Page 133 of Sugar

Answer

MADDIE

And I thought the vibesat the party were off…

After Easton had gotten Tripp into his limo with strict instructions to go straight home, Vic had been waiting at the curb for us. I’d climbed into the back, anxiously awaiting Easton’s touch.

It never came.

Well, that wasn’t true. His hand had curled around my thigh, but that was it. He didn’t try to skim up my skirt or kiss me or any of the other things I’d guessed he would do.

That I’d needed him to do.

He hadn’t even spoken.

At first, I’d assumed he was tired. It’d been a long night for me, and I’d barely had to do anything. He’d been with Tripp the entire day. The crowds. The noise. The stress. Being surrounded by high-strung people all night.

I didn’t blame him for wanting some quiet time to decompress.

Only his body never relaxed. His muscles never loosened. Sitting next to me, he remained tense until he finally said, “You didn’t answer him.”

I looked at him. “Answer who?”

“Majors.”

“Oh.” I gave a dismissive flick of my wrist. “He’s not worth answering.”

“Is that why you stood there and let him shoot his shot with you? Because he’s not worth it?”

I bristled at the accusation in his tone. “I’m assuming you also heard me turn down his offer.Repeatedly.”

“You listened to him talk for a while between those polite refusals,” he shot back as he finally looked at me. Even in the low light, I could see the agitation marring his usually blank expression. “I specifically told you to wait at the table then came back to find you talking to him with hisfuckinghands on you. Did you like that, Madeline? Did you like what he had to say?”

“No, I just had to use?—”

“But you’re not bothered by it. You’ve been sitting here like there’s not a damn thing wrong.”

He wasn’t completely off base. In my head, there was nothing wrong. Chase wasn’t the first entitled jerk I’d dealt with in my life—or that week. I wasn’t letting his drunken antics ruin my night.

Apparently, I was the only one, though…

“Because he’s not worth getting upset about,” I repeated.

“You sure that’s it? Or is it that you’re next to me but thinking about him? Was your pretty little pussy wet that a big movie star wanted to take you home?”

My gaze darted to the front to make sure the divider was in fact closed. Not only because I didn’t want Vic to hear about my pussy, but also because I was fairly certain I was going to strangle Easton with a seatbelt, and I didn’t want a witness.

“You know it didn’t,” I said, trying to be the calm, rational one.

“Did he make you question why you were there with anold guy?”

That patience I’d been clinging to snapped—as did my tone. “No, because you aren’t old. But youaremaking me question why I’m with you right now.” I leaned forward to knock on the partition.

“What do you think you’re doing?” Easton asked.

“Telling Vic to take me home.”

“No.”