Total pages in book: 87
Estimated words: 87911 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 440(@200wpm)___ 352(@250wpm)___ 293(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 87911 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 440(@200wpm)___ 352(@250wpm)___ 293(@300wpm)
“I’ve got a first aid kit in my locker. Let me take care of your face,” she said.
She held his hand and saw Ian and Alfie share a look before he followed her.
Neither of them spoke, and her hands were shaking. Once she had the kit, she took him to the boys’ locker room.
“What would you have done if this was full of guys?” he asked.
“Taken you into the girls’ and let them deal with you. They’d have patched you up real good.”
“I’m starting to think you’re a little jealous,” he said.
“Not jealous, just busy. Take a seat.” She put her bag on the floor and opened up the first aid kit. “He got you a good one,” she said looking at the kit on his lip and on his eye.
“Yeah, I wasn’t focusing.”
“You didn’t need to fight him for me.”
“I did. No one will trip you when I’m around, and there’s no chance of anyone hurting you on my watch.”
“You can’t protect me all the time. The bullying’s not going to end until I leave here.”
“You’re leaving?”
“Let’s not talk now.”
“Are you, like, running away?”
“Hell, no. I’m not running away.” She didn’t want to talk to him about her plans.
“You know, boyfriends and girlfriends share everything together.”
“They do, do they? We’re not dating.”
“Now you’re just being mean.”
She chuckled. “We’re not dating. We’re … abiding each other’s company.”
“I’m wearing you down, and you know it. You’re going to be my girlfriend soon, Chloe. You may as well get used to it.”
“Not happening, Alfie.” She opened up an alcohol wipe and pressed it against his cut. He winced. “You may have to go to the hospital and get some stitches.”
“No, I won’t.”
“You don’t have to be brave and tough for me.”
“You think this is the first time I’ve gotten a cut eyebrow and lip? Please, this is child’s play in the club.”
“It looks bad.”
“I don’t care. Just put a bandage or some tape over it. It’ll be good.”
“You winced at an alcohol wipe.”
“I said I don’t need stitches. I didn’t say anything about not behaving like a baby over it. Come on, I can handle it.”
She smiled and cleaned him up.
“So that kiss, huh? Would it be natural of me to think that was your first one?”
“Yes.”
“And I was the one to give it to you.”
“Why do you have to make everything sound so dirty?”
“It is what it is,” he said. “So I was? You know, your first?”
She rolled her eyes. “Yes, you were my first. I had to figure out a way of getting you to stop punching him. I didn’t want you getting in trouble for me.”
“Why not?”
“I just don’t want you to get in trouble. I’ve dealt with more of this, and I’m fine with it. There’s no reason you should be dragged down. I don’t think your dad would be happy about coming down here to deal with you.”
“He’d be happy to know I was doing it to defend you.” He reached out and pushed some hair out of the way.
“Well, thank you, all the same,” she said. “I do appreciate it.”
“You’re sure? I’m not feeling the appreciation here.”
“I stopped you from getting suspended or your dad coming here. You got a kiss out of it as well, and I fixed your face.”
“I wasn’t able to enjoy the kiss.”
“And everything else?”
“I thank you, but I think you should kiss me again.”
She giggled. “You do, and why?”
“I’m your savior. I’m your personal knight in shining armor or whatever bullshit that is called,” he said.
“You’re really going to use that as a reason to get another kiss?”
“I’d rather use no reason and just have you kiss me, but I don’t seem to be getting what I want.”
“You want me to just kiss you?”
“It’s what normal people in a relationship do.”
“We’re not in a relationship.”
“You’re hurting my feelings, Chloe.” He put a hand over her heart, and as she put away the first aid kit, he took her hand. He pressed his lips to her knuckles and smiled at her. “I’m wearing you down. I can see you want to kiss me. You do.”
“I do not.”
“Why don’t you try it and we’ll see.”
She laughed. “You think I don’t know where you’re going with this? I do. I can see right through you.”
“That’s scary.”
He cupped her face, and before she knew what was happening, his lips were on hers. The kiss seared right to her soul, and any laughter died as he actually kissed her. It was slow at first, exploratory, and changed within seconds as he ravished her mouth.
After only a few seconds, but felt like longer, he pulled back. “That was the first kiss I should have given you.”
****
“You want to take her on a date?” Lily asked.
She was walking around the supermarket, picking up some fresh produce.
Alfie had been on his way to the clubhouse when he saw her.