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He ignored that. “It’s not going to go away on its own. If anything, knowing we can’t have what we want makes it worse. It’ll interfere with our classes, my tutoring and it’ll be awkward as hell every day at school.”
He painted an unpleasant picture. I didn’t want to imagine my infatuation for him festering.
“Maybe we should ride it out—”
“I’m not going to sleep with you, Hayden.”
“That’s not what I was going to say, although I’m not opposed to it. I meant that maybe we should… indulge. Just for a while until we cool off. Make a pact that once one of us says it’s over, the other respects it.” He lowered his voice to a whisper. “No one even has to know.”
I smirked. “Oh, I bet you’d love that. I could be your dirty little secret.”
He pressed me closer. “Now why would I want to keep us a secret if it meant I wouldn’t be able to kiss you any time I felt like it?”
I swallowed, really wanting to get started with that arrangement. But I couldn’t. If nothing else, the humiliation of being dumped two days or a week from now kept me on the straight and narrow.
“That’s a nice offer for a girl who’s beneath you, but I’ll pass.” Like my infatuation would sooner or later. It couldn’t last forever.
The song wound down and he released me. “You win this round, McClean. But tomorrow, you’re fair game.”
“It’s not a game, Hayden. I’ll admit, you’re really freakin’ hot, but the fact remains that no matter how you reword your offer to make it seem better, it would still be a fling. I want what I want and you’re the way you are. Nothing’s changed.” I blew out a breath. “If I don’t see you again before I leave, I’ll be at your house tomorrow morning at nine.”
I strolled off in search of my friends and found Nadia in the kitchen making herself a new drink. Alcohol free, I hoped, since she was supposed to drive. I didn’t want to miss curfew and stay longer.
As soon as she saw me, she stopped everything to huddle. “How did it go with Hayden?”
I checked to make sure no one stood close enough to hear. “He lured me into a dark corner of the garage and we made out for a couple minutes. Then he offered to keep doing it for a few days until we got bored, no strings attached.”
“He’s not here, so I assume you told him to piss off?”
“Yeah.”
She laughed. “Should I make you a drink?”
More truth serum? No, thank you. “No, I’m good. Where’s Cori
She set the OJ carton down. “Jared cracked open a bottle of Cuervo and did body shots on her. And vice versa.” She shook her head. “She threw up before she got much of a buzz. I stuffed her in the car with a barf bucket and locked the doors. She fell asleep right away.”
“Hope she doesn’t puke and miss the bucket. You sure she’s okay?”
“Let’s go check.”
On our way to the front door, Jared stopped us, waving a nearly empty tequila bottle. By his flushed face and the way he swayed, I guessed he’d drank a lot of it. “You lovely ladies want to do a shot with me?”
“No, they don’t.” Hayden gently pushed Jared away from us then folded his arms over his chest until the drunk was a safe distance away. “Are you guys leaving?”
“We’re checking on Cori
We trudged to Nadia’s car to find Cori
“You two beauties are stu
Would he keep his hands to himself? I thought not. His huge grin and glazed eyes hinted that he’d hit the kegs. Hard.
“Tessa only dances with me. Hands off, Brad. She’s mine.”
Brad staggered, turned and went inside. I gawked at Hayden who was still standing next to me.
“I said I wouldn’t hit on you but that doesn’t mean I’ll let others do it.” One side of his mouth lifted.
“You think you’re pretty clever,” I said.
“Why, yes I do.” He chuckled. His cell phone chimed and he dug it from his pocket. I leaned over to spy, reading the caller’s name: Back Up Plan. He touched a button and silenced it. Back Up Plan… Whatever could that mean?
“Thanks for getting rid of them,” I said.
“So, she’s your property now?” Nadia asked Hayden.
“No,” he answered. “I could say anything and they wouldn’t remember. They’re all too drunk.”
“Unlike you,” I pointed out. Hayden didn’t have a drink in hand. In fact, I hadn’t seen him with anything other than water all night. I thought the whole reason he arranged for me to pick him up the next morning was to avoid driving with a hangover. “Did you quit drinking?”
“No. I promised Christina I’d help out, keep an eye on things until the party died down. We have plans for later though.”
“You and Christina?” I asked.
“A bunch of us. You know, drinking games. After most of the others leave.”
That news made me want to spend the night there to keep an eye on him. But he wasn’t my boyfriend, so he was free to do whatever he wished.
“Unless you’ve changed your mind. Then I’d skip that and hang out with you.” His gaze rested on my lips.
Heat crept into my cheeks as I remembered the kiss. “That’s an interesting offer.” And tempting. “But no thanks.”
He smiled. The same smile that got him every girl in school. “Maybe next time.”
“Maybe.” I wracked my brain trying to think of an excuse to stay the night with Hayden, any possible way I could justify it without feeling like I’d compromised my principles.
“If we leave now, we have enough time to make it to my house by curfew.” Nadia skirted the front of the car and stopped at the driver’s side. “Later, Hayden.”
In a perfect world, I’d get a kiss goodbye. But my world wasn’t perfect and never would be.
We’d driven about a half mile when I remembered I’d left my purse. When Hayden had lured me into the garage, I’d set it on the table.
We doubled back and Nadia’s car idled in the driveway while I made a dash for the garage. As I crept in, I saw shadows that looked like two people, busy doing exactly what Hayden and I had been doing. Leaving my purse wasn’t an option though. My house keys were in it.
Interrupting two people making out… Awkward. “I’m sorry. I left my purse in here.”
The couple separated and I recognized the guy. Hayden. I burned with humiliation that he could be with another girl so soon. Pushing forward, I snatched my purse. I should’ve walked away, but I couldn’t.
“Moving on so soon, Hayden? Gosh, I only left a couple minutes ago.” I turned to go then changed my mind. The girl deserved to know she was being used. “He was kissing me in this same spot not too long ago. But don’t worry. It didn’t mean anything.” I whirled around to leave, then threw another barb over my shoulder, “With Hayden, it never does.”
I leaped into Nadia’s waiting car, fury pounding at my temples and promising a sleepless night.
* * * *
I peered into Bree’s room to see her sound asleep. Our babysitter, Isabella, slept on the daybed nearby. I gingerly closed the door and tiptoed down the hallway, but froze about halfway to my room.
Someone was in there. I recognized the energy. It was the same person who’d watched me outside the auditorium the other day. Someone I’d never met. He or she had been in the house a while too, long enough to leave a lingering scent. Bree and Isabella had been alone with this stranger.
I squeezed my eyes shut, my pulse roaring in my ears. I whirled and poked my head inside Bree’s room again, terrified that something bad had happened to them. I listened for their rhythmic breathing, then closed the door and wiped beads of sweat off my forehead.
Think, Tessa, think. Whoever lurked had to know I’d sense their presence. If they meant me harm, they could have accomplished that any number of ways. Earlier tonight at the party, for instance, I’d been a perfect target with the liquor fogging up my brain.