Page 1 of Don’t Love the Boy Next Door (Hotties Next Door #2)

Chapter One

Phoenix

“Stupid jerk,” I mutter as I turn to the right and then left. I have no idea where I am. The streets are deserted and it’s basically pitch-black here, except for a few streetlights.

That idiot football player Thad ditched me in the middle of nowhere. Fine, I told him to, but if he wouldn’t have been such a buttface, then I wouldn’t be all alone on a dark street right now.

But whatever. I’ll find my way home. I won’t let that guy get to me.

Calling me crazy. Who the heck does he think he is?

I glance around, hoping for someone to appear so I could ask them where I am. As far as I can tell, I’m not in a residential area. It looks like there’s a forest in the distance.

Pulling out my phone for GPS does no good because it doesn’t work here. I know I’m still in Mayburn, but I’ve never been to this side of town before.

Something that sounds like a wolf howls in the distance and I wrap my arms over myself, as if that would protect me. Gosh, I’m freaking out over nothing. There are no wolves here. Sure, there’s, like, a forest right there, but it’s not like a wolf will pounce. Right?

“Ugh, seriously, Phoenix,” I mutter to myself.

Holding my head up high, I tell myself I’m a strong, capable young woman and can find my way home. It might take hours. Heck, my family might send a search party for me, but I’ll get home. Mark my words.

My legs continue to march along the streets. Yep. I’m totally heading to my house. I can feel it.

I don’t know how much time passes with me walking as if I know what the heck I’m doing, when there’s a sound in the distance. A car, maybe?

But as it draws close, I realize it’s not a car—it’s a motorcycle. And it’s headed my way.

I want to turn around to make sure it’s not some creep following me, but I’m too scared. Yep, Phoenix Ellis is scared. I quicken my pace, hoping he’ll just pass by.

But he doesn’t. He slows down beside me. My heartbeat speeds up. Will I die tonight?

“Phoenix.”

I stop dead in my tracks. How does he know my name?

Wait, that voice. I know it.

Ugh, no! Don’t tell me…

I look to my left. It is him. My favorite person in the world.

What the heck is Ethan Palmer doing here? Right, of course. He’s probably on his way to the party. But then why is he headed in the opposite direction?

I don’t care. I don’t want anything to do with him or his kind for as long as I live.

I continue marching like my life depends on it, not giving him a moment of my time.

“Phoenix, stop.”

I spin around and glare at him. He’s got his visor lifted, focusing those blue eyes on me. Fine, maybe I’m relieved it’s him and not some criminal, but still, I don’t want him anywhere near me.

“What?” I demand.

He tilts his head toward the back of his motorcycle. “Get on.”

I take in that monstrous device. He wants me to get on that thing? Uh, no thank you. Like I said, I don’t want anything to do with him. Besides, I don’t trust him.

Crossing my arms over my chest, I keep my gaze pinned on him. Maybe if I stay like this, he’ll get the message and ride off.

“Phoenix.” He stretches out his hand. “Please get on. It’s not safe out here.”

I stare at his hand. It’s so…big. I’ve never noticed it before, but he’s a really huge dude. Like massive. I bet he could crush me like a toothpick.

And this guy expects me to climb on behind him? As if.

Releasing a frustrated groan, he slides off the bike and makes his way over to me, yanking his helmet off. “Phoenix, just please get on.”

I narrow my eyes. “Don’t you have a party to go to?”

He steps closer, and I step back. “I was there. Thad told me what happened, so I came looking for you.”

“Why?”

He throws his hands up. “Because it’s nearly midnight and not safe for you to be out here alone.”

I narrow my eyes again. “Why? Because I’m some helpless girl?”

He inches even closer. “No. Even I would be terrified to be out here alone.”

I snort. “Sure. A big macho football player like yourself isn’t afraid of anything.”

He gazes into my eyes. “You don’t know anything about me.”

I back up, folding my arms over my chest. “I know you’re a jerk who only cares about himself.”

He presses his lips together, then shuts his eyes for a second like he’s trying to contain his anger. “I’m not in the mood for this right now. Please get on the bike.”

“I can walk.” I turn to go, but he gently takes hold of my arm, spinning me around.

“I’m not letting you walk alone at this hour.”

“ Letting me ? Excuse me, who gives you the right to control me?”

Still clutching my arm, he bends close until his mouth is only inches from mine. “I’m not controlling you, but I’m not letting you walk alone, either. So get on.”

“No.”

“Stop being so stubborn. Do you want to get hurt? Or worse?” He gestures around with his free hand. “Do you even have any idea where we are?”

“Yes,” I lie.

He shakes his head in disbelief. “Do you really hate me that much that you’d risk your safety?”

No, not really. Of course I’m scared to be out here all alone, with those crazy wolf noises and not a soul in sight. If something were to happen to me, no one would know about it. My family and friends wouldn’t be able to reach me because my phone doesn’t work.

Ethan doesn’t wait for an answer. He tugs me over to his bike, helping me get on. I want to refuse, to demand he take me down, but the truth is I’m a little glad he’s here. Only a tiny, teensy weensy bit.

He gets on, donning his helmet. “Hold on.”

I grab onto the sides of my seat.

He looks behind me. “I meant onto me,” he says.

“I’m good.”

“Phoenix, do you have any idea how fast this thing goes? You’ll fall right off.”

“I said I’m good,” I snap. The thought of touching him sends ants crawling all over my skin. Ew.

Letting out another of his frustrated sighs, he unlatches my fingers from the seat and yanks me close, so close that my chest bangs into his back. He wraps my arms around his strong, huge waist, keeping his fingers over mine.

“Don’t let go.”

