Page 62 of She Was Made for Me

She folds her arms and cocks a hip, staring down at me. I diligently study my book, attempting to make sense of the words as her gaze bores into the top of my head. Her foot begins to tap the floor beside me.

Oh, she’s good.

With a sigh, I set the book aside. “How was it?”

Satisfaction ghosts across her lips. “It was nice.”

Great. Conversation over.

I nod and reach for my book again, as she adds, “He kissed me.”

My grip tightens on the cover. Good thing it’s a hardback. “He did?”

Of course he did. It was a date. And she’sgorgeous. He had every right to kiss her.

Unlike me.

I crack the spine of my book and look down, but now I can’t even make out the words. They’re just a blur of black smudges on the page.

Hekissedher. She kissedsomeone elsetonight. It makes my chest tight and hot with jealousy. In this moment I don’t even care that she’s the daughter of my friend, I’m so consumed with this sick feeling inside.

I don’twanther kissing anyone else.

So much for only caring about her safety.

“He did,” she replies, not moving from her spot beside me. “He actually invited me back to his place…”

“He what?” I snap the book shut and jerk my head up in shock. “On the first date?” That little shit. I knew he was bad news, I justknewit.

Her eyes shimmer with mischief, and I realize exactly what she’s doing. She’s baiting me. She wants me angry. She wants me to snap and tell her I was wrong, that she shouldn’t have gone out with him.

That she belongs with me.

Well, that’s not going to happen. As much as it turns me on when she behaves like this—I’ve had more than one fantasy of bending her over my knee and showing her who’s boss—I can’t do that.

I just can’t.

“I considered it,” she says, watching me.

“Don’t, Violet.”

“You’re the one who told me to go out with him.”

I grit my teeth, rising from my chair. “You know why I told you to do that.”

She looks up at me from under her lashes.

Goddammit. Don’t give in to her.

“And why was that, again?”

I shake my head. Fuck, she’s infuriating.

“Well.” She lifts a shoulder, casually glancing away. “He asked me out again. I think I’ll say yes.”

My stomach drops. “You can’t be serious.”

“Why not? I have no reason to say no.”