His full, totally-kissable-if-I-wasn’t-already-involved-with-someone lips. Suddenly, I’m licking my lips. Crap. “Noah.” He’s not getting it, probably because my body language is contradicting everything I’m saying.
He stares at me, daring me to tell him to leave, to drive away and leave me alone for good. “I’m listening.”
I take a deep breath, finding the courage to say this once and for all. To put it all out there, no matter the consequences. “I’m not breaking up with Ash.”
His head lowers slightly, but his eyes stay locked on mine. “Not yet. But that’s okay, because I don’t give up that easily.”
Chapter Thirteen
My cell rings again and I jump, hitting my funny bone on the side of the Camaro. “Ow.” I go to rub the spot, but Noah already has his hand there. Once again his face is inches from mine. How do we always end up in this position?
“That’s going to leave a bruise.” He takes me by the shoulders and moves me toward the open car door. He leans me back onto the seat. “Here, take it easy for a second, and you should really answer that.” He points to my phone, which is displaying Ash’s picture again.
“Promise you won’t say anything, won’t let him know you’re here?” I eye him, not sure if this is a trick.
“Scout’s honor.” He crosses his heart, and I laugh.
“I don’t think that’s the Boy Scouts’ hand signal.”
“Just answer your phone before the guy drives over here to find you.”
That would be bad. “Hello?” I answer, trying to keep my voice as normal as possible.
“Hey, I’ve been trying to get a hold of you. Were you in the shower or something?”
Sure, that works. “Yeah. Sorry. What’s up? Shouldn’t you be at the party by now?”
“I just got here, but I wanted to let you know the party was moved. It’s not at Jackson’s house anymore.”
“Why? Did he get in trouble after the last party?” I’m not surprised. The place was a disaster after everyone left.
“You could say that. Anyway, I’m at Tucker’s. He has a big basement. Of course it’s become a big video game tournament since Tucker owns every game ever made.”
Noah bends down, looking into my eyes. I have no idea what he’s doing, but I suddenly realize Ash is still talking and I’m not listening at all. I’m lost in Noah’s eyes.
“Meg?” Ash says, breaking me out of my trance.
“Huh?”
Noah smiles, knowing he’s distracted me.
“Is that okay or will your parents be in bed by then?” Ash asks.
Is what okay? I nudge Noah with my foot, knocking him off balance. He topples backward into the little rose bushes my mom has lining the driveway. “Are you all right?” I blurt out. My hand immediately covers my mouth.
“Who are you talking to?” Ash asks.
Shit! “Oh, um, my neighbor. He fell.”
“You’re outside? I thought you just got out of the shower.”
Damn it! I really suck at lying. “I’m dressed. Don’t worry.”
Noah gets up and picks a few thorns out of his arm. Ouch, that has to hurt. “Um, Ash, I need to help him. Call me when the party’s over?”
“So, ten is okay?”
“To come by?” I ask. Is that what he was talking about before?
“Yeah. Will your parents mind?”
“No. They’re out. They’ll probably be home around eleven.”
“Great. See you then. Love you, Meg.”
“Okay. Bye.” I hang up and stare at Noah’s arm, dripping with blood thanks to me. I hurt him. And I didn’t say I love you to Ash. I’m really making a mess of everything.
I reach for Noah’s good arm. “Come on. I have some antibacterial ointment you can put on that.”
“So this is what I have to do to get invited in? Let you hurt me? Had I known, I would’ve done it sooner.” He’s smirking so I know his arm can’t be hurting that much.
“Yeah, well if you weren’t trying to—what were you trying to do?”
“I was only looking at you. You’re the one who kicked me.”
“Because you looked way too happy
He stares at me, daring me to tell him to leave, to drive away and leave me alone for good. “I’m listening.”
I take a deep breath, finding the courage to say this once and for all. To put it all out there, no matter the consequences. “I’m not breaking up with Ash.”
His head lowers slightly, but his eyes stay locked on mine. “Not yet. But that’s okay, because I don’t give up that easily.”
Chapter Thirteen
My cell rings again and I jump, hitting my funny bone on the side of the Camaro. “Ow.” I go to rub the spot, but Noah already has his hand there. Once again his face is inches from mine. How do we always end up in this position?
“That’s going to leave a bruise.” He takes me by the shoulders and moves me toward the open car door. He leans me back onto the seat. “Here, take it easy for a second, and you should really answer that.” He points to my phone, which is displaying Ash’s picture again.
“Promise you won’t say anything, won’t let him know you’re here?” I eye him, not sure if this is a trick.
“Scout’s honor.” He crosses his heart, and I laugh.
“I don’t think that’s the Boy Scouts’ hand signal.”
“Just answer your phone before the guy drives over here to find you.”
That would be bad. “Hello?” I answer, trying to keep my voice as normal as possible.
“Hey, I’ve been trying to get a hold of you. Were you in the shower or something?”
Sure, that works. “Yeah. Sorry. What’s up? Shouldn’t you be at the party by now?”
“I just got here, but I wanted to let you know the party was moved. It’s not at Jackson’s house anymore.”
“Why? Did he get in trouble after the last party?” I’m not surprised. The place was a disaster after everyone left.
“You could say that. Anyway, I’m at Tucker’s. He has a big basement. Of course it’s become a big video game tournament since Tucker owns every game ever made.”
Noah bends down, looking into my eyes. I have no idea what he’s doing, but I suddenly realize Ash is still talking and I’m not listening at all. I’m lost in Noah’s eyes.
“Meg?” Ash says, breaking me out of my trance.
“Huh?”
Noah smiles, knowing he’s distracted me.
“Is that okay or will your parents be in bed by then?” Ash asks.
Is what okay? I nudge Noah with my foot, knocking him off balance. He topples backward into the little rose bushes my mom has lining the driveway. “Are you all right?” I blurt out. My hand immediately covers my mouth.
“Who are you talking to?” Ash asks.
Shit! “Oh, um, my neighbor. He fell.”
“You’re outside? I thought you just got out of the shower.”
Damn it! I really suck at lying. “I’m dressed. Don’t worry.”
Noah gets up and picks a few thorns out of his arm. Ouch, that has to hurt. “Um, Ash, I need to help him. Call me when the party’s over?”
“So, ten is okay?”
“To come by?” I ask. Is that what he was talking about before?
“Yeah. Will your parents mind?”
“No. They’re out. They’ll probably be home around eleven.”
“Great. See you then. Love you, Meg.”
“Okay. Bye.” I hang up and stare at Noah’s arm, dripping with blood thanks to me. I hurt him. And I didn’t say I love you to Ash. I’m really making a mess of everything.
I reach for Noah’s good arm. “Come on. I have some antibacterial ointment you can put on that.”
“So this is what I have to do to get invited in? Let you hurt me? Had I known, I would’ve done it sooner.” He’s smirking so I know his arm can’t be hurting that much.
“Yeah, well if you weren’t trying to—what were you trying to do?”
“I was only looking at you. You’re the one who kicked me.”
“Because you looked way too happy
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