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"Yeah." I licked my lips and that was all it took. Denton fused his own against mine.
Warmth and excitement enflamed me as he shifted to lift me. He walked to my garage, fumbled for the door handle, and we were inside quickly. Denton pushed me against the wall and his hands did quick work as he shoved my pants down.
His kisses were demanding and rough, but it's what I needed.
One hand worked at his own pants as the other pulled my hair back to hold my head captive as his mouth assaulted me.
His tongue demanded entry and I could only hold on.
I heard the crinkle of a condom wrapper and then he gripped my thighs and clamped me around him as he shoved inside.
I gasped at the first thrust, but he pounded into me.
It was feral, ho
t, and when it was done too quick to have started, I held onto him for support.
He grunted as his last spasm left him and groaned, deep in his throat.
"Yeah," I laughed weakly.
Denton chuckled as he held me in place for another moment. He smoothed the hair away from my face and pressed his cheek against my forehead. And then his hands slipped between our bodies and worked its way inside of me.
He whispered as he kissed the corner of my mouth, "You didn't finish." He held me up until I was done and then he held me again until I could stand on my own.
"I have to go. Mena's probably wondering what I'm doing over here." And with an impersonal kiss to the lips, he was gone.
The empty garage stared back at me as I'd yet to fasten my pants.
Chapter 19
I messed up. The one other time that I had slept with Denton, I hadn't been scared for Bryce's reaction. I hadn't kept it secret, but it just hadn't mattered as much at that time. This time…it was different.
When I got to school the next morning, I ignored everyone else and searched for Bryce. I wanted to get this over with. I found him listening to a story from Harris.
I interrupted and grabbed his arm.
"What? Sheldon," Bryce said, startled.
I dragged him outside to a private area and stood there.
He asked, amused, "What? What happened to you yesterday? Was it really that bad with your mom?"
"I did…I did something yesterday that…you're not going to like."
Bryce grew silent.
"I…," I gasped.
"What'd you do?"
"I…had sex with someone last night."
Nothing. Silence.
I didn't look at him. I couldn't, but I saw one of his hands jerk in reaction. It caught itself and stretched, as if struggling to stay at its side.
He asked hoarsely, "Who?"
"Denton Steele."
Bryce turned away.
I cried out, "Don't—please don't leave. Just…stay and yell at me."
I still hadn't looked at him.
He asked, softly, "For what? We're not together, Sheldon. You and I, we're not a couple."
I finally raised my eyes to his and saw pain mixed with an unnamed emotion.
I held my breath. "You're not mad?"
He shook his head, but he didn't reach for me.
"No. I have no right to be mad, remember?"
"But…"
Bryce shook his head again and said faintly, "I gotta go to class. Bell's already rung. I'll see you inside."
When he left, I stood there and felt the same coldness as before.
I knew, I already knew, that it'd be a long time before he held me again.
Dazed, I was in the same place when Corrigan stuck his head out and exclaimed, "There you are! Holy hell—where've you been?"
"Corrigan," I said weakly and crumbled to the floor.
"Hey," he soothed as he knelt beside me. "What's wrong? Hey, hey."
I shook my head, it was all I could do, and whispered, "I just lost him."
Corrigan sighed and sat beside me. He flung an arm around my shoulder and pulled me to his side.
I burrowed into his side as he said against my forehead, "No. No, you didn't."
"I did. I had sex with someone else. I screwed up, Corrigan. I really did."
"No," he soothed again as his hand brushed my hair back. "Bryce loves you, Sheldon. Like true, gut-wrenching, love. One screw-up and he's not going to leave. He could've walked a long time ago, but he hasn't."
I asked, hoarse, "How do you know?"
"Because whenever you think that he's gone off with some girl, he's usually on the phone with me talking about how he should actually do it. He should screw half the girls that you think he does, but he never does. He's just angry and tired of waiting. And he doesn't do it because Bryce loves you and he's waiting for your self-destruction to stop."
"Self-destruction?"
"Yeah," Corrigan laughed. "That's what Logan told me this morning. Last night, I told her a little about what else is going on. Logan was amazed that you could still come to school. She said she would've broken down and end up in the asylum or something." He laughed. "She said you're made of strong stuff and, no wonder, because of all that's happened to you."
"What? The notes and Leisha?"
"No," he murmured, tenderly. "Losing your parents. She said that Miss Connors told her once that the worst thing that could happen to a kid is to never be loved. That's the absolute worst thing. She said Miss Connors told her that every kid has a right to be loved and when they're not—it's never their fault."
It wasn't my fault.
Corrigan shifted away and remarked, "Um…about that…Miss Connors said that we were supposed to make an appointment in three days or something, but she's booked so…"
"What?"
"I signed up for her first available slot and it's…"
"Right now," I finished for him, numb.
He laughed nervously and watched me. He even scooted away from me.
"I have to go and see a counselor like this," I said flatly.
"Well…" Corrigan shrugged.
"Fine. Let's do this." And just as abruptly, I was up and through the door. I didn't care what my face looked like, if they could see the tears or not—I wanted this hour done and over with.
Bryce was already in the office, leaning in the same spot, but unlike the last time, he didn't straighten when we walked inside.
He ignored us.
