What do you do to me Bryan Cooper?
“I am fine.” I simply whispered, looking into his eyes. His eyes finally turned to mine. Oh my!
“I am sorry about Anastasia.” He said guiltily.
I blinked in surprise and then remembered why I was angry on him. I moved back, glaring at him. His face turned even more guilty and depressed. No, don’t comfort him you’re pissed off.
“Why are you here?” I asked, keeping my voice void of any emotion and barely succeeding.
He shifted uncomfortably. “Max texted me in the morning that you were at Alan’s farmhouse and drunk and almost um… you know” He cleared his throat awkwardly. “So I came here.”
I looked around, realizing for the first time at I was in a guest room. I guess Logan and Alan had to lift me because I sure don’t remember climbing the stairs.
I frowned at him. “Why did you come then?”
His face turned to confused. “Why wouldn’t I?”
I shrugged staring at my knotted fingers, “You gave me the impression that you didn’t care.”
From the corner of my eyes, I saw him shift on his legs, coming closer. His eyes strained on me. “I do Muffin. A little too much.”
Muffin. Muffin.
How much had I missed that name? I hadn’t even been able to eat cake these six days because they reminded me of muffins and muffins reminded me for a particular guy who stole my heart so deftly and then ran away with it.
I swallowed, not allowing my emotions to get me. I snorted at him. “Ya right.”
His face clouded with irritation. “Fine don’t believe me.”
“I am not going to.”
“Then don’t.”
“Am not.”
“Good.”
“Yeah good.”
We stared into each other’s eyes angrily. Two frustrated people fighting and glaring at each other.
The air seemed to intensify and in the next blink his lips were on mine, hard and aggressive. I felt the wave of shock and want ripple through my body. I definitely wasn’t expecting this. His mouth demanding yet so soft and sending pleasure right down till my toes as his arm forcefully twisted around my waist and pulled me towards him.
I felt my wall of resistance slowly crumble as his lips moved against mine and I found myself closing my eyes and kissing him back. I don’t think I had the will-power to even stop him. Instinctively my arms went around his neck and threaded in his hair, pulling them slightly.
I smiled when I got a small groan in response. His tongue swiped my bottom lip asking for entrance and I gave it without another thought. The second his tongue touched mine, the chills in my body multiplied. The kiss was domineering, aggressive, intense, toe-curling and stomach-clenching.
Before I knew it Bryan’s lips left mine and he had stepped back. His hand swiped through the messy mop of brown hair, his eyes never meeting mine. I was still in shock, blinking as my just woken mind tried to acclimate to the sudden events.
Bryan Cooper just kissed me. Again. And I kissed him back. Again.
Oh joy!
I took in a deep breath, willing my mind to not think about pulling Bryan from his collar and kissing him senselessly again. “I should uh-”
“Why can’t you just believe me?” He cut in with a frustrated tone.
“Why did you ignore me?” I asked.
“Can you stop answering my questions with another question?” He looked ready to pull his hair out.
I shook my head. “Why were you ignoring me Bryan?” I wanted to ask why he kissed me also but something told me he would ignore that question. No surprise there.
“I was busy.”
My eyes narrowed. “Busy with?”
“Things.” He answered vaguely.
I held back my scowl. “I am fine so you can leave now. Stay busy with your things.” I spat doing the quotation marks with my fingers for things.
His eyes turned angry. “I am not going anywhere. Stop acting so jealous.”
I gritted my teeth, eyes narrowing at him. “I am not jealous!”
He smirked. “I can see the green demon dancing on your head.”
“Oh yeah? Soon the red demon will dance if you don’t leave now.”
“I am not leaving.”
We stared at each other angrily, no one ready to back down. Some naughty part of me wished that the air would electrify again and we would end up in hot jumbled mess on this old bed. Unfortunately the sensible part of me triumphed.
“Fine, you stay here. I’ll go.” I got down from the bed, planning to leave.
He groaned in clear infuriation, his frame stopping me. “Can’t we just talk like normal people?”
“No.” I answered, ducking and moving to the door.
“Why?”
“Because the sky is so high.” I snorted, walking out.
I sighed once I was out. That idiot, how can he just come and talk and then kiss me fervently like nothing ever happened? I’ll give him a taste of his own medicine now.
Some part of me knew I should give him a chance to explain and set things right but another bitchy part wanted him to realize what he had lost. I wasn’t going to be a second option.
My mind still reeled from the unexpected kiss and somehow the feel of his lips on mine couldn’t seem to leave my brain. It kept rewinding the scene again and again, making me wish I was still in the room, doing things that would make people say ‘Drink holy water’.
Snorting at the ridiculously impossible idea, I walked downstairs. The farmhouse looked exactly the same. Wooden furniture, ancient paintings, dreadful designs on the walls and creaking stairs. I winced as another stair creaked beneath my foot.
