Before he could say anything else, Jared came up to us and asked to talk to me alone. Seizing on the opportunity to ditch Caleb, I quickly walked with Jared to the front door. When I glanced over my shoulder at Caleb, I saw a disgruntled expression on his face. Good, it wouldn’t be fair if I were the only one annoyed.
Jared and I sat on the front porch. The late summer night breeze was nice. “Thanks for interrupting us. He gets on my nerves.”
“Really?” Jared seemed surprised. “I thought he was pretty cool.”
I nudged him playfully. “That’s because he beat up Josh.”
“I’m glad you broke up with Josh.” I watched as the breeze picked up a chunk of Jared’s dark hair. Then I noticed he seemed tense.
“Well, I don’t know if we’ve technically broken up. I mean, the words haven’t been said. I’ve been ignoring his calls and texts all day, but I haven’t told him it’s over yet. I do plan to officially end things with him. I’m just not looking forward to dealing with his protests.”
Jared was thoughtful for a moment before saying, “Good enough for me.” His lips were on mine a moment later. This was the second time in one night a guy surprised me like this. I hoped it wasn’t a new trend.
CHAPTER SEVEN
“Whenever, at a party, I have been in the mood to study fools, I have always looked
for a great beauty: they always gather round her like flies around a fruit stall.”
-Jean Paul
GIANNA
I couldn’t believe Jared was kissing me! What was even stranger was that I wanted to kiss him back. This felt good, but I couldn’t help comparing it to Caleb’s kiss. Was Jared’s kiss different in a good or a bad way? Kissing Caleb was like a fire igniting, probably because he made me so mad. Kissing Jared was like a slow burn. Why the hell was I thinking of Caleb while I was kissing Jared. I hated Caleb!
Jared pulled back from the kiss and put his forehead against mine. “I’ve been waiting to do that for a long time. Like I said, I’m glad you broke up with Josh.”
“Excuse me,” said a stiff voice behind us. We both turned our heads to see Caleb standing there. “Gianna, I need to talk to you before I leave . . . about family stuff.”
Yeah right, family stuff. He just wanted to harass me again.
Jared squeezed my hand and stood up. “Sure, no problem.”
Once the screen door slammed behind Jared, Caleb still hovered above me in the darkness. I couldn’t see his face clearly but he was motionless. “What?” I asked him in exasperation.
“How long has this been going on between you and Jared?”
“It hasn’t. I didn’t know Jared had those kinds of feelings for me until about five minutes ago,” I explained, then added, “Not that it’s any of your business.”
“He isn’t right for you,” Caleb pronounced as if he were some sort of authority on the matter.
“How would you know? You just met him tonight and you just met me a week ago. Besides, I saw you come out of the room with Cece.” When he made an aggravated sound, I couldn’t help teasing, “I think it’d be adorable, a sister and brother dating another sister and brother.”
“Stepsister,” he corrected me. “And nothing happened with me and Cece. We were just talking.”
“Whatever, I just hope Cece didn’t taste Skylar in your mouth.”
Caleb chuckled and sat down next to me. “Like you should talk.”
I had no comeback for that, so I changed the subject, “What did you want to talk about that’s so important you had to interrupt me and Jared?”
“I want to talk to you about the fact it’s almost two o’clock Sunday morning. Your ass is mine. Grab your bag, let’s go!” he ordered like a drill sergeant.
“No,” I refused.
He gave me an oh yeah look and pulled out his phone. “As a good stepson, I feel it’s my duty to inform Julie that I found you at a wild party downtown.”
He messed with his phone and I caved. “Fine!”
Stomping inside to get my overnight bag, I grabbed it from Cece’s room only to have Jared stop me in the living room when he noticed it in my hand. “Where are you going, Gigi?”
“Um, family emergency. I’ll call you guys later. Tell Cece I’ll call her tomorrow.”
“Okay, we’ll talk about . . . things, later,” he said pointedly. Reminded of the kiss, I felt awkward around Jared. How would it change things between us?
