She’s just staring at me now, like she’s not sure how to approach me, and I’m okay with that. She needs to go away. And wow, okay, I need to stop. I’m being a dick. I know that.
“I really, really like Jackson.” She seems to need me to know that.
“Mm-hmm. And he really likes you too,” I say, way too sarcastically. I really am a dick.
“What’s that supposed to mean?”
“What?” I ask, taking another bit of Chex Mix into my mouth and chewing.
“You sound like you don’t think he likes me.” She sounds defensive now, almost a little interesting when she has some grit. Not enough for Jackson though. He’s bored out of his mind with this one, and I can guarantee you she doesn’t ever bite back at him.
No way. She’s too busy trying to be perfect for him. To not offend him. Not upset him.Boring. Boring. Boring.
“Why does it matter what I think?”
“So you do think that?” Her eyes are so wide, she looks like a cartoon character.Seriously? Jackson thinks this is his type now? He’s lost it.
“Think what?”
“That he doesn’t really like me?”
“Do you think he does?” I ask, trying to brush her off. She needs to just get away from me. Or fight back. That would be something at least, but she looks shrunken up and all sad.
“What the hell are you doing?” I hear Jackson’s harsh tone from behind me, and a slow smile slides over my face before I turn around to face him. I can’t deny his voice does something to me, especially hearing it drip with fierce, passionate anger.
“Hey, Jackson. I was just talking to your girl here. Getting to know her.”
His hand wraps around my bicep, and I’m being pulled away, nearly tripping over my feet before I can right myself and catch up to what’s happening. Fucker almost spilled my drink, but then he takes it from me and slams it down on a table as he pulls me away. What was left of the Chex Mix in my hand falls to the floor.
“I’ll be right back,” he says to Rebecca, who looks flustered and scared, like the perfect little Disney princess she wants to be.
I yank away from him just as he slams my back against the hallway wall, far away from the rest of the party. “What the fuck is your problem? She didn’t do anything to you.”
“I hate Disney,” I say, my words coming out a little slurred.
“What the fuck?” His eyes narrow. “How drunk are you?”
“Don’t worry about it,” I say. “And you made a big mess on Travis’s floor. I hope he fires your ass.”
“What is your problem?” He’s close to me now. I can feel his warm breath on my face. It smells good though, like peppermint. Was he chewing on a mint? Hmmm, I wouldn’t mind tasting peppermint right now. “Asher.” His voice pulls me from the thought, and my eyes try to focus on his face, though it’s a little blurry.
“What?”
“Why would you say that to Rebecca? I told you I like her.”
I snort. “No, you don’t. You like chaos.”
“Fuck you.” He starts to move away from me, but desperation claws at me, and I reach out to grab his arm, keeping him here with me. “What?” he snaps, and fuck if that doesn’t make my dick hard.
I love the push and pull with him, and I would have gone for it years ago if I thought for even a second the feeling was mutual. But sadly, I don’t think it is. I think he sees me more like an annoying brother or something. A pest.
“You know I’m right.”
He jerks away from me with aggravated force, his eyes narrowing and his jaw tight with anger. But he doesn’t say anything. He just stalks off down the hall and back to her.
What the fuck ever.
If he wants to live a boring, nice life, I’m not going to stop him.
