Page 44 of Fighting for You
Watching her green eyes spark and her lips thin in annoyance is turning me on, which might be a problem.
“Stop it,” she whisper-shouts again.
“Stop what?” I whisper back. “And why are we whispering? You ashamed of me, Freckles?”
Her face instantly blushes, and my cock stirs to life even more.
Fuck.
“I—what? No? Why would I be ashamed of you? And I meant stoplookingat me like that.”
I sling the dress over my shoulder then slowly walk toward her. For every step I take, she retreats with one of her own. Afterjust a few, she’s pressed against the door, allowing me to cage her in. “Like what, Margot?” My heart is racing, I’m pumped up on adrenaline from being this close to her. She opens her mouth to speak, but nothing comes out. Her pupils dilate as her eyes stay locked on my mouth. “Come on, baby. How am I looking at you?”
I put my arm above her on the door, leaning in so our mouths are only inches apart now. “Like… like you want to kiss me.”
I let out a soft chuckle. “I really fucking do.”
She leans in the tiniest bit like she just might do it, putting us both out of our torture. Then her eyes shoot up to mine, and she pushes me off of her, only making me laugh more. “Why are you here with my dress, Brooks?” she says as she steps away from the wall, and her shoulders move with the deep breath she inhales.
I toss the dress in question over to her. “I was going to give it to Hayes to return it to you.”
Her eyes widen in shock. “You—what? You were going to just hand Hayes my dress? You realize he would assume the worst, right?” She’s back to whisper-shouting now that we aren’t right in each other’s faces.
“The worst? What’s that, Margot? What would be the absolute worst he could assume from me handing him your dress?”
Her cheeks redden even further. She’s once again opening her mouth to speak then closing it. This happens a couple times before she looks off to the side and says, “He’d think we slept together.”
I scoff. “No, not slept together. He’d think wefucked,” I correct her. She may have meant the same thing, but the words were wrong. And it’s true. If I’d handed it over with zero context, he would think that. I’d planned on giving him a very thorough explanation, but messing with Margot is more fun. “I’ll make you a deal.”
Her eyes shoot back up to me. “A deal?” I nod my head. “Okay…”
I walk toward her again, but this time, she doesn’t retreat. She stands her ground, allowing me into her personal space. “Go on a date with me. Give me a chance to prove I’m not the guy you and everyone else thinks I am, and I won’t walk out of this room and hand Hayes your dress.”
The smile blooming on her face is the last thing I expected. “You’re blackmailing me into going out with you?”
My tongue darts out to wet my lips, and her eyes follow the trail. “I am. But I should warn you, this is the last time I’m going to ask you out. Not sure if you realize this, but you’ve turned me down twice now.”
Her hand shoots up to her mouth, covering the delicate laugh escaping her lips as she nods her head. “I’m very aware.”
I try not to let the words bring me down as I wait to see if she’ll say more.
“Fine,” she says with resignation in her voice. I’m not sure if I should be happy or concerned with how easily she agreed.
“Fine?”
“Mhm, fine.”
I don’t waste any more time questioning it. “I’ll pick you up on Friday then.”
I go to turn around when Margot says, “Wait, on the motorcycle? And what time?”
Looking over my shoulder, I say, “Nope. In my dad’s truck. And five—sharp. Be ready.” Then I walk out the door like I wasn’t just locked in a room with the girl of my fucking dreams, blackmailing her into a date like a goddamn creep.
It’s a few minutes before Margot walks out of the breakroom, her features schooled like she has nothing to hide. I don’t miss the smirk on Kori’s face as she watches Margot walk out and into the main area. She finds me from across the room, her eyebrows raising in question. I turn my back to her and put my hand behind me, middle finger glaring in her direction. She laughs from her stool but says nothing.
I’m fairly certain Kori is cool, but I guess I’ll find out after this. If Hayes shows up on my doorstep in a fit of rage, I’ll know who ratted me out.
Speaking of, Hayes walks back in looking more pissed off than usual, putting all my plans to talk to him on the back burner for another day. His huge frame and ragey energy steal all the space in the shop.