“Not likely,” Caleb muttered from where he stood by the front door.
Caleb held the door open and followed me outside. As soon as we were out of earshot on the sidewalk, I spun around and demanded, “So, what now?”
“Now, you get in your Jeep and follow me in my car.” He was already walking down the street towards where his Camaro was parked under a streetlamp.
“Follow you home?” I called out after him.
“Nope,” was his infuriating reply before he got into his car.
I hated him!
We drove only fifteen minutes when he pulled into a parking garage. I followed him to where he parked and he hopped out to indicate I was to park in the spot next to him. Rolling down my window, I let him see how unhappy I was with him. “Where are we?”
“We’re near my mom’s apartment,” he answered, making me feel better.
“Why are we going there?” I asked, wondering if his mom would be pissed for us showing up so late. Scott’s ex-wife had always been some shadowy figure that I assumed disliked my family just like her son.
“Sleepover.” He winked, opening my door and taking my hand. “Come on, it’s only a block down.” Urban living was weird to have to park your car so far from your front door must be a pain.
I squeezed his hand as hard as I could as we exited the parking garage. He threw me an incredulous smile. “Are you trying to hurt my hand?”
“Yup, did it work?” I returned his grin with a hopeful one.
He started laughing at me. “Sorry, princess, you just aren’t strong enough.”
We reached a building with glass doors where he punched in a code. “Won’t your mom mind?”
“Nope, she’s at her friend’s art show in Phoenix.” We went up the elevator to the seventh floor where Caleb led me to an apartment door to the right.
Upon entering, I stopped in the entryway as he locked up. “What does your mom do for a living?”
“Interior design, plus she sells her paintings on the side.”
I could totally see her being an artist and interior designer from the looks of the place. While being homey, at the same time the place screamed style. Not a pretentious, elegant type of style. The kind of style that was cool without trying. It figured, with her being Caleb’s mom, he must’ve got it from somewhere. Not that I’d ever utter that compliment. The apartment was larger than I thought it’d be. The paintings hanging on the walls were interesting and I wondered which ones, if any, were his mom’s.
I pulled my eyes away from a painting of the Denver Skyline at sunset. Caleb stood in the middle of the sitting area, hands in pockets, watching me. “Caleb, what do you want from me? Are you doing this just to annoy me?”
“Maybe I don’t want anything from you. Maybe I want to do something for you,” he stated matter-of-factly.
“I don’t believe you. You’re too selfish of a person. You do whatever you want, no matter the consequences.”
“And you don’t do enough of what you want,” he responded. “I’ve watched you this past week. You do what everyone else expects of you even if it makes you miserable.”
“That’s none of your business.”
He ignored my totally true statement. “Why are you a cheerleader?”
“Because my mom wants me to,” I answered honestly, not in the least embarrassed. It was normal to try to please your parents. If Caleb did the same thing he’d be in less trouble all the time.
“Why do you hang out with the girls you do at school?” he asked, looking intently at my face.
“Because they’re popular like me,” I said condescendingly, trying to make him feel like an idiot for asking me these questions.
He wasn’t deterred and continued his amateur psychoanalysis. “Why were you with Josh?”
I shrugged as if it were no big deal. “I’m a cheerleader, he’s on the football team and kept other guys from bugging me. My mom really likes him and he says he loves me.”
“Do you love him?”
“Does it matter?” I gave him a dirty look. “And, again, is it any of your business?”
He nodded thoughtfully as if he’d just come to some conclusion. “What do you really want in life?”
“Jeez, Caleb, pretty soon you’ll be switching from using psychology to philosophy on me.”
“Just answer.”
“I’m not really sure, I try not to think about things I can’t have.”
“Well, think about it. I’m taking you under my wing. You’ll do as I say and be much happier for it.” How magnanimous of him.
I rolled my eyes at his conceit. “Happy like you? Are you happy being a delinquent and a player?”
