“Go? Go where?” She huffed indignantly. “I’m not going anywhere with you.”
“You think you have a choice?” I dragged her around the side of the building toward the gym. It was quiet, just like I knew it would be.
“Jason,” she hissed, trying to yank free of my grip. But I kept walking, refusing to do this out in the open where anyone could walk by and see us.
Shouldering the door to the gym, I pulled her down the hall toward the locker room. The second we were inside, and the door closed, I was on her. Crowding her against the wall, I placed my hands either side of her head and glared at her. “A virgin? You didn’t think to fucking mention that before we—”
Her scowl deepened, a low growl rumbling in her throat. It would have been impressive if she wasn’t so tiny and vulnerable compared to me as I loomed over her. “It wasn’t like you asked,” she seethed.
“Because I didn’t think—”
“Oh that’s right.” Her brow rose. “You’re used to fucking skanks.”
Jesus, this girl.
“Watch it, Giles.”
“Or what, Ford?” she threw back without hesitation.
“Why didn’t you tell me?” My voice softened, surprising me. It surprised Felicity too, if the hitch of her breath was anything to go by.
“It’s not a big deal.” She gave a lackluster shrug. “I wanted to get it over with, and you were available.”
“Available?” I balked. She couldn’t actually be serious. “You make it sound so—”
“What are you doing, Jason?”
What was I doing?
“Nothing, I just... shit, Felicity, you should have told me.”
Sardonic laughter spilled from her lips. “What, so you could make it romantic? Buy me flowers and tell me how pretty I looked before dirtying me up. Please. This isn’t a fairy tale and you’re certainly no prince. It was just sex, Jason.” Something flashed in her eyes, but she quickly schooled her expression.
It was too late though. I’d seen that look before. Right before I glided inside her.
Fuck.
Fuck. Fuck. Fuck.
Memories washed over me. Her damp skin, the little moans she made as I moved above her. Inside her. The way she’d clung to me, meeting me thrust for thrust.
“You’re sure you were a—”
“Are you kidding me right now?” Her eyes widened.
“But you didn’t...” The words got stuck in my throat.
“What, bleed? I did, you were just too wasted to notice.” Shame colored her cheeks as she lowered her gaze.
I had been drunk, but I hadn’t been that drunk. Had I? It had been dark and messy. A tangle of heated kisses and desperate touches. And then Hailee had burst into the room killing the moment and I’d pretty much hightailed it out of there, not bothering to check if she was okay.
“Can I go now?” she added, barely looking at me.
“I… what...” I choked out unsure why I felt like shit all of a sudden. So she was a virgin. It wasn’t like I initiated it. She was as hot for me as I was for her.
Was I really hot for her?
I’d told Cameron it was just sex, convenient. But I couldn’t deny I didn’t like hearing her describe what had really gone down.
A girl’s first time was supposed to be... more or something, wasn’t it?
Hearts and flowers and mood lighting and all that shit. I didn’t know because I didn’t make a habit of fucking virgins.
“Why?” The word flew out of my mouth before I could stop it.
“Why?” Felicity frowned. “Why, what?”
“Why me?”
“Oh don’t flatter yourself, Jason.” She tapped my chest, smiling wryly. “I have a list and you were a means to an end.”
A means to an... what the actual fuck?
“Now if you’re done, I have places to be.” She ducked under my arm and came up on the other side, but my hand shot out, grabbing her arm.
“What game are you playing, Giles?”
“Game?” Surprise flashed in her eyes, her earlier confidence slipping away. “You think this is a game?”
“You’re telling me it isn’t?”
The air electrified around us, crackling with sexual tension. My dick felt it. Hell, my entire body felt it. And it wanted more.
More Felicity.
More of her smart mouth and witty retorts. Her slender hips and pouty lips.
I needed to get a fucking grip. Because I had enough to worry about without adding a girl to the mix. Especially my step-sister’s best friend.
“Go to hell, Jason.” She stormed off, her anger almost palpable as she disappeared into the hall.
Long after she’d gone, I was still standing there. Processing our interaction. My body’s strange response to her. She was pissed, that much was obvious—her attitude a front for her true feelings. Her closing line had been telling enough. She wanted me to stay the fuck away.
So why did all I hear was game on?
“Jason, can you come in here please?”
With a groan, I stalked down the hall and into the kitchen where I found my dad at the kitchen table, pouring over a stack of papers. “Yeah?”
“We’d like for you to join us for dinner today.”
“I’m good, but thanks.” No way did I want to sit around playing happy families with my old man, his new wife, and Hailee.
“Son,” Dad let out a heavy sigh. “We need to move past this.”
“I’m over it. I just don’t want to pretend I actually give a shit.”
“Jason,” he snapped, eyes sliding to Denise. “I know you’re hurting, but this is not the way.”
Me and my old man were most definitely not father and son goals. To the rest of Rixon, Dad liked to exude togetherness. A team. The local football hero and the son set to follow in his path. But I knew the truth. I knew what Kent Ford was really about. There was a time when I’d worshipped the ground he’d walked on. But that was before. When he and my mom were in love. When our family was enough.
“I’ll be in my room,” I said, swiping a banana from the fruit bowl and retreating into the hall. Almost colliding with Hailee as she flew off the stairs.
“Sorry,” she said. “I didn’t see you.”
“Yeah, okay,” I grumbled. It wasn’t like you could really miss me. Six one. Broad. Wearing my blue and white football jersey. “In a hurry?”
Hailee’s brows pinched. “You want to talk?”
“Forget it.” I waved her off.
“Jeez, I’m sorry. I just didn’t expect... what you were saying?” Her expression softened, and I found myself humoring her.
“I said are you in a hurry?”
“Felicity’s picking me up. We’re going to The Alley.”
Of course they were. I didn’t get the appeal. It was a dive place on the Rixon/Rixon East border. Too many East kids came around there for my liking.
“You think it’s a good idea to go there alone?”
“I won’t be alone. I’ll be with Flick. But it’s nice to know you care.” A hint of amusement played on Hailee’s lips.