Page 34 of The Secret's Out

Heck. Shaking my head, I grabbed my tray and went to the nearest vacant table. I slammed my tray down and sat.

Too late I realised I only grabbed an apple. Shrugging to myself, I picked it up and took a bite. Juice dribbled down my chin. I wiped it away as Eli sat on one side of me and Caden the other side.

“You’ll need more than that,” Caden said and placed two pizza slices on my tray.

“Thank you,” I uttered.

“Precious, we’re only looking out for you.”

“I know, but—”

“Hey, girlfriend.” A leggy blonde smiled at me as she stopped in front of our table. Inwardly, I groaned. I had never met this woman before and yet she was calling me girlfriend. “I’m having a party this weekend. I wanted to know if you all want to come?”

“What’s in it for us?” Eli smiled. Quickly, the smile faded and he turned an apologetic grimace to me as I glared back. I suppose I couldn’t expect to turn his playboy attitude off overnight. At least he felt bad for it.

Glancing back at the blonde, I said, “No, but thank you for asking.” I smiled.

“That’s cool, how about just your friends come then?”

I really wanted to bang my head against the table. Instead, I took my annoyance out on the pizza and bit into it roughly.

“We’re busy,” Eli said.

“Yeah, anything I could help out with?” she purred.

Snorting, I took another bite of my pizza.

“Do you have a problem?” she asked me.

Sighing, I placed my pizza down on the plate and looked back up to her. “No, I don’t, but I think you’re trying too hard. Yes, they’re hot men, but they have already said they were busy and you’re still trying to throw yourself at them.” Slamming my mouth shut, I blushed. Never had I spoken that much to someone I didn’t know, especially so confrontationally.

I was appalled by my behaviour.

Then again, I didn’t like the way she wanted a chunk out of Eli and Caden.

“Scat,” Eli growled.

She huffed and stormed back to her table.

“Sweetheart—”

“I can’t believe I just said that,” I uttered.

“Baby,” Caden started. “You think we’re hot?”

Blushing, I was glad, for once, when we were interrupted again.

“Hey all, you would not believe the rumours I’ve been hearing starring our little girl here,” Simone said as she sat across from us. She looked to my blushing cheeks and asked, “What’s going on?”

Eli chuckled, leaned back in his seat and said, “Not much. Women keep hittin’ on us. Josie doesn’t like it. She told one girl to stop. Plus Josie thinks we’re hot.”

“Eli,” I snapped.

“Precious,” Caden said in a low tone. Turning my head, he moved in closer, so our noses nearly touched. “We like that you don’t like women tryin’ to sink their claws into us. Shows us that you do want us. So maybe, if it happens, you tell the leeches we’re your fellas.”

“Um.” I blushed, my breathing heavy. “O-okay.”

“Good.” He smiled and tucked a loose piece of hair behind my ear sending tingles down my body. He caught that shudder and his smile deepened.

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