“Extremely,” he shared with a smartass grin.
“If I have to do this, change my life for the supposed better, then I say you do to,” I turned the tables on him.
“Hey, princess, I’m the one blackmailing you. If you had any dirt on me, I wouldn’t care who you told. Besides, what could I possibly need to change?” He sat down on the couch behind him, relaxed and unconcerned.
“Uh, I don’t know,” I challenged sarcastically, “how about the fact that this is your third high school and you’re a selfish punk who disappoints your parents regularly?”
“Well, there you go. I’m already changing my ways. I’m doing the selfless thing of seeing to your happiness. I already feel better about myself. Maybe you and your being responsible will rub off on me.” He was so full of it. “Actually, I like the idea of any part of you rubbing on me.”
“Pig,” I mumbled loudly enough for him to hear.
“So, have you broken up with Josh yet?” he asked abruptly.
“No, not yet.” And I wasn’t looking forward to it.
“Well, there’s our first order of business. Call Josh right now and dump his date-raping ass.”
This was something I knew I’d to do anyways, so I didn’t mind doing what Caleb was deluded enough to think were orders. Trying to come off as blasé about the whole thing, I grabbed my phone and dialed Josh.
He picked up after two rings and immediately started apologizing, “Hey babe, I’m so sorry about last night. I shouldn’t have drunk so much at the party. You know I love you more than life and would never hurt you. I need to see you. Can I come pick you up?”
I stared at Caleb as I said, “Josh, I’m breaking up with you. It’s over.”
Josh began protesting the breakup like I’d expected, telling me we were meant to be together. He didn’t let me get a word in edgewise. Caleb made motions for me to hang up, but I felt so bad because Josh was crying about how much he loved me.
While I waited patiently for Josh to finish talking, Caleb barked loudly so Josh could hear, “Gianna, baby, come back to bed, I need to feel your body against mine again.”
Holy crap! Josh’s waterworks turned off fast. “Gianna, who the fuck was that? Are you fucking someone else? You haven’t even fu-” I quickly hung up before he could finish his rant.
I should’ve been pissed and tried my hardest to keep from laughing, hitting Caleb in the shoulder. “What the hell, Caleb? Do you want him to go all psycho on me?”
Catching me off guard he pulled me down onto his lap. “Don’t worry. I’ll protect you, princess.” I struggled to get out of his arms, but he held me in place for his kiss.
Dammit, I didn’t want to kiss him, but my lips had a mind of their own. I weaved my fingers through the black hair at the back of his head and pulled it lightly. His kisses moved from my mouth to my neck. “I hate you,” I reminded him and myself, but it sounded husky and weak to my ears.
His grin against my neck irritated me. “I know, princess. Hate me some more, I’m enjoying it.” I pulled his head up by his hair and kissed him aggressively.
Caleb drew back with a hesitant expression on his face. Making a decision, he picked me up and carried me down the hall to a bedroom. “Caleb?”
He laid me on the bed and followed me down, bracing himself on elbows. We resumed kissing and I knew I should push him off me, but it felt so good. He did say I needed to start doing things I wanted to do. At the moment, this was what I wanted to do. It didn’t matter that I hated Caleb. The stupid, sexy delinquent was turning me on against my own will. Still meeting his lips with my own, I inched my hands under the back of his shirt. He had one hand on my hip and the other behind my neck, rubbing lightly.
“You’re so beautiful,” he groaned.
That snapped me right out of my lust haze. He was simply another person wanting something from me because I was beautiful. Coming to my senses, I pushed him off me. “Ugh, get off me!” I didn’t care how expertly he kissed anymore.
“What?” Caleb chuckled, studying my scowl. “I don’t hear that often.”
“That too! Thanks for reminding me what a manwhore you are!” Using my legs, I thrusted him away from me.
