While Brett and Damien followed the seniors to the other side of the room, Alex made his way back to me.
“Thank you,” I said as soon as he reached me.
Alex nodded. “I told Brett to back off. I’m not happy with him lately. I’ll try to keep him off your back.” His eyes softened. “You know I don’t want to cause you trouble, Charley.”
“I know that. And I really appreciate you helping out Lukas.”
“No problem. Maybe save me a dance later?”
I felt heat at my back and then Jake asked, “What’s going on?”
I looked up at him over my shoulder and smiled a little weakly. “Nothing.”
When Jake’s eyes hardened, the atmosphere between us thickened. Sensing it, Alex gave him a tough guy chin nod and shot me an appreciative look before heading across the gym to his friends.
“I know when you’re lying, Charley.”
“It was nothing. Brett was giving Lukas a hard time. I was going over there to sort it out but Alex saw it happening and dealt with it.”
Watching the muscle tick in Jake’s jaw, I realized maybe honesty in this instance might not have been the best policy.
“That’s it. I’m done with this shit. He and I are having it out.”
Definitely not the best policy.
“No.” I grabbed his arms, pulling him closer to me. “Alex warned him off and he’s his teammate, so he has sway over him. He’s also friends with the seniors and if Alex asks them to, the seniors on the team won’t have Brett’s back. And if they don’t have his back, Brett is effed.”
Jake ducked his head to meet my gaze as he cupped the back of my neck. “It shouldn’t be up to Alex to deal with someone who is hassling my girl and bullying my brother.”
“Jake, you know Brett is looking for an excuse to fight you. Don’t give it to him. That’s drama we don’t need.”
His grip on me tightened. “You suggesting I’d get hurt in a fight with Brett?”
Giving him my “what the f**k?” face, I answered, “Did I say that? Were those the words that came out of my mouth?”
He stared at me a moment before shaking his head. “Whatever, smart-ass.” Jake sighed but my body relaxed as I realized he was giving in. He released his hold on my nape only to place his hands on my hips. .
“Where are our drinks?”
He shrugged. “I kind of left them when I saw you talking to Alex.”
Of course he did.
Sensing my annoyance at his obvious jealousy, he pulled me closer. “I like your costume.”
“You already said that.”
“I meant it.”
He kissed me.
My irritation melted and I sank against him, opening my mouth and kissing him back, deepening it. I loved the way his fingers tightened on my hips, almost bruising as they flexed with need.
“Ahem.”
A loud clearing of the throat once again drew us apart and I pulled back to stare at a smirking Lacey. “We’re bored and Alex is having a party at the gazebo again. You coming?”
That sounded just wonderful. Not. “We’ll catch up with you.”
Satisfied, Lacey and Rose took off.
Looking back at Jake, I found him scowling at me. “We’ll catch up with you?”
I shrugged. “If I said we weren’t going, she would’ve argued with me until I’d have no choice but to slay her.” I wrapped my fist around my invisible stake and demonstrated by hitting it softly against his heart. “My little white lie got rid of Vampyra peacefully instead.”
Jake’s expression cleared and he smiled as he wrapped both hands around my fist and drew my body against his. “What are we doing, then?”
I answered immediately, “Brenton Fields.”
Jake had to wait for Brett to leave the dance before he’d leave Lukas alone there. Mr. Caplin was picking Lukas up, so at least we didn’t need to worry about him getting home. We drove out of town and pulled into our usual spot. Jake left the radio and the lights on, spread out a blanket in Hendrix’s bed, and pulled me up onto it.
We lay side by side, staring up at the stars, but it wasn’t long until I was shivering in my not-so-warm costume.
I snuggled into Jake’s side and he immediately draped an arm around me so I could rest my head against his chest.
“If you’re cold, we can leave,” he murmured softly against my hair.
No way. If I was cold, I could think of a far better way to deal with that problem. Feeling the familiar tingling only Jake seemed to incite, I turned my head a little and whispered, “Do you think the girls you slept with are sluts?”
Jake tensed under me. At first I didn’t think he was going to answer, but then he finally replied, “Firstly, with me it’s more that I started out young than that I’ve slept with lots of girls. Me and my friends back in Chicago… we moved fast with this stuff, but there haven’t been as many girls as people say. Okay? And secondly, no. Why would you think that?”
“Because they were obviously eager and they gave it up easy. And you didn’t give them the time of day afterward. I don’t think they’re sluts. I think if boys can do it, girls should be able to too. But I don’t know how you feel about it. I mean, I made you work for a kiss and here you are.”
His chest rumbled underneath my cheek as he chuckled. “I’m here because you crack me up. You never bore me. You surprise me. That’s why. Not because you made me work for it.” He caressed my arm softly as he asked, “Where is this coming from?”
Butterflies suddenly appeared, their wings fluttering against my stomach in anticipation. “I just … you’ve been taking things slow with me and I don’t know if … I wasn’t sure if you would think I was a slut if I said I wanted to speed things up a bit.”
He sucked in a sharp breath. “I don’t think a girl is a slut for wanting sex, Charley. That would make me a slut, and frankly, I’m a little offended by the word,” he teased, his voice hoarse from my meaning. When I didn’t say anything, Jake trailed his fingers down my waist and he asked thickly, “Speed things up how?”
Wanting to face him when I said this, I pulled up, one hand flat against the truck bed, the other still resting on his chest. “I don’t think I’m ready for sex … but I do want more from you.”
Jake’s eyes darkened, his lids lowering slightly as his gaze dipped to my mouth. “More how?”