Page 28 of Theodore

“Here’s forty bucks. That’s sowedon’t have to go to the kissing booth.”

Theo handed her a wad of bills as relief swept over me. He grinned at me as I heard the disappointment in the girls’ voices around us. I felt a teeny bit of smugness in the pit of my stomach. Which expanded to quite a lot when Theo then pressed another twenty bucks into Rosie’s hands.

“There’s another twenty. I’ll pay that to kiss one girl.”

I blinked, and the crowd fell silent around us as he slid his hand around my waist, pulling me flush against him.

“The first date, gotta make it count, right? We’ve got ourselves an audience here,” Theo murmured as he crashed his lips against mine, and I heard the whoops and catcalls around us as we kissed deeply. I lost myself in the kiss, which was simply incredible. He didn’t hold back as he dipped me backward, his arms holding me secure as my hair fell in between his fingers.

“Oh, my God. As ifthey’vejust kissed,” someone muttered bitchily, as I smiled in sheer delight at the fact he had done that. “He paid to kiss her. Theodore De Luca paid to kissher,” someone else added in disbelief.

Theo rolled his eyes.

“Full name usage and everything,” I remarked as someone walked up between us. I frown, turning to see Connor.

“So, ifIpay, do I get to kiss you?” Connor smirked, stroking my face softly.

I opened my mouth to speak when Rosie clapped her hands.

“Get in the booth, Hannah, if you’re going to be in such demand.” Rosie grinned with excitement, dollar signs in her eyes.

“I paid so she didn’t have to go in, remember?” Theo reminded her; his eyes boring into Connor’s as he spoke through gritted teeth.

Connor moved his gaze to Theo before shrugging. “I’ll double whatever he paid; it’s for charity, right?”

There was a murmur of excitement around the crowd as I glanced back at Theo, who clenched his fists.

“No.”

Connor turned to him with amusement. “Aren’t you Hannah’sfriend? What gives, man? There are enough girls here to entertain you.”

He waved his hand around us as he laughed.

Theo went to respond, but I put my hand on his, his green gaze flickering over to me with surprise.

“Actually, Connor, Theo’s more than that,” I said.

Connor blinked, realization spreading over his face as he frowned at Theo.

“What and he knows aboutus?”

“Listen,dickhead. I know. Ialsoknow if you don’t fuck off right now, you’ll not be able to play football with two broken legs,” Theo barked.

I pulled him towards me, sending a desperate glance to Connor, who looked like someone had smacked him with a wet fish.

“Whore.” Connor sneered, turning into the crowd.

Ouch.

I blinked, stunned, as Theo released me, pulling Connor back to him by his collar.

“Whatdid you call her?”

Suddenly the fight was back in Connor’s eyes as he sneered, licking his lips as he looked at me. “Didn’t take much to fuck her. I barely knew her for five minutes.”

Rage consumed me, but before I could speak, Theo’s fist connected with Connor’s face, knocking him straight to the floor. I gasped as I grabbed Theo, turning him towards me desperately.

“What thefuck!” I hissed as he frowned at me.