Page 33 of Love is Angry

I’m flustered, all of a sudden, and wondering if this revelation should annoy or flatter me.

“Oh? You were warned how, exactly? What is it about me that scares the seniors of Brighton High School?”

She’s hesitating. I think she thinks she said too much, and now she’s focused on trying to figure out how to do some kind of damage control.

“You know what? Never mind. It doesn’t even matter. People like to talk, I don’t mind letting them,” I tell her. “If you think you can’t make up your own mind about me, then so be it. But I thought you were Mensa material, not another airhead sheep.”

That hits her deep. She gives me a hard stare, her lips now pressed into a thin line. Still dangerously kissable, still appetizing enough to make me lose my senses and my manners.

“Don’t insult my intelligence,” she says.

“That’s your most valuable asset, isn’t it?” I reply. “Don’t squander it, then. Whatever the rumors you may have heard about me and my family, Madison, why not try to see for yourself? Have I given you any cause for concern whatsoever?” She shakes her head once. Well, that’s a no. “Have I threatened you?” Again, I get a no. “Has anyone in my family so much as looked at you funny?” There it is. The third no. “Then what we’re actually dealing with here is you and your rather childish fears.”

It sets her off. “Excuse me?”

“You’re so gorgeous when you’re angry.”

“Rhue, have you lost your goddamn—” I kiss her. I kiss Madison Willis with everything I’ve got, crushing her soft lips against mine. She’s sweet. Dangerously sweet. I let my tongue go in to do some more exploring. Velvety soft, her tongue meets mine, and we clash for a moment that’s not nearly long enough.

Madison moans gruffly, likely a protest. But lava roams through my veins, now, melting my muscles and spreading through every inch of me, while my pants become impossiblytight in the crotch. I want her so damn bad. Her lilac scent, the taste of honey and raw sex.

My cock jumps with delight at the prospect of taking this further, but then Madison pulls back.

“Rhue.” she whispers my name like it’s an apology. I brace myself for the separation and pull back. All the atoms in my body are buzzing, and the sight of her flush and slightly swollen lips only makes me want to bury my tongue between her lips again. But fuck it. I must control myself. We’re only just getting started.

Madison holds her breath, her gaze fixed on me.

“I had to,” I say, trying not to smile.

“Rhue.”

“Jeez, don’t do this again,” I reply, unwilling to let her push me away. “We’ll go slow and figure out what this is about. You’ve already confirmed that we’ve got something happening here. What’s the harm in giving us a shot?”

She’s uncertain. I see desire and hope flaring in the blue pools of her eyes.

She bites her lower lip, and I want to do the same.

“I don’t know,” Madison finally concedes.

“Just think about it. I’ll back away if that’s what you really want. But you need to be certain. You need to be absolutely certain, because everything about you is telling me the exact opposite.”

“You know what? You’d make a better politician than you think,” Madison replies and shoots up from the armchair.

I stumble backwards but let her go. She rushes out of the study while I’m smiling with profound satisfaction. It’s what she does when she’s overwhelmed. She runs away. But just before she completely leaves my line of sight, she glances back at me. There’s so much fire in her eyes. It’s as though she’s contemplating whether or not she really should leave, orwhether she wants to stay and finding out just how much we could mean to each other; just how good we would feel with each other.

“Don’t overthink things, Maddie,” I say.

She shakes her head at me and smiles. “You already know I will.”

Chapter 16

Back in Highschool: Madison

I was so out of it I didn’t even realize I left my bag back at Rhue’s place. Dammit, I can almost visualize it, leaning against the armchair in which he--kissed me. Oh, boy, he is nothing but trouble, yet I cannot seem to find the strength to accept that for what it is. Just as much as I could find the strength to push him away. But what I did find, was the strength to kiss him back.

My heart flutters whenever I think about it.

The way his lips felt on mine.