Briggs puts his arm around me. “She’s my girlfriend.”
I almost choke when he says it.Girlfriend?I’ve never been anyone’s girlfriend, so hearing someone call me that sounds strange, but to hear Briggs say it? I can’t believe he’d let those words come out of his mouth! Even pretending I’m his girlfriend is a lot for someone who can’t stand me.
“You’re datinghim?” Ian says to me, like he can’t believe a guy like Briggs would date me, or maybe he thinks I wouldn’t date a guy like Briggs.
“Yes.” I smile up at Briggs. “We go to the same school. Briggs is captain of the rugby team. I go to all his games.” I look back at Ian. He looks shocked and really confused.
“You hate sports,” he says, “especially rugby. I remember you saying how much you hated the rugby players at your school.”
“That was before I started dating Briggs. Now I love rugby.”
“She’s my biggest fan,” Briggs says, keeping his arm around me. “We need to get going so...”
“Yeah.” Ian backs away. “I’ll see you later, Ella.”
As he walks away, Briggs turns to me. “What’s he doing?”
“Staring at us,” I whisper, looking at Ian from the corner of my eye.
“You sure?”
“Yes. I don’t think he believes our story.”
Briggs wraps his hands around my face, and before I even know what’s happening, his mouth lowers to mine and he kisses me. My instinct is to back away, but I can’t, and not just because I know Ian is watching, but because I like the kiss.
Wait . . . what the hell? I’m not supposed to like this! It’s Briggs! The guy I hate more than anyone!
But I love the way he’s kissing me. It’s soft, not forced, and the way he moves his mouth over mine is... perfect. I feel his tongue nudge open my lips, and although I know I shouldn’t, I let him.
His tongue moves fluidly over mine. It’s not sloppy or wet. It’s the type of kiss I wish I’d had in the past, but guys never do it right. Even if it’s not a sloppy mess, it just doesn’t feel right. But this? This feels all kinds of right, maybe because it’s so damn wrong.
When he slowly pulls away, I open my eyes and see him looking back at me. “Is he gone?”
I glance to my left. “Yeah. He’s gone.”
“That should make him leave you alone.”
I look back at Briggs. “So, um, I guess I’ll go.”
He opens the door of my truck, and it makes its usual screeching sound. “You should try oiling that.”
“My dad keeps saying he will, but he forgets.” I get in the truck but don’t close the door because Briggs is still holding onto it.
“What are you doing this weekend?”
“Working for my dad. How about you?”
“Same. He’s making me go in the office on weekends now.”
“Why?”
“I’m supposed to be learning the business.” He shakes his head. “Anyway, I’ll see you Monday.” He shuts my door and walks back to his car.
I start my truck but sit there a moment, still reeling from that kiss and wondering how it even happened.
That was, without a doubt, the best kiss I’ve ever had. And it was from the person I hate the most.
Chapter 20
