Page 2 of The 13th Daughter
"You were at the party?" I looked up, startled.
He nodded. "Yeah. I saw you and Drunk Girl arrive, but I never saw you drink anything all night."
"No, I don't drink." And I didn't. I'd seen what it did to my dad. Watching that train wreck was enough to deter anyone from ever wanting to touch the stuff themselves, including me. My dad was great, except when he drank.
Then the impact of what he'd asked sunk in. How did he know I didn't drink anything? Had he been watching me? I peeked sideways at him and felt my mouth go dry. It was indecent the way his tight, green tee-shirt hugged his abs.
"Interesting," he said after a moment.
Interesting? What did that mean? Did he assume I was like Kay and drank myself into a stupor on a regular occurrence? Please don't think I'm that much of an idiot, I begged silently. Why did I even care what he thought anyway? It wasn't like he was interested in me or something. Was he? Did I want him interested? Oh, yeah, you bet your ass I did.
Guys tended to notice my best friend, Makayla Martin, first. It didn't bother me, though. I had just as much confidence in myself as she did. I always got anyone I wanted. Kay and I were the same in many ways, but we were also as different as Gucci heels were to a pair of Payless stilettos.
She was tall with dark, onyx hair that glowed like black fire. Her eyes, always full of life, shone like the hazel eyes of a cat. An olive complexion gave her an exotic look. Guys fell all over themselves for the chance of a smile.
Me now, I was a bit of a different story. I was short, petite, and full of the fire that is inherent in a redhead with an Irish ancestry. My hair stood out. It wasn't auburn or even that ugly orange shade some red-heads ended up with. No, my hair was blood red like a Coca-Cola can. My golden colored brown eyes flashed with the same confidence of Kay's. I could turn heads just as easily as she could. And I knew it.
Our personalities were just as different. Kay had this insane need to be the center of attention. She was literally a force of nature. I was usually content to be the fashionable sidekick with the kickass shoes. I didn't need every single person clamoring for my attention just so long as I got the attention of the person I wanted. Like the boy walking beside of me. And I would have him. Maybe. The stench could be a hurdle. Kay was so gonna get it tomorrow.
My mind flashed to my sister and for a second, her face danced in front of my eyes. If only she could see me now. She'd be laughing herself silly.
"This is my house," I told him as we came to the old yellow Victorian home. It was just a bit run down, but I still loved it. He followed me up the steps and stopped under the porch light. "Thanks for walking me home."
When he didn't say anything, I looked up to see him staring at me. A smile flirted with his lips. Dimples. He had dimples.
"Don't worry about it. I figured you might need some help when I saw you staggering away from the party. Does she always get that drunk?"
So he did look at Kay as possible girlfriend material! Of course he would be worried about her getting drunk all the time. I sighed with irritation. This could be a problem. There were times I really hated my best friend.
"No," I lied, my BBF skills kicking in despite my irritation. Kay did get drunk a lot. I coped with problems at home by writing in my journal. She coped with her problems by drinking. I frowned, a thought occurring to me.
"Wait, you followed us? A bit stalkerish don't you think?"
He grinned. My knees turned to butter. "Yeah, that's why I decided to follow you and only give you some help if you needed it. You're a tiny bit of fluff. I'm surprised the Amazon didn't bowl you over before you reached the lane."
"You're rude." Tiny? Why did he have to remark upon my shortness?
His smile widened.
"And Kay doesn't always act like that."
"You're a loyal little thing aren't you?" he laughed.
A little thing? Yet another remark upon my stature, my one bone of contention with my appearance. It irked me. He irked me. Maybe I didn't want him after all.
His eyes sparkled with laughter. He was irritating me on purpose.
"She's my friend."
His lips turned up in a half smile and his eyes darkened to steel. "Did I say something to upset you?"
"Of course not," I replied coolly. I couldn't seem to drag my gaze away from his eyes. They fascinated me. I'd never seen eyes that could turn so many shades of gray in a matter of seconds.
"And you've got a bit of a temper," he mused. His face wore an odd expression as he reached out and pushed a stray strand of hair behind my ear. I almost hyperventilated.
Normally, I would have evaded any guy who tried to touch me, especially one I didn't know, but not this one. I wanted him to touch me. Very weird.
His fingers were warm as they continued down from my ear and brushed my cheek. I felt a little spark of electricity shoot across my skin.
