Page 53 of Bad for You

“Busy,” he said dismissively.

They both turned, eyeing me from head to toe. I had my wavy hair down and a little tousled, and I’d gone heavy with the eye makeup. I’d worn my contacts to show it off. It was cold, though, so yes, I’d tried to dress provocatively, but I wasn’t willing to die of hypothermia to impress anyone. My jean skirt was tight and short and my tight, long-sleeved red shirt was low-cut. But I was also wearing a cute little jacket, because again, it was cold.

Still, I looked like a nun compared to the other girls here. Suddenly, I was extremely self-conscious. Jesse's fingers tightened around mine, then he was leading me across the yard to one of the small outbuildings with a porch and couch on it.

“Sit there,” he muttered and disappeared inside.

Jesse was different here with his club. Harder. Colder.

I bit my lip, my belly squirming.

He was back a few moments later with a quilt.

I screwed up my face when he went to put it on me. “No, thank you. God knows what’s on there.”

He threw it on me. “It’s mine. No one’s touched it but me.”

“Yours?”

He shrugged. “This is my room when I crash at the clubhouse.”

“Why? You already have a house.”

He sat down beside me and tugged me onto his lap, pulling the quilt over us. “Because I earned it.”

I tried to wriggle away, my anger still strong. “How?”

He scowled and tugged me back. “Stop trying to change the fucking subject.”

The anger I’d been working to suppress exploded, and I pushed at him, struggling to get off his lap. He held on tight.

I shoved at his chest. “Don’t you dare get pissy at me. I have every right to come here and ask my boyfriend why he chose to avoid me and lie about what he was doing.”

“Pissy?”

“Yes, pissy.”

“Boyfriend?”

I flushed hot. “I ah, I mean, I just…”

“I’m not your boyfriend, Lila.”

Pain lanced through me and I struggled again to get away.

He cupped my chin firmly but gently and made me look at him. “We’re not in high school. I’m not your boyfriend, I’m your man.”

My heart beat harder at the green flames in his eyes. “And are you just mine, or everyone else’s as well?” I rasped.

His nostrils flared. “That’s what you thought was going on? What I was doing here tonight? The conclusion you immediately leaped to?”

I refused to look away. “It’s an obvious conclusion to leap to.”

I didn’t think his eyes could get any colder. I was wrong. “Why?”

I opened my mouth, closed it. I’m not sure why I assumed he’d cheat on me. I guess I didn’t have very high expectations when it came to men. My ex had made me feel worthless, like there was something wrong with me. And in the end, I’d driven him away.

And when Jesse had been away from me those months, I’d convinced myself he’d been screwing his way around the country before he picked up some random girl to bring home with him. Only he hadn’t. My battered heart forgot that sometimes.