“You’re such a party pooper,” I grumble.
“Shit happens,” he says, leading me towards a white blur across the park which I’m assuming is his car.
I let out the most unladylike scoff. “You’re preaching to the choir, Noahsaurus.”
His head whips around to me so fast that I worry he’s just snapped his neck. “Where the hell did you hear that name?”
I grin up at him and wiggle my eyebrows. “Where do you think?”
Noah groans and holds me a little tighter as we finally reach his car. “I’m going to kill her.”
I sway as I reach for the handle and Noah boots me out of the way to do it for me. “No, kill her tomorrow. She’s busy right now.”
He narrows his eyes on me. “What’s that supposed to mean? Who’s she busy with?”
I press my lips together and drag a finger across the front of them, pretending to zip them. As he rolls his eyes, a burst of laughter booms out of me. “Whatever,” he laughs. “As if Rivers would let her out of his sight.”
“Yeah, I bet Rivers is taking real good care of her.”
He narrows his eyes again before deciding to give up. “Get your ass in the car, Spitfire. I’m taking you home.”
My eyes widen in fear and I begin to retreat, scrambling around and trying to make a break for it. “No. You can’t take me home,” I panic. “Dad will kill me. I was smoking.”
He lets out a frustrated huff, probably at having to deal with me like this. “Fine, you can sleep in Tully’s bed.”
At that, I allow him to help me into his car and when I struggle with the seatbelt for a good five minutes, he takes the clip out of my hands and does it for me, though he makes sure to do it with a groan. “Shit, where would you be if I didn’t find you?”
I let out a dreamy sigh. “Swimming with the dolphins.”
He laughs as the engine roars to life. “You know there are no dolphins in Haven Falls, right?”
I suck in a breath, absolutely horrified by this news. I mean, I used to sit out on the beach day in and day out just waiting to spot one. “Whaaaaaaaat?” I draw out. “You’re lying.”
He shrugs his shoulders. “Google it if you don’t believe me.”
I flop back into the chair, devastated as he drives me back to his place. We sit in silence for a short while and with each passing second, the tension rises. “What were you doing tonight?” Noah questions, though from his tone, he’s not asking me how the party went, he’s asking a much deeper question.
I let out a sigh and turn to look out the window, hoping he can’t see my face. “You hurt me, Noah. I was trying to forget,” I murmur so low that I don’t even know if he can hear me. “What did you think I was doing?”
“Drinking like that and walking away from the party was stupid,” he scolds, trying to lecture me on my bad decision making.
I turn back to him. “So is doing shady shit with your best friend and having unprotected sex with whores.”
His fingers curl around the steering wheel, sending his knuckles a bright white. “I like her enough.”
“Bullshit,” I grumble, shaking my head. “I’ve seen the way you look at someone you like and believe me, you don’t like her, not even a little.”
Shit. Did I say that out loud?
Noah doesn’t respond, but he doesn’t need to. We both know I’m right.
He pulls into his driveway and doesn’t bother helping me out, but I don’t deserve it. I probably shouldn’t have called him out on his bullshit while he was in the middle of saving my ass from sleeping on a park bench.
I walk down the hall to Tully’s bedroom as Noah disappears somewhere else in the house. I unbutton my jeans and pull them down my legs before deciding that was way too much for me to handle. I drop down on the end of Tully’s bed and let out a sigh as I pull my top over my head.
I look down at myself and a small purplish mark draws my attention on the curve of my boob. Is that a fucking hickey? I gasp as I spot another one and fly back to my feet.
I dart across the room and stand in front of the mirror, taking in my body. The right side of my neck is covered in them and they cover a good part of my chest. “Fuck,” I curse, hating the look of myself right now.
A low breath is expelled behind me and my eyes meet Noah’s in the mirror as he takes in the markings on my body. His face morphs from tired frustration to absolute fury. “Who the fuck touched you?”