“Frasier,” she said, shuffling after me out Redwood’s double doors, “where are we going?”
“You already missed half the day.Who cares about the rest?”
“I do!”
“Should’ve thought about that before you left with Cairo this morning,” I said, trying to keep my voice steady.I didn’t have feelings for Astrid like that, but something inside me had really snapped when I saw her leaving with him this morning.
“Left with Cairo?I didn’t even get to school this morning,” she said.
“I know.You went toget coffeewith him earlier, didn’t you?”
When we reached my car, she released my hand and arched a brow at me.“How did you know that?Stalking me now, Crane?”A smirk crossed her lips, and she rocked back onto her heels.“I thought that wasn’t your style.”
“Stalking you?”I repeated in a low chuckle.“You wish.”
“Oh, yeah?Then how’d you know that I was with him, getting coffee this morning?”
I opened up the passenger door for her and stepped closer, tilting my head down slightly.“You know, babe, there is a thing called driving on one of the busiest roads leading to Redwood, where the Dunkin’ you were at this morning is located.Hate to break it to you.”
“You know,babe,” she said, her sassiness finally coming back, “there’s a thing called that same busy road isn’t one thatyoushould be on in the morning.Your house is in the complete opposite direction.”
“How do you know where my house is?”I asked.
Astrid opened and closed her mouth a handful of times, and I seized her waist, pulling her flush against my body, my lips millimeters from hers.
“Hmm?Who’s the stalker now?”
She stared up at me, cheeks reddening, but gaze never leaving mine.“You wish.”
“Baaaabe,” I said, dragging the word out, pushing her up against the car.My gaze dropped down to her full lips, and I swallowed hard, my throat suddenly dry.I swiped the pad of my thumb across her lips.“Don’t start with me.”
After sucking in a sharp breath, she looked from eye to eye, the sassiness leaving her.I stared back, wishing for her to continue the banter, but, God, how I desperately wanted her to be more than just a—no.No, I only wanted her to make Hazel jealous.
Yeah, that’s right.Hazel was one of the reasons The Crew had been at that party.I had dragged them there, flirted with every girl to get some reaction out of her, and then … then Calix brought Astrid over to our section of the house and that was it.
That was fucking it.It had been over.
Over for only that night.
“If you want to make this”—I gestured between her and me—“believable, you can’t be hanging out with Cairo.Don’t want Calix to think you’re so easy that he can have you too.He likes the chase.”
Now?This was a mutually beneficial thing.
She used me to make Calix jealous.I used her to make Hazel jealous.
It definitely wasn’t anything more than that.
CHAPTERTWENTY-SIX
ASTRID
“You didn’t bringme here to kill me, did you?”I asked, staring out into the forest.
Frasier had parked his car in the same place he had when he brought me to school the other morning, where we … had fucked.
Memories of that morning flooded through my mind, and I pressed my thighs together.
A low chuckle left his mouth, and he exited the car.“No, I just like it here.”
