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“Hey, Gerard,” I replied, desperately trying to sound nonchalant, even though every nerve ending in my body sprang to life when he slid onto the bench next to me.
Most of last night was a blurry haze, but when I woke up in his arms this morning, it felt different.
Deeper.
“You doing okay?” Ignoring the rest of our friends, Gerard leaned his forearm on the table and angled his body toward mine, giving me his undivided attention. “How’s the head?”
Sometimes it was hard to know where I stood with Gerard because sometimes I wasn’t sure which version of Gerard I was getting. When we were alone at night, the vulnerable boy I’d spent my life adoring made an appearance. When we were with friends, it was the confident, no-fucks-given version of him that become dominant. And that particular version, no matter how infuriating at times, was undeniably sexy. Like seriously hot.
“I feel grand,” I responded, feeling myself melt under the heat of his stare. It couldn’t be helped. It was impossible not to wilt when a boy stared this intensely into your eyes. “Never better.”
“So, we’re okay?” he asked, keeping his big gray eyes locked on mine.
When he reached up and tucked a rogue curl behind my ear I swear, an audible puff of air escaped my lips, which, I had to begrudgingly concede, wasn’t as embarrassing as a moan.
And there had been times I had moaned.
Many times.
“Huh?” I asked, dragging myself from my thoughts, when I realized he was clearly waiting for me to speak. “Why wouldn’t we be okay?”
“You tell me.”
“I have no idea,” I breathed, repressing a shiver.
“Okay then.” A small smile tugged at his lips. “That’s all I needed to know.”
Confused by where the conversation was leading, I blurted out the first thing that came to mind “I got a job!”
“A job?”
“Yep.” Finding my composure, I cleared my throat and smiled. “Remember that interview I went for back in the summer? The one for part-time lifeguard at the hotel with Hugh? Well, his boss called this morning.” Shrugging, I exhaled another shaky breath and forced a smile. “She hired me.”
“She did?” The smile Gerard was sporting grew to epic proportions. “Fuck yeah, my little mermaid!”
“Yep,” I breathed against his chest when he pulled me in for a massive bear hug. Unable to stop myself, I inhaled deeply, filling my senses with his delectable signature scent. I didn’t care if it was creepy or not. The boy smelled delicious. “I start during midterm break.”
“You’re amazing.” He chuckled, pulling back to look at me. “Do you hear me, Claire-Bear?” Cupping my cheeks with his big hands, he leaned in close and pressed his forehead to mine, while excitement and pride danced in his eyes. “I’m so fucking proud of you.”
“Oh, cop on.” Lizzie gagged from across the table. “She got a part-time, Thor. She didn’t make partner in a law firm. A little clarity, please.”
“It is a big deal,” Gerard argued, taking her bait, as he twisted back to face the rest of our friends. “It’s a huge fucking deal, actually.”
“Sure, it is.”
“Just leave it alone,” Patrick instructed calmly, twisting the metal topper on his can back and forth. “If you two can’t be civil to each other, then do us all a favor and ignore each other.”
“What?” Lizzie protested in a defensive tone. “He’s acting like she won the lotto.”
“And that pisses you off because?” Gerard demanded. “What’s your problem, Viper? Why can’t you be happy for her?”
“Gerard,” I growled, digging him in the ribs. “Don’t call her that.”
“I am happy for Claire,” Lizzie spat out. “But you’re putting on a full-blown act in the hopes of getting in her knickers. It’s bullshit, and I’m onto you, asshole.”
“You’re delusional.”
“And you’re a useless prick.”
