Page 23 of Make Me Pretty
With a soft sigh, I murmur, “Fuck, I still remember the first time you saw me after…” I glance up. “You know…” I waggle my brows, making him splutter his Redbull over the table. “You were so angry. And curious. I could feel your eyes on me that entire lunch period.”
“Excuse me?” he blurts, incredulous and too loud. Heads turn again. Peris’s face heats marginally, but he doesn’t lose his nervous sneer.
I arch a brow while tugging on the barbell through the bridge of my nose. Honestly, out of all my wonky, self-done piercings, I’m still quite pleased with how well this one turned out.
“I think you heard me just fine. Unless you have a hearing problem? Because if so, you should get that checked out.” I crunch the candy between my molars, grinding the hard bitsloudly. “Oh, but I think even better than that was the first practice I ever… how should I say it…” I click my tongue. “I’m going with joined, because let’s be honest, I was just as much involved that day as anyone else. Though, I will say, you played like shit the entire time. Surprising for a team captain.” I tap my index finger to my cupid’s bow. “Couldn’t stay focused, I think.” I snicker.
And Peris falls for it like he always does.So easy.“Because you wereeatingsomeone’sfacethe whole time. Practically humping his fucking leg,” he snaps, quieter but still just as venomous.
“Mmm, yeah. I was.” I release a soft sigh, feigning reminiscence.
Golden-green eyes snap to mine, heating into liquid gold. “Shut thefuckup.”
My own widen in pleasant surprise.Well, well.“Now why would I do that when you love my mouth wide fuckingopen?”
Chase’s tongueis too much as it slides against mine—too thick and with way too much spit—but I swallow it down, allowing his venture into my mouth—if only to keep Peris’s gaze on me.
He loses his hold on the ball, and I watch as the defense steals it easily, diving across the court and shooting a two. Hands grapple at the tops of my arms, too gentle, too needy. I breathe a sigh, ignoring the fact that my nose is starting to get stuffed up.
Peris stares to his left, nearly peering over his shoulder to where I lean against the farthest wall of the gymnasium. I’mnearly out of sight, hidden almost entirely by the extended bleachers. But I know Peris can see me. It was the point, after all. I could do this literallyanywhere, but what’s the fun in that when I have such a loud voyeur in my vicinity?
Besides that, I love Peris’s eyes on me. The way I garner every ounce of his attention. First cautious and confused, slowly morphing into anger and exasperation as the weeks passed. He can’t help it, the poor thing. I really do bring out the nasty in everyone I touch.
“Hello,” I enunciate softly to Peris when Chase pulls his head away to mouth at my throat. I tilt my head back, giving him easier access, eyes never leaving Peris’s potent stare. Chase’s excess saliva is easier to handle when it’s on my skin versus in my fucking mouth.
I nearly roll my eyes, thinking of the time I’m wasting. But I still have time to make it before Jason gives up and leaves. He knows me well enough by now to know I don’t particularly like following set boundaries.
He’s one of the nice ones—and he always gives me more than I ask for.
And he likes my ass enough to not care about my blatant defiance. It makes the chase that much more fun, after all.
“How is that shit even happening right now?” Peris shouts loudly in the direction of anobviouslyunobservant teacher, who is supposed to be keeping an eye on everyone during the unsanctioned practice. The dude balks at Peris, clearly confused, before he follows the unsteady jerk of Peris’s arm, leading straight to me.
Before he can even open his mouth, I push Chase away with a sigh. “Play time’s over, babe. I gotta go.”
His blue eyes blink down at me, still reeling. I puff out my bottom lip. Poor thing, I barely even touched him.
I pat his shoulder, extracting myself from his vicinity to swipe up my backpack, discarded by my feet—never far away. “I’ll see you tomorrow.”
“Yeah?” he says excitedly. My eyes crinkle wearily. For fucks sake, are there really no other out-of-the-closet queer kids in this school? I mean, it’s not huge, but it’s not that small either. I’ve known about Ardent High long before I was put in a new home and started coming here last month.
Mainly because of their varsity basketball team always going to state, but still.
I give Chase a small, genuine smile. He may be too eager and definitely not my type, but he’s cute, and he wants to kiss me. And I like being kissed. “Sure thing, babe.” I press a kiss to his cheek, purposely darting my gaze to the right, and… yep. Peris is back to glaring, sinewy forearms crossed. The teacher is stomping over, face comically red. I can practically see the word “detention” poised on his lips.
Before Chase can respond, I’m slipping out the door, letting it clang shut behind me.
It’s hot and humid as all hell as I trek across town to the rundown motel a few blocks off Main Street. It’s only a twenty-minute walk, but by the time I’m pushing open the door to the usual motel room, my shirt is plastered to my skin, and I reek of sweat.
“Hey, baby boy,” Jason says from his usual spot on the bed. I give him a smile and drop my bag to the floor, heart kicking up at the prospect of what’s to come.
Peris’s hand shoots out,tanned fingers wrapping tightly around my covered forearm, clamping until I wheeze out a painful huff of air. My voice is lost, and I only have eyes for him.
Fuck, he’s hot.
“You don’t know what I like—which isnothingwhere you’re involved.” His voice is low, nothing more than a harsh whisper leeching into our shared air.
I can’t take my eyes off his hand on me, heavy with the promise of new bruises. He hasn’t dared come close enough to touch me. As many times as I thought I had finally breached hisbreaking point, low and behold, Peris would hold back by the skin of his teeth.
