Page 45 of A Wreck, You Make Me

Before I can say anything though, he takes a breath and continue, “You wanna go to college, don’t you?”

Words slip out of me before I can think about them. “I don’t know. I-I mean, I’ve never really thought about it. When I was younger, sure but now, not so much. I didn’t think I had the option but I… Maybe. I guess, I’d like to explore things, see if I like college or if I w-want to do something else.”

I can’t believe I told him that. It’s not something I think about consciously, even when Snow brings it up. But I think it’s the truth. I’d like to have options be it college or something else. But there’s no use thinking about it or wishing for things I can’t have.

“So that’s what I’m offering. Options,” he says.

My heart clenches but I shake my head. “No. I don’t think?—"

“You can also consider it a fucking reality check.”

“What?”

Again, he watches me a beat, this time slightly less intensely and more with a hard expression, before saying, “I don’t want there to be any confusion about what this is. You help me with my problem. I help you with yours. There no fucking feelings involved. I mean,”—he tips his chin at me—“you were ready to burst into tears and swoon at my feet just because I said I admire you. Plus, you’re young. You have a crush on me. You wear your fucking heart on your sleeve. I don’t want any,” he searches for a word, “messiness. And teenage girls tend to be messy. So for your sake, this whole arrangement will be purely transactional. I get to move on, you get options. And once the season ends and I have my trophy, you go your way and I go mine. The end.”

I wait a few seconds to answer. Just so I can get rid of my teenage messy emotions before saying, “For my sake.”

He gives me a short nod. “It’s a good thing. I don’t usually do good deeds.”

“Except when it comes to me.”

“Except when it comes to you.”

I take a deep breath before letting anger run rampant in my veins. “Leave now.”

“What?”

“I don’t need you to do me any favors or give me any options. I don’t need you to teach me boundaries because I’m so obsessed with you I don’t know what to do with myself. Because I’m notsleeping with you for money. I’m not sleeping with you period. So you can take your dirty job and give it to someone else. I already have two.”

“Yeah?

“Yes,” I snap, glaring up at him. “And if you don’t leave right now, I’m going to have you arrested.”

“Is that right?”

“For sneaking into my room the other night,” I state, my heart pounding in my chest. “And stealing my mail. That’s two counts of felony. Wonder how everyone’s going to react to the town’s rockstar soccer player spending a night in jail.”

For a few seconds, all he does is stare into my eyes, his face all sharp lines and sharper threats before he breaks our stare and takes me in. My face specifically. Once, twice, three times. As if trying to memorize it, memorize the curve of my cheeks, the slant of my nose. It makes my heart race. It makes my belly feel all tight and heavy, and I want him to stop. Stop making me feel this way when he keeps proving to me what an asshole he is.

Seriously, why did I think I ever liked him? Why did I think I felt a connection to him? He’snothinglike I imagined. Nothing at all.

“You reallyarea ripe little strawberry, aren’t you?” he murmurs, breaking into my thoughts.

“What?”

His lips twitch. “All flushed and red.”

Before I can stop it, my hand reaches up and I touch my cheek. “If you’re referring to my blush, you should know I’m generally prone to that. It’s not in my control and you’re extremely rude to point it out. ”

“Iamreferring to your blush, yes.”

“You—”

“Tell you what,” he says, jerking his chin at me. “You don’t want me sneaking into your room tonight, try sleeping with yourwindow closed. I’ll buy you the AC myself. If you can do that, I’ll take you to the cops myself too. You can tell them all about what an asshole I am for wanting to fuck you for money.” I flinch and squeeze my thighs, and he keeps going. “And how I’m also so very rude because now I wanna find out if you’re generally prone to blushing anywhere else on your body or just your cheeks. ”

My breaths are so loud and fast, I know I’m going to pass out. I’m going to scream. “I can’t. I can’t do this. You’re such a?—”

I gulp down my words because like last night, I feel something. His touch. This time, it’s on my neck. As he leans over and wraps his warm, strong hand around the back of my neck and pulls me toward him.