Page 32 of Rookie Season
Andie and Ally are sitting at the table chatting like they’re lifelong friends. I need to get out of here.
“Thanks for dinner, I’m going to head home.”
“Oh, can you give Allegra a ride home?” Andie asks. “She rode here with me and was going to take the subway back. But since you’re going to the same place…” she trails off.
Ally looks at me with an apologetic grimace. Our loft isn’t exactly close to Mitch and Andie’s place.
Which means thirty minutes in my small space surrounded by Ally’s perfume while she’s wearing a tight leotard is my worst nightmare.
Or my naughtiest fantasy.
Either way, I’m screwed, and I can’t refuse.
CHAPTER 14
ALLEGRA
“I love this song!”I exclaim as I turn the radio up in Noah’s car.
Anything to fill the awkward, tense silence that’s been buzzing between us for the past ten minutes.
I’m way too aware of him—his large hand draped over the steering wheel, the way a stray lock of hair has fallen onto his forehead, the unmistakable scent of sandalwood and pine—and I need a distraction.
“Bed Chem” by Sabrina Carpenter plays through the car speakers, and Noah looks over at me with a pained expression. He often looks at me like that: like he’s some kind of tortured soul, and that me simply existing in his vicinity is his personal brand of the worst possible torture.
Which is only slightly offensive.
And also very bewildering—because I could have sworn there was also heat in his expression earlier, as we bickered in Andie and Mitch’s kitchen. Almost like he was…aroused.
Which I’m sure is just me misreading things.
Noah thinks I’m annoying as all hell. He doesnotthink I’m attractive.
But still, the memory of his brown eyes searing into mine has me a little hot and flustered. I quickly shove the thought away and say, “Don’t tell me you’re a Sabrina hater.”
“Who?” he asks.
“Sabrina Carpenter?” I gasp.
“I have no opinion on Sabrina Carpenter whatsoever,” he replies. Pauses. “Mostly because I have no idea who she is.”
“Of course you don’t,” I tease with a grin as I crank the radio up further. “But luckily for you, Noah Downsby, I am here to educate you.”
“I didn’t ask to be educated,” he grouches, but I swear I see a flicker of a smile cross his lips.Progress!
We’re silent for a few beats as the catchy pop song continues, but as Sabrina sings about late night fantasies of getting freaky, I realize I have made a colossal mistake.
Because I have inadvertently just turned up the most blatantly suggestive song on the planet…and then told Noah I’m going toeducatehim.
My cheeks flame red as Sabrina’s lyrics move on to talking about arriving at the same time, and I wring my hands in my lap. Noah, who’s been tolerating the song so far, makes a little choked coughing noise and redirects his glare from me to the radio.
“You doing okay over there?” I ask as he splutters.
Instead of responding, Noah reaches over and switches the radio off. Once again, silence fills the car.
Only now, it’s even more awkward than it was before.
Way to go, Allegra.