He kneeled on the edge of the bed with one leg on the floor behind him. “You’re so mean to me. What’d I ever do to you?” His playing at being hurt was almost cute, but I had to stay strong and remember that everything he did had been used on a legion of girls before me.
“You’re arrogant and obnoxious and I hate you!”
His look said, oh really? “Do you make out with all the guys you hate?”
I covered my eyes with one hand, regretting not running away the second I spotted him tonight. “No, just you.” While my eyes were covered he took advantage and his lips came back to mine. My traitor lips greeted him like an old friend.
Unexpectedly, his kisses gentled before stopping altogether. I glimpsed his disgruntled face before he turned away. “Rest up. We have a big day ahead of us tomorrow.”
I stayed quiet while he left the room and returned shortly after with my bag. Disturbed, I decided not to think anymore about how I could like kissing someone so much that I couldn’t stand.
CALEB
What the ever-loving hell was I thinking? I couldn’t seduce Gianna. She wasn’t just some random girl that I picked up at a party. I couldn’t have sex with her and ditch her like I did other chicks. I needed to avoid kissing her again. I had a feeling it wouldn’t be so easy. She was so freaking hot and beautiful. But I had to remember she was off limits. If I hurt her the fallout would be epic. It’d piss my dad off more than anything else I’d done.
When I saw her kissing Jared, something inside me awakened for the first time. It was ugly and jealous. I didn’t want her kissing anyone else, but I couldn’t be with her myself. She deserved someone who would be willing to commit. I could never do that, refused to fall into that trap. I lived through my parents’ tumultuous relationship before they finally divorced. Relationships weren’t worth the headache they caused and they always fizzled out, leaving the people involved with nothing but regrets.
CHAPTER EIGHT
“Taking joy in living is a woman’s best cosmetic.”
-Rosalind Russell
CALEB
I woke up on the couch and remembered Gianna sleeping in my bed. Walking down the hallway, I half expected her to be gone. A peek through the cracked door showed me her sleeping form. She looked good in my bed, wearing pajama shorts and a tank top, with a sheet tangled in her legs. Even with her hair all messed up she was still the most beautiful girl I’d ever met.
Pushing the door open, I ran in and jumped onto the bed. Simulating an earthquake, I yelled, “Wake up, princess! I’m bored and need your grouchiness to entertain me.” Her eyes snapped open in alarm, but when she saw me she scrambled upright to take a swing at me.
&
nbsp; “You scared me, Caleb!” She fought a grin while trying to appear mad.
I dodged out of the way, laughing at her. “I’m hungry, make me some breakfast.”
“Why don’t you make me some breakfast? I’m the guest here,” she grumbled, laying her head back on the pillow and pulling the sheet over her.
“Fine, lazy, but get up and get ready. We’ve got things to do today. Do I always have to be the responsible one around here?” I joked, earning a glare.
“I need to go home. My mom will be expecting me,” she argued.
“Don’t worry. I’ll take care of Julie. She loves me.”
“She’s the only one,” she muttered under the sheet.
“That’s not nice. I’m going to have to tell mom you’re being mean to me,” I threatened.
Gianna threw the sheet off her head to shout, “She’s not your mom!”
Thank god for that, I thought to myself. Otherwise I’d have been making out with my sister last night. About last night, what would she do if I kissed her now? Better not. I couldn’t mess around with her like that. I turned away, shutting temptation out.
“I’ll go make breakfast. I hope you’re not counting calories ‘cause we’re eating pancakes.” While in the kitchen, I was determined not to think about Gianna naked in my shower.
Thirty minutes later, I’d already eaten when Gianna came out of the bathroom dressed casually with her dark blonde hair still wet. “Go ahead and eat while I take a shower. I left a pen and paper on the table. Your homework for today is to write down all the things you’d do if there were no consequences.”
“Why should I do that?” she asked belligerently.
“Because I said so and I’m the boss.” It was that simple. Whether or not I’d actually rat her out to Julie, I didn’t know. If she didn’t do what I said, I’d decide then.
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