“Is that what you think?” I challenge her, stopping in front of her and holding her other hand.
“Why wouldn't it be? I've had your attention for oh, six days. That's a miracle in itself.”
I shake my head. She's f**king smart, and now I have to play it just as smart. It's all a game. Love or be loved. I don't do the first one, so it's gonna have to be the second. Megan's made me watch enough chick flicks in my life. I can fake this mushy shit.
“Angel,” I say softly, running my thumb across her cheek, across the tiny freckles I've never noticed until now. “What if I ask you to give me a chance?”
“A chance? At what?”
“A chance to be more than your friend.”
Her eyes flick across my face, checking my sincerity. Luckily I'm good at holding a mask in place.
“And?” she asks.
“And what?”
“And what if you mess up? What then?” Maddie looks down.
“Then I give you full permission to set Kay on my ass,” I say quietly, tilting her face up. “I promise. I'm not perfect, Maddie, I'm nothing like perfect, and I'm the first to admit it. But, if you'll let me, I'll try and be perfect for you. So you can have that closeness you want.”
I'm a prick.
“Fine,” she says after a moment. “One chance, Braden. That's all.”
I smile slowly at her and rest my forehead against hers. My breath fans across her mouth, and she closes her eyes. Kiss her, and I've sealed the deal.
I lower my lips to hers, and my f**king phone rings. I sigh and step away from her, putting it to my ear.
“What?” I snap.
“Oho, did I interrupt something?” Ryan snickers.
“You have the worst timing ever.” I glance at Maddie, and she blushes a little, looking away.
“Do I now?”
“Yep. What do you want, ass**le?”
“Are you coming back here? Lila wants to know how your date went. She's having f**kin' kittens here, man.”
I cover the bottom of my phone with my hand and look at Maddie. “Wanna head back to the house? The girls are there already.”
“Sure.” She smiles up at me.
“We're on our way,” I say into the phone. “See you in a few.” I hang up and shove it back into my pocket. “Asshole.”
Maddie chews the inside of her lip to control her laughter.
“Hey.” I nudge her and take her hand in mine again. “Don't laugh.”
“Sorry.” Her eyes glimmer with amusement.
“No you're not.”
“You're right. I'm not.” She shrugs and grins, tugging me along. “Come on. I bet Kay already has my shots lined up, and she'll drink them if I don't!”
I look upwards and shake my head, following her back to my car.
I have a girlfriend. A fake girlfriend, but still a girlfriend.
Who the f**k would have thought?
Chapter Eleven - Maddie
We enter the house, and music pounds against us. Braden reaches for my hand, linking his fingers through mine. I let him, squeezing his hand lightly, and he pulls me through the packed house. We surface in the kitchen where Kay, Megan, and Lila are sitting by the bar.
“I'm gonna go find Ryan.” He leans down and whispers in my ear. “Wait for me by the bar?”
I nod and step forward, releasing his hand. I smile at him over my shoulder, and he winks. Jesus. It's been twenty minutes and already, I'm tired of pretending I give a shit about any of it. Although, I am questioning why I opened up to him earlier. Maybe it's because I don't care and I know it's vital to him falling for me. Pity, right? Poor little Maddie. I scoff at myself.
Megan slides her arm through mine the second I reach her. “Well?”
“Game on,” I whisper, smirking at Lila and Kay.
“Whooooooop!” Kay yells and waves to Kyle. “Eight shots, two each, one two bam!”
“You got it!” Kyle winks at me. I smile politely at him. As far as the University of California, Berkeley is concerned, I'm in a relationship with Braden Carter. Not that Kyle will understand that.
“Good night?” he asks as he slides the glasses to us.
“I'd say it was,” Lila giggles, holding up a shot. We all grab a glass and throw it back, followed by the second one.
“And why's that?” He leans forward, moving his face towards mine.
“Because she has a boyfriend.” Megan smirks and turns.
“You're kidding,” Kyle deadpans.
“Um, or not.” I shrug a shoulder.
“You're with Braden?”
“She is,” Braden says, coming up behind me. “Problem, Kyle?”
Kyle looks up, and rage is written all over his face. “Yeah, actually. Yeah, there is.”
“Then please, share why you're so much better than I am.”
Kyle glances at me, and I step to the side.
“Animals,” I mutter. Lila nods her agreement.
“No, Maddie.” Braden looks at me. “I wanna know what he thinks he can give you that I can't.”
“Bray...” Megan warns.
“What I can give her that you can't? Maybe a secure relationship full of trust, where she won't be worried if you're gonna run off and f**k one of your whores.” Kyle looks at him in disgust. “And the rest. There just isn't enough time in a day to describe how much of a prick you are to girls.”
“Hey!” Megan protests, slapping her hands on the counter. “Out of order, Kyle.”
“He asked.”
“Yeah, and now I'm telling you that's enough!”
“No, Meggy, let him carry on.” Braden's face is like stone.
“Aren't you gonna step in?” Kay whispers.
“What's the point?” I shrug. “They'll still have this pissing contest. Besides, it'll get what we want.”
“What's that?”
“Attention on our relationship.”
She slaps my shoulder. “Smart girl.”
“Braden, we all know you're not gonna hang around for her. You just wanna f**k her and move on. You aren't worth shit on someone's shoe. Why not let her have someone who'll treat her right and not like one of your sluts?” Kyle says loudly.
Braden launches himself over the bar, kicking a bottle of vodka over and sending it smashing to the ground. He grabs Kyle's shirt and pins him to the wall.
“You wanna f**kin' repeat that, Kyle?” Braden hisses through clenched teeth.
“Oh, sake.” Megan sighs, shaking her head.
“I would, but I think you heard me the first time,” Kyle replies. “Besides, not exactly showing your girl how much of a decent boyfriend you are, are you?”