Page 29 of Kissing the Debutant
“Jack Butler.” She shrugged. “Good choice if you ask me. I always liked him when I went to Twin Rivers High.”
“Jack? He’s here?”
Wylder nodded. “Didn’t I mention that? He’s been waiting outside this entire time we’ve been chatting.”
“Why? How?”
“Lil.” Wylder stood and crossed the room to put a hand on each of Lillian’s shoulders. “Calm down. He called me, and I helped him sneak onto campus.”
“That’s against the rules.” Wylder could get in serious trouble. “How do you even know how to do that?”
“I have my ways. As for the why… I thought that was obvious. He’s here for you.”
For her?
Lillian ran a hand over her bun, tucking in a few loose strands of hair. “Can you tell him to go?”
“Um, no.” Wylder met her gaze. “If you want him to go, it has to come from your lips.”
Lillian clasped her shaking hands. Why couldn’t Jack just give up on her? It would be for the best. Yet, she remembered how she’d spoken to him and realized she owed him an apology if nothing else. “Okay, I’ll talk to him.”
“That’s my girl.” Wylder swatted her butt, and Lillian jumped in surprise. “Go get ‘em.”
Her breath rasped in and out of her lungs as Lillian marched down the hall. There was an hour left until curfew, so many of the doors stood open as girls walked in and out of each other’s rooms. Gripping the metal handle, Lillian pushed the door open, stepping into the alcove between the two sets of doors. She sucked in a breath and walked outside to find Jack and Mia leaning against the side of the building.
Jack straightened as soon as he saw her, his grin reaching all the way to his eyes. How could he smile at her like that after she’d treated him so poorly?
The door opened behind her, and two girls walked out, not seeing the townies in their midst. Lillian rushed toward Jack, gripped his wrist, and pulled him around the side of the building away from prying eyes. Mia didn’t follow.
“Ow,” Jack laughed. “You’re surprisingly strong.”
“Shh.” Lillian pushed him up against the wall and looked behind her to make sure no one followed them. “I could get in so much trouble with you here.” They stood close, too close.
“Are you going to let me go?”
Lillian looked down at her hand still grasping his wrist and released him like he’d burned her. She stepped back, putting some much-needed distance between them. “What are you doing here?”
“I came to see you.”
Those words washed over Lillian, and she wanted to hear them again, but she pushed the desire away. He wasn’t here for her, only her dancing. “Look, I know I owe you an apology. I don’t take direction well.”
“Ego.”
“What?”
“It’s because you have a healthy ego. I get it. You’re good, but you also know you’re good and that makes you arrogant.”
“Did you seriously just come here to call me an arrogant egomaniac?”
“No.” He blew out a breath. “Sorry, no. I was just explaining—”
“Me? You were explaining me to me. Thanks, but I don’t need to be psychoanalyzed.” Lillian couldn’t remember the last person who got under her skin the way Jack could. “Sorry, I don’t normally talk this much. I usually just ignore people.”
“I noticed.”
“I—”
“Look, I didn’t come here to argue.” He pushed a hand through his hair. “I just want to dance.”
