AllFreeNovel
Share Us
Tyler took it and, casting a glance at Beckett, he moved away.
“Be careful, Cinderella – first night, first party, and you’re coming dangerously close to violating the terms of your parole.”
“Get fucked, Anderson,” I muttered at him.
He moved closer, ignoring the fact that we were in public. Heat billowed through me as he brushed my hair back over my shoulder, making me feel small, when I wasn’t. He was just damn big. I was staring at a spot over his shoulder, refusing to make eye contact, knowing it would annoy him. His hand sank into my hair, and he tugged it sharply, sending my face snapping up, my eyes colliding with his.
“Don’t forget the rules I gave you…no going on dates, no kissing or fooling around with some new fuckboy who doesn’t know you’re off-limits.”
“You’re crazier than I thought if you think I’m going to be celibate my first year of college. After all, the last action I had is something I’d rather forget. I need to replace it,” I murmured at Beckett. My insult hit its mark, and he glowered at me. “Anyway, what are you going to do about it? Follow me around to enforce your little commandments? Fit me for a chastity belt?”
He chuckled darkly. “For someone who professes to love her family very much and worry about mommy dearest, you do forget things easily, don’t you?”
He reached into his jeans and pulled out his phone.
Worry shot through me. “What are you doing?”
“Texting Mrs. Linton to have your mom taken off the schedule for a week. Let’s see how that little taste of joblessness feels.”
I grabbed his hand that was holding the phone. “Don’t.”
His dark gray eyes met mine. He cocked an eyebrow. “Why not?”
“Just please don’t.”
He shook his head. “Hmm,please don’tisn’t a very good reason not to. Convince me, Cinderella.”
“How?”
“Be creative.”
I bit my lip and tried to think what the fuck I could do. “I’ll polish your skates,” I offered after a moment.
Beckett watched me a second, and then a reluctant laugh loosened from his chest. It sounded rusty, like it was something he hadn’t done in a long time. “What are we, twelve?”
“Well, what else do you want? I’ll cook you dinner.”
“You won’t kiss anyone other than me in this game,” he announced casually, like that was a totally normal thing to want.
“What?”
“You’ll make sure you don’t kiss anyone you’re not allowed to in this game. No one new. Since we’ve already kissed, it’s fine – but no one else. That’s breaking the rules.”
“The rules you pull out of your sadistic ass?” I ground out. “I’m just going to go.”
“No, you won’t. Everyone will notice if you do, so smile, play along, and don’t make a scene.”
“And how am I supposed to rig the game?” I asked Beckett.
He shrugged. “No fucking clue, but I believe in you, Tiny. Good luck.”
Then, just like that, he sauntered away.
Marcus got everyone to write their names on slips of paper. I wrote mine and then offered to collect everyone’s for them. I took a hockey helmet that had been lying on the bar and went around collecting them. When I took Beckett’s, I didn’t meet his amused glance. I might’ve tried to bash his head in with the helmet if I had. Instead, I crinkled the edge of his paper.
The game started, and I settled down beside Isabelle and Lily to watch. Marcus set the spinner on the middle of the coffee table that sat inside the square of lounge chairs. He spun the spinner to start the game, and it landed on a girl I didn’t know. Marcus tied the blindfold on her and then guided her hand into the helmet to pick a name. Marcus opened the slip of paper and stared around the table, pointing to Tyler.
Tyler looked surprised but played along. He got up silently and stood in front of the blindfolded girl. Slowly, he kissed her. She was allowed to feel his hair and clothes, all over, really, as much as she dared. She shouted out his name correctly and won the point.
