Page 31 of Prey Tell
“Oh,” I whisper, feeling feverish.
“It should also be noted that the title of the play—Much Ado About Nothing—is a dirty pun. ‘Nothing’ was an Elizabethan euphemism for a woman’s…” he trails off, and when I snap my eyes to his, he’s smirking.
Why is it so hot in here?
The play continues in the same fashion—with Chase leaning down to whisper into my ear every few minutes. Things about the play itself, or Shakespeare. Suddenly, the play ends, and I spy a beaming Jackson on stage grinning as Chase waves at him nonchalantly.
I gather my things, intent on exiting the auditorium without my underwear getting any wetter, but Chase has a different idea.
He follows me out of the theater, hand on my lower back like a gentleman as we wait for Jackson. People disperse and walk to their cars, but Chase hangs next to me as I try not to ‘fidget.’
“How’s work?” he asks, hands in his pockets.
I shrug. “Fine.”
He huffs a laugh and looks away. “Just fine? What’s the problem? I would’ve thought Human Sexuality to be of interest to you.”
I look up at him as his blue eyes pierce into mine. “It is interesting.”
“But…” he murmurs, taking a step closer.
I look around the empty school, realizing that I’m standing in front of Saint Helena Academy alone, with Chase Ravage. The parking lot is cleared out now, and the dusty, orange sky makes his eyes seem gold rather than blue.
Not that I’m noticing his eyes.
“But,” I huff, crossing my arms. “One of my students said something to me yesterday that I can’t stop thinking about.”
He arches a brow and inclines his head, waiting for me to continue.Why am I telling him about this?
“She said that one day I’d be famous for my academic work. But I don’t want toonlybe remembered by that.” I look down at the concrete. “I’m twenty-six, and it’s just now occurring to me that I haven’treallylived at all.”
Chase opens his mouth to respond, but as he does, Jackson pushes through the front door of the building, and I get distracted by the way Chase’s face crinkles with delight when he pulls away from hugging my brother. I always forget how close they are—how comfortable they are around each other.
I give Jackson a quick hug and we all walk toward the parking lot together. Jackson gets in his car and drives off, leaving Ravage and I alone with our two cars two spaces away from each other—his a thousand times nicer than my used VW Golf. So much so that I can’t decipher what kind of car it is.
I turn to face him, expecting a quick goodbye, but instead, he leans against his car and watches me as I attempt to unlock my door.
“It gets stuck sometimes,” I mumble, twisting the key and trying to quell my shaky hands. “Come on, you piece of—”
“Allow me.”
I inhale sharply when the front of his body presses against my back. My body shudders once. His hand comes around mine, working the key out slightly, before turning it again.
The doors click open audibly, but Chase doesn’t step away. He’s directly behind me, and I have to close my eyes to steady my shortened breaths. His hand squeezes mine, and it takes me a second to realize that he’s pulling the key out of the lock. Still, he doesn’t move, except for a soft swipe of his thumb against the top of my palm.
“Chase—”
He steps away—several steps, actually. When I turn to face him, his expression is slightly bewildered, but then he snaps back to his usual, steely self—like he’s closing himself off again.
Clearing his throat, he gestures to his car. “I should go. Goodnight, Parker. Give Duncan my regards,” he adds, practically growling the last sentence.
Watching as he drives away, I wait until he’s out of sight to gulp in some air. I hadn’t realized I was holding my breath. Duncan… did he meanDylan?I suppose he doesn’t know about the fact that we broke up. If he had, would he have stayed longer? Suggested dinner? Pressed himself against me harder?
Maybe that was the reason behind his multifaceted expression as he pulled away. He felt it too—but he thinks I’m still engaged to Dylan.
Climbing into my car, I stare at my steering wheel for several minutes.
I should go next week—to Chase’s party.
