“That is not what I said,” she challenges. Her face is almost entirely red now.
I tilt my head, grinning as I ask, “But it’s what you meant, no?”
“Shut your pie hole,” is all she can come up with.
“Make me.”
She steps closer to me, and everyone is still watching. She takes me by my loose tie, tightening it before pulling it until my face is right in front of her. Her breathing pattern changes, as she wets her bottom lip before looking at me. She pushes herself against my chest, stepping between my feet. She’s basically strangling me with this tie, but if she’s going to kiss me right now, it’ll be worth it.
What would she do if I leaned down and pressed my lips to hers? If I kissed that smug smirk right off her face. If pressed myself closer to her and she could feel how fucking hard I am by just being near her. What would she do then?
She tugs on my tie again. “If you think I’m about to kiss you right now, Branson, you've got another thing coming. Because what Ireallywant to do is rip your balls from your body, shove them in a blender and make you drink it."
I swallow. Hard.
“Stop thinking about my balls, you perv,” I say.
She doesn’t laugh and my joke was pretty funny. Instead, she tugs onto my tie harder, almost causing me to choke.
“Brilliant but scary,” I mutter. I think she catches the Harry Potter reference because shealmostsmiles. She lets go of my tie, but she tries to turn away from me, so I grab her elbow, pulling her right back into me where she belongs. “Hey, loser. I think you’re forgetting something.”
She crosses her arms against her chest. “I’m not asking you out.”
“Don’t worry,” Kennedy says, reaching into her back pocket as she pulls out a handwritten note, handing it to Scarlett. She winks at me. “I’ve got you covered.”
Scarlett scans the sheet, frowning. “Ken. You pre-wrote this? You knew he was going to win, didn’t you?”
She shrugs innocently. “I had a feeling.” Kennedy is such a meddler. I guess that’s why they love her so much unless she’s meddling in their business.
“Our names are literally written on the sheet,” Scarlett groans, flapping the white paper around. She looks up to me as she scoffs, “Can you believe this?”
“No, Angel, I can’t. You’re going to have to read it out to me,” I say, trying to hide my laugh.
“Read it,” Kennedy urges. It takes three seconds before the room all erupt in chants, telling Scar to read it out loud. I’m standing, waiting for her with the biggest smile on my face. “Okay! Quiet, everyone.”
Scarlett looks at me now, sighing as she pushes her hair behind her shoulder. She starts to read. “‘I, Scarlett Evangeline Voss, have the absolute pleasure of asking you, Evan No-Middle-Name Branson, out on a date.” She continues reading before glancing at Kennedy who’s beaming like a proud parent. “I’m not doing that.”
“You’ve got to do what it says,” Kennedy explains. I try to take a peek at the sheet, but she holds it away from me.
“I’m not holding his hand,” she murmurs.
“You’re holding my hand,” I correct for her, prying her steel fingers off the sheet. She’s absolutely hating this, and I love it. My cheeks hurt from smiling too much.
She groans. “I promise to not complain and be a good date,” she reads before adding, “I'm not making that promise, but fine.” Kennedy frowns. Scarlett rolls her eyes before she continues reading. “I solemnly swear that I will go on this date within the next two to five business days and will not bail unless there are unforeseen circumstances that will result in my failure to attend.” She rushes the last bit of the sentence before looking back up at me. “So, will you, Evan Branson, the winner of this quiz, go on a date with me?”
“I thought you’d never ask,” I coo.
“You’re ridiculous.”
“No,” I say, shaking my head, ready to repeat her words back to her. I reach out and flick her headband with the horns on it. “You’reridiculous.”
I don't think either of us even realise we’re still holding hands.
24
Evan
“We really don’t have to do this,” she says, turning to me in the back of my Escalade.
