to shake. “You. Are. Perfect.”
My heart thudded against my chest so hard it almost hurt. “Such a sweet talker,” I murmured.
Kale lifted his hand to my face and cupped my cheek, rubbing his thumb under my left eye. “Where’s my girl gone?” he mumbled.
I frowned. “I’m right here.”
He lightly shook his head. “No, my girl wears glasses and is terrified of other people seeing her with hardly any clothes on.”
Was terrified.
Lavender helped build my self-esteem up when she realised how shot it was. She had observed me a lot during our first few weeks of friendship, and she held off in calling me out on what she termed “hiding behind my books”. At first she thought I was just quiet, but when I let about to how Anna and Ally had made me feel about myself, she hit the roof. She blew a fuse and vowed then to always be completely honest with me, and she told me I was beautiful and that I shouldn’t hide behind the books I love so dearly because the real world was much better than fiction.
She started off by giving me small compliments every day. She repeatedly told me I had lovely penmanship and that she wished her ears and lips were like mine. Silly things that most people would overlook. Her compliments were only the beginning; she brought me on new adventures too. She was a daredevil and believed most things should be tried once, and she took me along for the wild ride. She broadened my perception of the world and myself, and eventually I became content with who I was. I wasn’t freaky or a nerd because I loved reading, and I wasn’t fat or ugly because I didn’t measure up to society’s version of beauty. Lavender made me appreciate my own beauty.
I didn’t understand what Lavender saw in me because I felt I didn’t offer anything great to our friendship, but she told me the way I cared for her was enough. She said that she noticed when I cared about someone; I treated them like one of my favourite books. I treasured and loved them. She said that was what was special about me.
I narrowed my eyes. “I’m growing up.”
“This is you growing up?” Kale asked as he continued to stroke his thumb under my eye, his eyes getting more bloodshot by the minute.
I nodded. “This is me having some fun, Kale. I wanted to come to a party and see what the fuss was all about; I’m tired of just reading about them in my books. I wanted to experience what one was really like.”
He growled, and the sound caused me to jump and lick my own lips as a thunderbolt of excitement shot up my spine.
“Dressed like that you wanted to experience a party?” he asked, maddened.
I stood my ground. “I’m eighteen next month, I can dress like this – and be with lads if I want to be.”
Kale’s breath hitched and he dropped his hand from my face. “You haven’t been with someone . . . have you?”
I felt heat spread across my cheeks. “Why do you care?”
I gasped when my back was suddenly pressed against the wall behind me, and Kale was up against me, moulding his hard body to the front of mine.
My centre began to throb.
“Have. You. Had. Sex?” Kale asked me, his eyes narrowed and non-blinking.
I was so twisted for finding him incredibly sexy when he was angry.
“What will you do if I have?” I questioned.
He placed his hands on either side of my head and said, “Rip the bastard’s dick off.”
My eyelids fluttered, and I couldn’t help but laugh. “And if I haven’t, what will you do?”
He dropped his roaring red eyes to my lips, and my heart almost came to a complete stop.
“Answer my question and I’ll show you.”
Show me. Not tell me.
“No,” I squeaked. “I haven’t had sex with anyone.”
Kale lowered his face to mine until our lips were centimetres apart.
“I’ve had a fair bit to drink,” he hiccupped. “So kick me in the balls if kissing you isn’t okay.”
I bit down on my lower lip, and the action caused him to groan as I felt him harden against me. Fuck. Shit. It was happening.
Finally.
“I’ll kick you in the balls if you don’t kiss me.”
Kale pressed his forehead against mine and said, “I don’t want to do something that will ruin things.”
“It’s too late for that,” I replied, terrified he would change his mind. “You want to kiss me,