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Dan looks back down at my boobs again because apparently crossing my arms has highlighted his favourite part of me. “Eyes up here, big boy,” I snarl, clapping my hands in front of him, but he just has the audacity to chuckle.
My reaction doesn’t deter Dan, who steps forward, crowding my personal space again as his eyes fix on Liam once more, holding his attention. “Want to go out tomorrow nightJess?” he asks, his voice low and suggestive, making me shiver with disgust. I’m not even a little flattered by this. Even if it wasn’t obvious that he is only asking me out to annoy Liam, there’s no way I’d want to go anywhere with this twat.
This whole standoff is getting more irritating by the second. And probably the worst part of this testosterone fuelled fiasco is that my milkshake is going all melty. I look between the two boys, shaking my head.
Liam’s jaw is so tense I’ll be surprised if he has any molars left at this point.
“Okay, am I missing something or is Liam the one you want to ask out, because you aren’t even looking at me, Dan?”
No one answers.
The boys shoot lasers at each other, silently daring the other to make the first move. My face burns with frustration. I feel like I’m on the outside of a joke and it’s making my blood boil.
“Well?” I growl through gritted teeth.
Dan shifts his attention to me, and I instantly wish he didn’t. His stare is smarmy, making my skin crawl as he leers over me. “Liam here said that if any of the boys try anything with you, they’d get their arses handed to them.”
He did what?
I’m not really sure how I feel about that. Angry, annoyed, maybe a little bit okay with it because he’s trying to protect me from these dickheads? But does he get to decide who I mess around with? Nope, sure as hell not.
Liam steps in front of me again, his chest pushing against Dan’s as he hisses, “Back the fuck off… now.”
This is ridiculous.
My jaw tics. I don’t need him to fight battles for me; I can do that myself. My hands fly up to separate them. “Boys are so unbelievably fucking stupid sometimes,” I mumble to myself, the words strained from the effort of pushing their rugby player bodies apart. “I’m going to say it louder in case either of you need help…”
I pin Dan with wide eyes, making sure I’ve got his attention. “Just because you’re a boy doesn’t mean you get to act like women are yours to play with.” Then I flick my gaze between them both. “Both of you, put your metaphorical dicks away and do yourself and your future girlfriends a favour—grow the fuck up, p-u-lease.”
I swivel on my heel, walking away before I bash their stupid heads together. Making my way over to Nora, who must have gotten bored at some point and found us a seat, she’s grinning at me like she just figured out a secret.
“What’s that look for?” My brow raises in question.
“Oh, nothing.” Which, in Nora terms, meanseverything.
2
Liam
Isaidnothingwhilewe walked home last night, avoiding her eyes because I was worried she’d see how annoyed I was that someone was moving in on her. I know Jess wouldn’t entertain Dan and his bullshit, but I hated that he was goading me into admitting that I like Jess more than a friend. If I’m being honest with myself, I’ve always felt something more with Jess, but I didn’t want to act on it and ruin things between us. After last night, I feel differently; I feel like I need her to know how I feel.
“Hey Liam, can you pass me the duster so I can reach up here?” Jess is standing on a stepladder wearing high-waisted jeans and a crop top that makes it hard for me to concentrate around her. Saturdays are the day we clean the offices my dad owns. I guess it’s another way my dad likes to make sure I’ll definitely be joining the family business. It keeps me busy, but really, it’s an opportunity to spend more time with Jess, just us two.
I pass her the duster only to be on the receiving end of one of her devastating smiles, dimple and all. It takes all my self-control not to melt into a puddle in front of her.
Jess is all long brown hair, pretty blue eyes with toned, lithe legs and curves in all the right places. She’s only about 5 foot 4 and I’m over 6 feet already. I’d be lying if I said I don’t love the height difference between us; it makes her seem pint-sized and adorable. Which is probably the last way she would want to be described because she’s fierce too. But I see all of her and she’s the most beautiful girl I’ve ever seen. The fact she could fit in my pocket is just another reason she makes me smile.
We’ve been friends forever, but lately, things have changed. I flirt, she flirts, but nothing more happens. Until last night, when I may have shown more jealousy than a bear getting his honey stolen.
The thing is, I know her, and I like everything about her, even her grumpy moods. Her absolute favourite things in the world are milkshakes and her best friend (and cousin who she calls her sister because they're so close) Nora, which is why I promised her we would all go and grab a milkshake after work today. Mainly because she complained the whole way here that hers was melted and mushy last night, mumbling about it being my fault. Well, that and I’m weak when it comes to her.
“You okay over there?” Her narrow ocean eyes assess me, and I realise I probably look like a weirdo standing next to her, breathing a little too deeply, lost in my thoughts.
I shake off the rising tension in my neck before it turns into a blush I can’t control.
“Me? Oh yeah, I’m fine. Great, fantastic, wonderful.” I'm also rambling. I step backwards, rubbing my hands down my jeans, suddenly very aware that I’m sweating like crazy.
I want to tell her that she should go out with me, not a guy from my rugby team, and fuck, that feels scary. I should’ve done it last night, but I chickened out and now I feel like I’m in way over my head. The prospect of her saying no, or that she doesn’t like me like that, makes me feel like I’m standing on the edge of a volcano. About to leap into a hot, fiery, burning pit of lava.
