Page 26 of My Fault

I grinned.

“You got it. Perfect. See you around, sister.”

“Not so fast, Nicholas.” I stopped a few feet from the door and froze as I noticed that tickle in my stomach when she said my name aloud. “What do I get out of all this?”

When I turned back, she had a smug, almost heart-shaped smile on her face.

“What you get is I won’t waste my time trying to make your life a living hell.”

Noah raised an eyebrow.

“I don’t see how you could do that.”

“Trust me, you don’t want to find out, either.”

“If you leave the gala, you’re taking me with you. There’s nothing that appeals to me less than being surrounded by people I don’t know at someone else’s party.”

“Sorry, Freckles, but as you might have realized, taxi driver’s not a job I aspire to.” As I said this, I pointed at my designer outfit.

“Well, find an excuse that includes both of us because I’m not going to play the perfect daughter while you take off for your secret illegal races.”

Shit. Just hearing her say it made me nervous.

“Fine, I guess I can make something up,” I said, just to put her off. When the time came for me to leave, she wouldn’t even notice.

“It’s amazing how you’ve managed to dupe everyone,” she said. “You know my mother thinks you’re the perfect son?”

“I am perfect in lots of ways, babe.” I couldn’t help it—I was enjoying the conversation. Arguing with this girl was highly stimulating. “Whenever you feel like it, I’ll show you.”

She looked at me self-righteously. Normally I couldn’t beat the girls off with a stick. Just one look and they were all up on me doing whatever they could to please me. I had a rep: women respected me and adored me at the same time. I gave them pleasure, and they gave me my space. It had always been like that since I was fourteen and learned what a handsome face and a good body could make a woman do. But there was Noah, staring me down at every second, completely unperturbed by my presence.

“Is that what you tell girls to get them into bed?” she asked. “Well, with me, it’s not going to work, so save your strength.” When I absorbed her words, I could feel an uncomfortable pressure in my pants.

I imagined tearing off her dress and doing all the things to herthat I knew drove women wild. It would be fun, driving Noah wild until she couldn’t stop shouting my name.

Dammit.

“Don’t worry about that. I like women, not girls with pigtails and freckles.”

“I never wear pigtails, dumbass.”

I laughed and tried to relax. Now I did want to see her in pigtails!

“Well, I guess we’ve got a deal,” I said, thinking it was time for me to go.

“I guess you think coming in here and telling me what to do is a deal?”

“You got it, little sister. Bye now.”

Her eyes were ice-cold. I walked off, not bothering to look back, but once outside, I leaned against the wall. I’d never let myself get that out of control. Shit. I felt…exposed, like a thirteen-year-old boy.

I took out my phone and tried to clear my head.

I’ll come by your place before the party.

I walked down the hall to the steps.

I needed to blow off some steam before the night arrived, and with Anna was the best way to do it.