Page 29 of Detour

“I didn’t want you talking to him anymore.”

Oh, here we go. “Why not? Your friend seems cool.” Ish.

“I didn’t want his hands all over you.”

The roll of my eyes does nothing to faze him.

“Do you see yourself right now? You literally just manhandled me.”

He drops his gaze between us, dragging his eyes up my body until they hit mine. I clear my throat, fidgeting in his hold. “Go riding with us tomorrow.”

“No.”

“Why? You didn’t like riding with me?”

“You should take whatever flavor you were testing last night riding instead.”

“Jealousy looks good on you, babe. What about that prep-douche you had over, huh?”

Gripping his shoulders, I bring my face forward, shortening the distance between us. “And yet… here we are.” He growls when I sit back again.

“I know.” His frown returns. “Look, I’m sorry. For the second time. I want to make it up to you.”

“You don’t owe me anything. I told you I just want to be civil.”

He looks down at our compromising position.

I remove one of my legs but he shoots his hand back to grip my knee, wrapping it tighter around his waist. The jostling makes my arms slide around his strong shoulders.

“I want you to ride with me tomorrow.”

I bite the inside of my bottom lip. “I can’t.”

His eyes catch on my mouth while his hand leaves the wall. Before my back touches the edge though, he drags his hand slowly up my spine pushing my chest forward until our faces are mere inches apart. My nipples pebble beneath my top as my breath catches.

“I want you with me.”

His whisper is louder than the commotion going on outside the pool, hitting me right where it shouldn’t. Drops of water drip from his flattened hair, slowly traveling down his forehead. Watching them, I have the urge to catch the errant drops with my mouth, kissing them away before they reach his eyes. I lick my bottom lip on reflex.

A large splash to our left has him spinning to glare at the culprit. With him distracted, I slip out of his grasp, bracing my arms on the pool ledge and pushing out of the water before he can stop me.

I collect my belongings, ignoring his frustrated sigh as I dash out of the gate.

On shaky legs, I make it back to my balmy apartment and immediately jump in the shower. Somehow, I feel hotter now than I did after being in the blistering sun for hours on end. I turn the water to cold, then slump against the wall.

He’s pushing closer and closer. The more I try to block him the more he just keeps coming. He’s under the impression I’m with Drew one way or another and yet he still acts interested at every turn. Drew, Beckett, and now Tony, he doesn’t want anyone else playing with the new girl, like I’m some prize. What will he do when he discovers I’m closer to trash than treasure though? Throw me away like yesterday’s garbage? It’s what my mother’s been trying to do since I was born.

I’d be lying if I said I didn’t feel something for Coty, too. He lured me in with that sexy body that he carries with such an easy swagger. His beautiful face lights up with such wonder while his coffee-like eyes hold the more concealed emotions. His affectionate gestures are slowly becoming my undoing. He’s absolutely hypnotizing. And him living right next door…could end badly. I just don’t know for who exactly.

* * *

The next morning, I find Beckett sitting just outside our apartments eating a doughnut. He offers one to me as I pass, so taking the step below him, I sit and weigh my options. This is the third time he’s tried to offer me food and I still owe him for that chocolate bar. When he insists it’ll just go to waste, I make an exception to enjoy the jelly-filled goodness I didn’t pay for while he sips his coffee.

“Work?”

Mouth busy chewing, I nod. “You?”

“I go in later. Marc and Coty had some paperwork so they left earlier.” I take a sip of water, watching him closely. “Where do you work anyway?”