crazy during that time. Thank god they hadn’t gotten a psych eval, because they would’ve been diagnosed with something.”

It didn’t really help.

“Speaking of psych—Mena said that she’s supposed to keep her ‘psycho brother’ away from you,” he mused and grinned my way.

“You are psycho,” I said matter-of-factly. “You’re psycho when it comes to your sister.”

“Thanks for giving her the brush-off, by the way. You did it pretty harsh, huh?”

“I didn’t give her the brush-off. Corrigan and Bryce didn’t like her and Mena didn’t exactly stand her ground.”

His scowl was immediate.

He caught my hand in a tight grip and asked, “Can you blame her? That one guy is fierce. He’s a dick.”

I didn’t yank my hand back.

Denton realized it and protective brother was gone in a flash, only to be replaced by someone eager for free champagne.

He slid his fingers into mine and caressed my thumb.

I held my breath.

“Got a garage nearby?” Denton asked as his eyes flickered and focused on my lips. He tugged me closer and slid a hand over my thigh to play between my legs.

“What’d you say before?” I asked, throatily as he tugged me even closer.

I felt his breath against my lips when he replied, “About not asking questions or thinking of the consequences?”

“Yeah.” I licked my lips and that was all it took. Denton fused his own against mine.

Warmth and excitement enflamed me as he shifted to lift me. He walked to my garage, fumbled for the door handle, and we were inside quickly. Denton pushed me against the wall and his hands did quick work as he shoved my pants down.

His kisses were demanding and rough, but it’s what I needed.

One hand worked at his own pants as the other pulled my hair back to hold my head captive as his mouth assaulted me.

His tongue demanded entry and I could only hold on.

I heard the crinkle of a condom wrapper and then he gripped my thighs and clamped me around him as he shoved inside.

I gasped at the first thrust, but he pounded into me.

It was feral, hot, and when it was done too quick to have started, I held onto him for support.

He grunted as his last spasm left him.

He groaned, deep in his throat.

“Yeah,” I laughed weakly.

Denton chuckled, drained, as he held me in place for another moment. He smoothed the hair away from my face and pressed his cheek against my forehead. And then his hands slipped between our bodies and worked its way inside of me.

He whispered as he kissed the corner of my mouth, “You didn’t finish.” He held me up until I was done and then he held me again until I could stand on my own.

“I have to go. Mena’s probably wondering what I’m doing over here.” And with an impersonal kiss to the lips, he was gone.

The empty garage stared back at me as I’d yet to fasten my pants.

CHAPTER NINETEEN

I messed up. The one other time that I had slept with Denton, I hadn’t been scared for Bryce’s reaction. I hadn’t kept it secret, but it just hadn’t mattered as much at that time. This time…it was different.

When I got to school the next morning, I ignored everyone else and searched for Bryce. I wanted to get this over with. I found him listening to a story from Harris.

I interrupted and grabbed his arm.

“What? Sheldon,” Bryce said, startled.

I dragged him outside to a private area and stood there.

He asked, amused, “What? What happened to you yesterday? Was it really that bad with your mom?”

“I did…I did something yesterday that…you’re not going to like.”

Bryce grew silent.

“I…,” I gasped.

“What’d you do?”

“I…had sex with someone last night.”

Nothing.

Silence.

I didn’t look at him. I couldn’t, but I saw one of his hands jerk in reaction. It caught itself and stretched, as if struggling to stay at its side.

He asked hoarsely, “Who?”

“Denton Steele.”

Bryce turned away.

I cried out, “Don’t—please don’t leave. Just…stay and yell at me.”

I still hadn’t looked at him.

He asked, softly, “For what? We’re not together, Sheldon. You and I, we’re not a couple.”

I finally raised my eyes to his and saw pain mixed with an unnamed emotion.

I held my breath. “You’re not mad?”

He shook his head, but he didn’t reach for me.

“No. I have no right to be mad, remember?”

“But…”

Bryce shook his head again and said faintly, “I gotta go to class. Bell’s already rung. I’ll see you inside.”

When he left, I stood there and felt the same coldness as before.

I knew, I already knew, that it’d be a long time before he held me again.

Dazed, I was in the same place when Corrigan stuck his head out and exclaimed, “There you are! Holy hell—where’ve you been?”