Page 58 of Breaking Rules
Her small hands settled on my lower back, warm and energizing. “God no. And I’m not going to the ball with him, either.”
I held her to me. “Then why did you let him put his arm around you?”
She dragged her nails lightly over my back. “Maybe to make you jealous. It worked, didn’t it?”
I couldn’t think with her hands on me, or the way her nails felt along my skin, tingly and nice. “So you were late. Everything okay?”
“I was having dinner with my mom, and then I got a call from one of the art galleries I applied to for a job. I’ll be starting next week.”
We held an unblinking stare in the faint light from a neighbor’s house behind us. “I was curious if you wanted to go out sometime?”
Her blue eyes, framed by thick lashes, widened. “For real?”
I was dying to kiss her, but I wanted to wait until she said yes. “Maybe we can go surfing. Do you know how to surf?”
She glanced past me to the water then back up at me. “I can barely swim, let alone surf.”
“I didn’t mean tonight.” The surf was rough. “Tomorrow, though.” I wanted to spend some time alone with her away from the group and party. I wanted a chance to get to know the real Montana. She’d shown me a glimpse of her sweet side and a ton of her feisty side. But I wanted to see more. “I’ll teach you.”
“Train, what changed your mind about me?”
“I can’t give all my secrets away tonight. Say yes, and I’ll tell you in the morning.”
Her lips parted slightly as she studied me.
I could’ve told her that her spunkiness, the sweetness she’d displayed with my mom, her bold attitude, her curves, her legs, and her tits were all the reasons I was attracted to her, but I was having fun, especially catching her off guard.
“Well, then. I’ll tell you my answer in the morning.”
I went to say something, when Elvira ran up. “Reagan and Nina are fighting.”
I bolted back to the house. When I got to the group surrounding the fight, I pushed them aside. Reagan was yelling. “You’re such a slut. I told you to keep your paws off of Austin.”
My best friend shook his head at me. I wasn’t sure what he was trying to tell me.
“Nina, leave,” I said in a tight voice. “You weren’t invited, anyway. So get out.”
Nina stuck out her chest and opened her mouth.
I held up my hand. “Don’t make threats you can’t cash.”
She stomped past me then snarled at Montana before she disappeared. I flicked my head at Derek, who I realized was standing next to me. “Make sure she’s gone.”
He saluted me.
I blew out a huge sigh.Time for a beer.Austin and Reagan disappeared down the beach. The rest of the partygoers resumed talking. I didn’t see Ferris, and frankly, I didn’t care to see him. Elvira and Montana went down to the fire pit while I got a beer.
Derek returned two minutes later. “She’s gone. Her and Drew drove off. That girl is evil with a capital E.”
I agreed as I drank my beer. “Did you see where Ferris went?”
“I think he left,” Derek said.
Derek’s girl, Jan, couldn’t come tonight, so we both commandeered two lounge chairs on the patio. We drank and talked football.
By ten that night, the party was in full swing. The music continued to pump out of the speakers, a group sat around the fire pit, others danced on the patio below deck, and couples disappeared down the beach. I was the key master, which meant I had all car keys. No one could leave without checking in with me. Then again, our parties on the beach were all-nighters, and kids who came to our parties showed up prepared with sleeping bags.
Derek ended up down by the fire pit with Austin and Reagan. I mingled, always keeping my eye on Montana. I didn’t want to crowd her space, but every time I saw her talking to a guy, including Lou from the football team, I wanted to kidnap her and take her to my room so we could pick up where we’d left off at her house. But I decided to take a break from obsessing over the blond goddess. Tomorrow would come soon enough. So I headed down the beach to find a place to take a piss. A long line of girls had been waiting earlier for the downstairs bathroom. I could’ve used the bathroom in my bedroom, but I was lazy and didn’t want to give anyone any ideas that they could follow me.
