Page 101 of Ace My Heart

I glanced at him out of the corner of my eye, wondering if he was making fun of me. His face was unreadable. I blushed, deciding it was probably better not to know.

We lapsed into silence for the rest of the trip, and it wasn’t until we pulled into a parking space near the Botanic Gardens that he spoke again.

“Well, Stinky, I have to admit I feel sorry for the guy.” He turned to look at me.

I raised an eyebrow at him. “Why?” I demanded.

Joel sighed. “Because he’s been wanting to kiss you for years, and you finally gave him a taste of it. He’s going to want more, Stinky.”

I thought about Brad’s words the night he took me to Ben’s:“I want … there’s so much that I want …”

“Oh God,” I muttered. “I’m a horrible person. I only kissed him back because …” I came to a choking stop. I’d been absolutely on the verge of blurting out, “To make myself forget the way my chest ached when I saw you with Julie.”

Joel sighed beside me. “You’re not a horrible person, Mel. You just do things sometimes without thinking about the consequences until it’s too late.”

I couldn’t argue with that.

“But hey, at least I didn’t sleep with him, right?” I tried to joke.

“Thank God for small mercies,” Joel muttered.

We walked side by side towards the Oriental Garden where the funeral was being held. Joel’s warm, male scent blew across me in the breeze, and I shivered.

“Cold, Stink?” Joel asked me quietly. I shook my head stubbornly, but the wind gusted harder and I trembled for real. Joel chuckled and slung an arm around my shoulders. He wasverywarm. Against my better judgement I nestled in closer to his body.

“You don’t have to act so tough all the time, you know. I know that you’re really a big baby under all the bravado,” he said wryly. I tried to wriggle out from under his arm, but he held me firmly against him.

I grunted unhappily. “Well, you don’t have to act like a dickhead all the time. I know that there’s more to you than that. At least, I think there’s more … actually I have no idea.”

Joel snickered quietly. “I have to keep you guessing, Stink.”

I snorted. “Why? Do you like it that I’m always confused when I’m around you?”

He turned and scooped a hand under my chin until I was staring into his face. “You’re so cute when you’re confused, Stinky.”

I rolled my eyes. “According to you, I’m cute no matter what sort of bad mood I’m in.”

He shrugged. “So, I’m in trouble for telling you that you’re cute now am I?”

I didn’t have a reply for that. He pulled me closer against him. I tried to ignore how much I liked being that close to him.

“You like this, don’t you Mel?” It was as if he’d read my thoughts.

I feigned ignorance. “I have no idea what you’re talking about, Joel.”

He chuckled. “I think you do. I think you like being in my arms way more than you’ll ever admit.”

I laughed sarcastically, if a little nervously. “Well, you’ll never know, since I’m never going to admit it, will you?”

He stopped walking and I was dragged to a halt. He turned me until my whole body was facing him.

“I wonder if I could make you admit it,” he breathed, his arms circling my waist, pulling me against him. I clamped my fingers down on his arms, but I couldn’t figure out if I wanted to push him away or drag him closer.

I sucked in a breath. “Joel, this is totally inappropriate. We’re here to attend a child’s funeral! Get off!” My voice was panicked. I was cranky with him; that was all. It had nothing to do with the fact that it had taken every ounce of my self-control not to close the gap between us myself.

He leaned away, a self-satisfied smile on his face. Then he sneaked in and brushed those full lips briefly against my cheek.

“You’re right, Stink. I’ll make you admit it some other time.”

---