Page 83 of Broken Ties (Rixon High 4)

My teeth ground together thinking about her like that. Naked. Her soft skin, creamy thighs and flat stomach. The curve of her hips.

“You should give your V-card to whoever the fuck you want.”

Bitter laughter caught in her throat. “I remember it, you know. Our pact.”

My heart stuttered in my chest. “Poppy, that was… it was a joke.”

“A joke.” Her lips twisted but sadness shone in her eyes. “I see. You know you keep telling me I’m your best friend, that you care about me, and yet, I’m beginning to think that maybe I don’t even know you at all. Maybe I never did.”

“Poppy, come on, that’s not—”

“Fair?” She let out a resigned sigh. “Nothing about this is. See you around, Aaron.” Poppy shoved me aside and took off down the stack.

While I stood there, wondering what the fuck had just happened.

“What crawled up your ass and died?” Cole asked me as we sat at our regular table for lunch.

“Nothing,” I grumbled, watching Poppy as she laughed at something Eli said. Ashleigh and Ezra had opted to sit with them. Like they were on a fucking double date in the cafeteria.

I threw down the rest of my sub and pushed my tray away, what little of my appetite I had left after the library long gone.

“Ah, I see. Feeling a little jealous?”

“Fuck off, Kandon,” I spat. Ready to bolt out of my seat and go over there and tell Hannigan to stop touching Poppy like he had some claim on her.

“Sounds like someone needs to get laid,” Nathan Carrick said, and the guys all chuckled.

“That’s not your favorite hand is it, Bennet?” Deacon, the cocky little fucker smirked.

I flipped him off. “Hand works just fine.”

“Don’t let them bait you,” Cole whispered. “As for Poppy and Eli, you could have—”

“Don’t.”

“Fine. How’s Sofia?”

“Why do you keep asking about Sofia?”

“What?” He frowned. “I don’t.”

“Yeah, you do. That’s like twice today.”

Eli reached for Poppy, pushing a stray hair from her eyes, and anger zipped up my spine.

“Sorry for being a good friend, asshole.”

“What?” I asked, meeting Cole’s bemused expression.

“Forget it. You’re clearly preoccupied.”

“What does she even see in him? He’s…”

“Athletic. Good looking. Smart… He likes her?” A low growl reverberated in my chest and Cole snorted. “Yeah, that’s what I thought. Jealousy looks good on you, bro.” He clapped me on the back.

“I’m not fucking jealous. Wait, you think he’s good looking? Better looking than me?”

“Seriously?” Cole smirked. “You’re a fucking idiot.”

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