Total pages in book: 126
Estimated words: 122030 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 610(@200wpm)___ 488(@250wpm)___ 407(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 122030 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 610(@200wpm)___ 488(@250wpm)___ 407(@300wpm)
“You’re becoming just like her.”
Fenn growls. “Get in.”
This looks like Duke’s car. Which is even more confusing, but I don’t have the luxury of pondering that when a slight breeze pricks my skin, and a cold shiver reminds me I’m soaking wet in my underwear.
“Can you at least go back and grab my clothes?” I grumble.
“No.”
Instead, he marches over with his hoodie and then roughly pulls it down over my head. It’s too big, the hem falling past my knees, but it’s soft and warm, and I can’t help putting my arms through the sleeves to snuggle into the thick fabric.
“Can we go now?” Fenn gestures with the door open.
I could run back to the lake, but I don’t have the energy to make him chase me. Besides, I have a feeling the tequila is going to make itself known sooner rather than later, so it’s probably best not to have an audience when it spews out of me.
I get in, even if I’m not happy about it.
“Seat belt,” he orders, then throws the door closed.
“Give me my phone.”
“Only if you promise not to call 911 and tell them you’ve been kidnapped.”
“You’d deserve that.” I glower at him. “I just want to tell Jaz not to worry.”
He passes the phone over, albeit reluctantly. With cold, shaky fingers, I type a message to Jaz, who texts back almost instantly.
Jazmine: You OK??
Me: Fine. Just pissed. He has some nerve.
Jazmine: Will you be mad at me if I point out how hot he looked when he was carrying you off?
Me: Yes.
Jazmine: Okay, I won’t point it out then. Text when you’re home so I know you made it back.
Me: You too!
Fenn doesn’t look at me as we leave Ballard. He strangles the steering wheel and stares straight ahead, ignoring me until I start to fumble with the dash buttons.
“Stop it,” he says. “What are you doing?”
“Looking for the butt heaters.”
“Excuse me?”
“Duke’s car has heated seats and I’m freezing. This is Duke’s car, isn’t it? And would it kill you to put some music on?”
Without a word, Fenn cranks up the heat and turns on the radio as well.
“I bet you’re feeling pretty high on yourself now, right?” I finally locate the little knob with a picture of a seat and turn it all the way to the right. My seat warms almost instantly. “Swooping in to steal me away from a good time.”
“That’s what you call frolicking around naked in the woods?”
“Like you’ve never been skinny-dipping.”
“I’m not an example you should imitate,” he grumbles.
“That much we can agree on.”
“You realize your pictures are all over social media now? Every perv from Ballard and Sandover will be gawking at you in your underwear.”
“Which is practically the same thing as a bathing suit. So what?”
Am I thrilled at the idea? No, not really. And when the liquor’s worn off, I might have a couple of regrets over tonight. Either way, it’s a little late now.
And the last thing I’m going to do is give Fenn the satisfaction.
“Whatever you’re trying to prove,” he says gruffly, “trust me, it’s not going to fix what’s broken. It’ll only get you further away from the solution.”
I roll my eyes. “Whatever that means.”
Fenn doesn’t respond, and we don’t find anything else to say to each other on the drive back to Sandover. It’s dark and long, and I don’t realize I’ve fallen asleep until Fenn opens my door and I wake up to realize we’re in the senior dorm parking lot.
“Are you kidding me? Why are we here?” I demand in outrage. “Take me home.”
He reaches over me to unlatch my seat belt. “Yeah, I don’t think so. I’m not dumping you at your front door, dripping wet in your underwear and wearing my soccer team sweatshirt. I’m not trying to die tonight.”
“Well, I’m not going in there,” I say, crossing my arms in the front seat.
“Then we’ll sit here till morning when everyone heads to breakfast and wonders why the headmaster’s daughter is half naked in Duke’s ride.”
God, he’s such an asshole.
A cocky smirk slants across his face. “Or I throw you over my shoulder again.”
“I swear, I will punch you in the balls.”
“Come on. It’s warm upstairs, and I can give you some dry clothes. Don’t be difficult.”
I get out of the car, but only because I don’t relish being cold and wet all night. “Don’t tell me what to do.”
Despite my protests, Fenn lifts me off my feet to cradle me in his arms.
“Could you just not?” I growl.
“You don’t have any shoes,” he says dismissively. “I’m not letting you cut your feet up on broken glass so you can blame me for that too.”
Seriously. Such an asshole.
Thankfully, the halls are quiet when he brings me upstairs. Everyone’s either asleep or out partying. Small miracles, I guess. The last thing I need is people talking about me and Fenn hooking up again. Because that is so over.