Page 62 of Nerdelicious
Beast kicks the windshield wipers into high gear and we drive in silence, but not for long. After a few minutes, he parks under the same tree where we first kissed, shoving the truck into park and clicking it off.
I stare out the windshield while rain drenches the leaves above, the tree only providing a hint of resistance as water hammers all around us.
He watches me. Waiting.
I can’t look at him when I say it, but I owe him the truth. I keep my gaze on the night and try to swallow through the nerves threatening to explode out of my jittering limbs.
“I didn’t like seeing Caroline kiss you.” I take a deep breath and hold it.
He’s not saying anything. Not moving. I risk a quick glance. He’s facing me, but his expression is hard and flat.
“Because I was jealous, okay?” The words spill out of me like water onto a comic book, bleeding colorful ink. “I know it’s stupid. I know it’s highly illogical. I know that I’m leaving soon and it’s unfair and I can’t expect—”
He slides across the bench seat, cutting my words off with the press of his mouth. The kiss is brutal, hard, and all too brief.
He pulls back an inch to look into my face. His arm is along the back of the seat, the other one near my leg, not touching me, but nearly. I can’t do anything but stare at him.
My heart is pounding its way out of my ribcage. My shirt is probably vibrating with the force of it, but I can’t look down to check because I’m pinned under Beast’s dark eyes.
“But Caroline.”
He shakes his head.
“No?” I try to interpret the motion. “No more Caroline?”
He leans away far enough to pull out his phone.I told her we should be friends.
My hands clench in my lap. “Is that what I saw in the parking lot?”
He nods, and now he’s wary, watchful.
“Oh.”
Oh.
“But.” I swallow against the sand in my mouth. “What does this mean? What about... you know... I’m still leaving?”
Shrugs.
“You don’t care?”
Types.I care.
He presses another surprise kiss to my mouth, not as brutal as the last. Tender this time.
Then he’s typing again.You’re here now.
“Yeah, but once I’m gone... what if you wanted to,” the words have to be forced out, “start something up with Caroline and I’ve ruined your chances?”
Typing quickly.I don’t like Caroline. I like you.
“But—”
He huffs before I can continue my line of thought and then he’s typing again.I never really wanted to be with Caroline.
Wait. What? “You didn’t?”
It’s always been you.