As soon as he says that, I loosen my hands and am about to hold onto the seat again, but he takes my hands.

“What did I just say?” he demands, the irritation growing strong in his voice.

I roll my eyes. “What did I say about telling me what to do?”

He turns his head to face me. “You want to be here all night? Because I’m not leaving until you’re securely holding on.” He grabs my hands and pulls me close, tightening my fingers around his waist. “ Don’t let go.”

My face is pretty much smashed against his back, and his jerk smell wafts into my nose. Darn it. Why does he smell so good?

And his muscles? They’re as hard as bricks.

His hands are still over mine and they’re warm. The kind of warm that would normally be nice and soothing, but since they belong to this jerk, all I feel is disgust.

I lift my head off his back. “Fine, I’ll hold on.”

He doesn’t remove his hands. It’s like he’s waiting for the invisible glue that binds my hands to his waist to dry.

Then, slowly, he lets go. I’m so tempted to separate my hands, just because he has no right to order me around. But the more I think about it, the more I realize he’s right. I don’t know anything about motorcycles, and if he says I can fall off, I don’t want to take that chance.

Ethan steps on the gas and we zoom down the street. He’s right, this thing is super-fast. I squeeze my arms around his waist, feeling his muscles contract and expand as he operates the bike.

He’s such a pro at this, and I can tell this bike is very special to him. Maybe almost as much as football.

I can’t believe I’m actually riding on a motorcycle. With my enemy, but that’s not the point right now. As much as I hate the guy, I want to enjoy this feeling. Of the wind messing up my hair, kissing me like it wants to endow me with presents.

I feel so free, so alive. Now I understand why Ethan likes riding so much.

“Are you sleeping over at Katie’s tonight?” he calls over his shoulder.

“No, my place.” I tell him the address, then wonder if that was a good idea. Do I want this guy to know where I live? He might murder me in my sleep.

The wind tries to pry me off the bike. I tighten my hold around Ethan’s waist even more, pressing myself closer to his back.

Darn this wind. I don’t want to be this close to him. And oh my gosh, did he just chuckle?

We ride for a bit longer, and I lift my head to watch the buildings and trees whizzing by. Finally, I recognize my neighborhood and my insides spill with relief.

We pass the school and Katie’s house. Ethan slows the bike before my place and cuts the engine. I jump off, but this thing is so big that my leg gets caught and I topple toward the ground.

Ethan catches my arm, steadying me. “You okay?”

I wrench out of his hold. “I’m fine.” I turn toward the house.

“You’re welcome!” he calls after me.

I spin around. “I never asked you to come get me.”

He lifts the visor of his helmet. “I know. You’re welcome, anyway.”

He shuts the visor, revs the engine, tips his head, and speeds away, sending a gust of wind at me.

I stare after him, my arms crossed over my chest. What the…

? I don’t get it. Why did he come looking for me after Thad told him he ditched me?

What’s he up to? A guy like that doesn’t do favors without demanding something in return.

But whatever. It’s not like I asked him for help. I don’t owe him anything.

I enter my house and find my parents watching TV in the living room. My little siblings are probably in bed, but my thirteen-year-old brother, Charlie, is in the kitchen, playing on his phone, his other hand buried in a bag of chips.

“You’re home,” Mom says once the door shuts behind me. She joins me in the kitchen, where I grab a bottle of water and gulp it down. All that walking and that strong wind in my face has left me so parched.

“How was it?” Mom asks with bright eyes.

I don’t know why she’s so excited. I mean, it’s been a while since I’ve been on a date and she’s, like, obsessed with my having a boyfriend because she thinks I need a man to make me happy.

But nope. I don’t need anyone but me to make me happy.

Well Katie for sure. And my family, too, when they’re not driving me insane.

“Was okay,” I lie. The last thing I want to tell her is what a jerk Thad turned out to be. And how his captain came to rescue me like I was some damsel in distress.

Charlie glances up from his phone. “Why does your hair look like it’s been through a tornado?”

I leap toward the hallway mirror and check myself. Ugh, my hair is shooting up on all ends. All because of that jerk and his bike.

I slouch back to the kitchen. “I’m going to bed.”

Mom grabs my hands. “But I want to hear about your date. We hardly talk.”

She’s right. It’s not because I’m over at Katie’s a lot, but because Mom and I are so different.

We may look like twins, but we might as well live on two different worlds.

She’s girly and likes makeup and all that stuff.

She doesn’t understand my gaming and live streaming.

She thinks I’m just “playing online” and doesn’t take it seriously.

We had a huge argument before I moved all my gear to Katie’s, and it took her a while to get used to the idea that I’m trying to make a career out of my streaming.

But then Katie’s mom died and my mother told me I’m being a good friend by not leaving Katie alone in that house.

Mom’s still hurt, but she’s used to the idea now.

“Okay.” I lower myself and tell my mom all about the party that never existed. I hate lying to her, but I don’t want to tell her the truth.

“And how’s the boy? Is he as dreamy as you thought?”

Charlie slams his hands over his ears. “I don’t want to hear this.” He flees from the kitchen.

I shrug. “No. He’s not at all what I thought. I think it’s over between us.”

Mom pats my arm. “I’m so sorry, sweetie.”

I’m not. Not one bit. I’m glad I saw him for the jerk he really was before I got too invested in him.

I give her a wide smile. “I’m tired. Good night, Mom.” I climb to my room and dump myself on the bed. The ceiling is the only thing I want to stare at tonight.

I can’t stop thinking about what happened less than half an hour ago. My arms were wrapped around Ethan’s strong waist as he sped down the street. My nose was buried in his back, inhaling his smell.

He came looking for me.

Why? Since when does he care about anyone but himself?