“Be calm? She slapped me!” I heard Max exclaim as I reached down.
I chuckled. “Who slapped you?”
Everyone stared at me with astonishment. I raised my eyebrows at them. “What?”
“You don’t remember?” Janice asked.
I scanned my pounding mind. Now thinking of it, I hardly remembered anything. I remembered that creepy guy touching me and I shuddered. I remembered Sean saving me and telling me not to tell anyone. Logan coming and then we went into a car. I vaguely remembered slapping guys and vomiting. “It’s a blur.” I finally answered. The kiss entering my mind again, I gritted my teeth. Will it ever leave?
Max scowled deeply at me. “You don’t remember slapping me?”
I blinked and gasped in horror. “No! Why would I slap you?”
“You did!” Max exclaimed, throwing his hands in air as if that was the most shocking thing to ever happen. “‘Then you shouted five down, zero to go. You go bitch!’ And ran away.”
Logan and Alan burst out laughing while Dylan slapped my back proudly. “You go bitch!” He teased.
I slapped his arm. “Shut up! I kind of remember saying that but I didn’t know it was you.”
“Well thanks for forgetting me!” Max remarked angrily.
“Hey! I was drunk!” I defended.
“Drunk in love!” Dylan teased.
“Shut up! I already have a headache.” I shouted, walking into the kitchen for water.
“Where’s Ace?” I heard Logan ask.
“Probably going through Joanna’s panties.” Dylan answered.
My eyes widened and just as I turned to dash into my room, Ace came down, a paper in his hand.
Sighing in relief, I took a bottle of chilled water and joined them. I couldn’t even look at Bryan without feeling a mix of annoyance, need and an acute desperation to touch him.
“What’s this?” Max asked, pointing at the paper.
“Where’s Brittany?” I looked around.
“Still sleeping, she’s too drunk.” Janice answered.
“Who dropped her here?”
Max shifted uncomfortably. “Me.”
I looked at him and then at Ace. “Are you going to let Bryan make decisions for you again?”
Bryan glared at me while Max winced. “No.”
“Then when are you asking her out?”
“She likes that stupid Australian guy.” He sounded so angry.
A small smirk settled on my face and me and Janice exchanged amused glances.
“How do you know?” Janice questioned.
“They were dancing so closely like isn’t there a rule that there should be at least two feet distance? And when I was driving her here she said she loves his accent.” His lips twisted into disgust.
I rolled my eyes. “All girls love accents, it’s a major turn on.”
“Yeah but we don’t necessarily date the accent guy or I would be dating Jasper now.” Janice said.
“You better not be.” Dylan warned possessively.
“Aww jealous?”
“Of that dumb accent?” Dylan grunted. “I am way better than him.”
“Oh please. Have you seen his light green eyes? They are to die for.” Janice said in a dreamy voice. A blind man could see she was teasing but of course Dylan couldn’t.
“Blue eyes are so much better.” He retorted immediately, pointing at his own eyes.
Janice snorted. “Hell no, light green are so different and mesmerizing.”
“Yeah well there are contacts-”
“Jack and Jill went up the hill.” Logan screamed, effectively shutting them up.
“To fetch a pail of water.” Alan continued.
“God knows what they did there.”
“They came down with a daughter.” They both said together.
We were used to this. They did it every time any of us fought. But judging by the surprised expression of Max, Dylan and Ace they were hearing it for the first time.
“What was that?” Dylan finally spoke.
“The new version of Jack and Jill.” Logan answered proudly.
“It’s awesome!” Max exclaimed.
Alan grinned. “I know right.”
“We should scream that in every lecture, especially literature.” Dylan suggested excitedly.
“Yeah that’d be so much fun.” Logan instantly agreed.
“This is our three day plan.” Ace said, efficiently changing the topic.
All of us clouded over the table. Dylan pushed me towards Bryan just as I leaned besides Janice. Idiot. I stood immobile, not going anywhere near Bryan. He sighed irately, pushing himself between Logan and Alan, making place for me between Logan and Max. I quickly got in between them before someone pushed me out again.
The plan was simple. We were to rest today until evening as Brittany was still sleeping. Then we could go for swimming or bowling. No drinks. Thankfully. The next day we were going to complete another thing from my bucket list- BASE jumping and in the evening for ice skating (Janice’s idea), the last day we were just going to rest, eat, drive to some lake or something and back home. Sounded fun until I came to know the driving teams.
There were 3 cars-Logan, Dylan, Alan in Dylan’s car. Max, Brittany and Janice in Max’s car. And guess who’s with me? Despite all my protests. The God of devils himself- Bryan Cooper! So much fun. Not.
Bryan turned to me with a promising and heated look. “Seems like you are stuck with me Muffin.”
“Unfortunately.” I snorted.
He’s lucky he looks hot or I wouldn’t even talk to him!