“Okay, I promise.” I swallowed hard and resumed styling my hair.
Blake stood from the bed and walked toward me. When he reached up and smoothed one of my curls between his fingers, my traitorous pulse quickened as his deep blue eyes ran over my face and down the length of my body. “You look pretty.” He shifted his gaze away bashfully then left my room.
As I watched him leave, I allowed myself a moment to feel things I had been trying to suppress since the day our parents were married. I wished he were my date for the dance. I knew it was wrong to feel that way, but my heart didn’t seem to care. I loved him, and not like a brother. I’d always rejected the title. Blake wasn’t my brother; he was my soul mate. I just had to accept that my soul was destined to go through life without its match.
Chapter Three
I quickly found out my homecoming date wasn’t such a good guy after all. Hunter picked me up for the dance, and everything seemed to be going fine. I met up with Jonna and her puppy dog boyfriend, Dylan. We danced for a while together while our dates stood on the edge of the dance floor. However, Hunter kept disappearing, and when he returned, he was acting strange. What happened to the nice guy from school and where did the obnoxious idiot in the Hunter costume come from?
I grimaced when he pushed through the crowd I’d tried to lose him in, joining Jonna and me on the dance floor. With his tongue sticking out, he started grinding his front into my back in a way that was hard to believe, but he was dead serious. I almost screamed when he tried to smack my behind. Jonna thought it was hysterical, but to me it was so embarrassing. Thankfully, a teacher made her way over and put an end to it. Hunter, who didn’t seem fazed at all by the scolding he received, grabbed a hold of my hand and pulled me from the dance floor.
“Where are we going?” I demanded while firmly planting my feet in resistance.
“It’s hot in here. I need some air.”
When I looked up at him, his eyes were glassy and sweat was beading around his hairline. “Okay, go outside and I’ll wait for you here.”
“No. I need you to come with me. I have to tell you something important, and I don’t want to say it in here,” he said, tugging my hand even harder as he pulled me along with him. I glanced around in search of Jonna, but I couldn’t find her in the sea of faces filling the gymnasium.
When we reached the cool air outside, I expected him to release my hand, but he kept dragging me further along the side of the building and away from the lights.
“Hunter,” I said, feeling very wary of his intentions.
“Just over here.”
“But, Hunter—”
“A little bit farther, Tayia.” Reluctantly, I kept moving because I was curious about what he would need to say that was so important.
“Okay, here is fine. Now, what do you need to tell me?” I jerked my arm away and watched him stumble a little before he corrected himself. “What’s wrong with you, Hunter?”
“Relax. I wanted to tell you that I want to kiss you,” he said quickly before he grabbed both sides of my face and smashed his lips to mine. I stood there frozen for a second, his actions taking me completely by surprise. There was a strong taste of liquor on his tongue as he tried to shove it in my mouth.
“Ew, Hunter. Stop!” I yelled as I tried to pry myself out of his grip.
“Come on, Tayia,” he slurred as he clumsily struggled to keep me close to him.
“No. Get off me!” I yelled and then smacked his face. His head jerked to the side before he touched the red print that was quickly forming.
“Ow!” he howled dramatically and shoved me backward. “I guess everyone was right.”
“Right about what?”
Hunter sneered at me for a few seconds, his once adorable face transforming into someone unrecognizable. He glared at me with cold, dark eyes as he adjusted his rumpled shirt.
“That guys aren’t your thing.”
“What?” I gasped.
“Hey, it’s cool. Cammie Bennett is into chicks, too. She’s not a bad lay. Maybe the three of us could . . .”
Blood was whooshing around in my head, and I was no longer able to hear what he was saying or comprehend why he would even suggest such a thing. While I was zoning out, I had no idea Blake was stalking up to Hunter before shoving him to the ground.
“Blake?” I screamed as I ran forward. Hunter was scrambling to his feet and darting looks over his shoulder, contemplating his chances of running away.
“Shit. What’s your problem, man?” Hunter’s voice came out shaky.
“You. Do you want to repeat what the fuck you were saying to her?” Blake jerked a nod at me.