Riley clamped his jaw shut, shaking his head slightly—like he’d rather rip out his tongue than finish that sentence. “Look, it’s Bianca.”
I narrowed my eyes, ready to fight. “You’re defending him?”
“No. No, Jones. The guy’s being an idiot, he knows that.” Riley ran his hands through his hair in frustration. He kept doing that—screwing with his hair. It was a mess. But a sexy mess.
Silently, Riley watched me, grinding his jaw muscles, seeming to weigh his next words. “Look, Jones, I just don’t want you to do something you’ll regret.”
“Something I’ll regret?”
I sighed.
You know how sometimes you don’t want to face something, so you just … don’t? You just sweep it under the rug and try to forget about it? That’s what I had been doing with Finn—for so long. Ever since the concert—but really, even before the concert. I had known something was up with Finn, that something wasn’t right, but I had just kept sweeping the problem under the rug so I didn’t have to face it or deal with it.
Then tonight I had finally decided to deal with it, once and for all—face it. What I regretted was not doing it before now.
My lips twisted and I jumped to my feet, heading towards the door. This was too painful—like another knife being jabbed into my heart—having Riley stand here, trying to talk me into staying with Finn—Finn who cheated on me multiple times. What could Riley’s motives possibly be? I was pretty sure I knew.
Grr!
“Don’t worry Riley,” I growled, “I’ll stay out of your way. I won’t try to get between you and Ava.”
He blinked, then tilted his head, like he was trying to figure out what I was saying. “Get between us?” He blocked my way as I tried to get past him to the door. “Jones, I broke up with Ava.”
“Oh.” My heart started doing a little flutter thing, beating all happy. “You did? Oh. Well, that’s good.” I breathed—tried to breathe. “With the way things were between you two—it seemed like it would be hard …”
Riley raised his eyebrows, waiting for me to go on. But I didn’t wanna.
Still, he waited, watching me.
“I mean, in case someone else, better for you …”
He tilted his head
“What, you mean if my true love ever comes along?” His lips quirked. “She did, Jones. Just unfortunately, my best friend saw her first.”
My heart slammed against my chest.
But Riley backed away from me, as though just noticing how close he’d gotten. He ran his hands through his hair. “Look,” he muttered, sounding resigned, “you and Finn—you’ve been together a long time. You’ll work it out.”
He didn’t get it.
“Riley, I don’t want to work things out with Finn—I’m over Finn.”
Riley’s lips quirked. “Jones, what are you saying?” He leaned in close again, so close I could feel his heat. His hungry eyes locked on mine. “Are you falling for me, Jones?”
I swallowed, finally going to do it. ‘Fess up. “Riley … I already have.”
He smiled, playfully pinning me against the door. He messed with a lock of my hair. “I’m not going to give you any free passes, Jones.”
“That’s good,” I said, but I needed things to be clear—totally clear—before I fell completely, for real. “Are you asking me to be your girlfriend?”
“Of course,” he murmured and finally … he kissed me.
Author Bio:
Melanie Marks was born and raised in California. She is married to a naval nuclear submarine officer and blessed with three amazingly terrific kids.
Melanie has had over fifty short stories published in magazines such as Highlights, Woman’s World, and Teen Magazine as well as in various anthologies. She’s had four children’s books published and one YA novel, The Dating Deal. More YA novels are forthcoming in 2011, such as The Stranger Inside; A Demon’s Kiss ; and When Kyle Came Back.
Melanie enjoys reading in the bathtub, writing in bed, and living in a house longer than
I narrowed my eyes, ready to fight. “You’re defending him?”
“No. No, Jones. The guy’s being an idiot, he knows that.” Riley ran his hands through his hair in frustration. He kept doing that—screwing with his hair. It was a mess. But a sexy mess.
Silently, Riley watched me, grinding his jaw muscles, seeming to weigh his next words. “Look, Jones, I just don’t want you to do something you’ll regret.”
“Something I’ll regret?”
I sighed.
You know how sometimes you don’t want to face something, so you just … don’t? You just sweep it under the rug and try to forget about it? That’s what I had been doing with Finn—for so long. Ever since the concert—but really, even before the concert. I had known something was up with Finn, that something wasn’t right, but I had just kept sweeping the problem under the rug so I didn’t have to face it or deal with it.
Then tonight I had finally decided to deal with it, once and for all—face it. What I regretted was not doing it before now.
My lips twisted and I jumped to my feet, heading towards the door. This was too painful—like another knife being jabbed into my heart—having Riley stand here, trying to talk me into staying with Finn—Finn who cheated on me multiple times. What could Riley’s motives possibly be? I was pretty sure I knew.
Grr!
“Don’t worry Riley,” I growled, “I’ll stay out of your way. I won’t try to get between you and Ava.”
He blinked, then tilted his head, like he was trying to figure out what I was saying. “Get between us?” He blocked my way as I tried to get past him to the door. “Jones, I broke up with Ava.”
“Oh.” My heart started doing a little flutter thing, beating all happy. “You did? Oh. Well, that’s good.” I breathed—tried to breathe. “With the way things were between you two—it seemed like it would be hard …”
Riley raised his eyebrows, waiting for me to go on. But I didn’t wanna.
Still, he waited, watching me.
“I mean, in case someone else, better for you …”
He tilted his head
“What, you mean if my true love ever comes along?” His lips quirked. “She did, Jones. Just unfortunately, my best friend saw her first.”
My heart slammed against my chest.
But Riley backed away from me, as though just noticing how close he’d gotten. He ran his hands through his hair. “Look,” he muttered, sounding resigned, “you and Finn—you’ve been together a long time. You’ll work it out.”
He didn’t get it.
“Riley, I don’t want to work things out with Finn—I’m over Finn.”
Riley’s lips quirked. “Jones, what are you saying?” He leaned in close again, so close I could feel his heat. His hungry eyes locked on mine. “Are you falling for me, Jones?”
I swallowed, finally going to do it. ‘Fess up. “Riley … I already have.”
He smiled, playfully pinning me against the door. He messed with a lock of my hair. “I’m not going to give you any free passes, Jones.”
“That’s good,” I said, but I needed things to be clear—totally clear—before I fell completely, for real. “Are you asking me to be your girlfriend?”
“Of course,” he murmured and finally … he kissed me.
Author Bio:
Melanie Marks was born and raised in California. She is married to a naval nuclear submarine officer and blessed with three amazingly terrific kids.
Melanie has had over fifty short stories published in magazines such as Highlights, Woman’s World, and Teen Magazine as well as in various anthologies. She’s had four children’s books published and one YA novel, The Dating Deal. More YA novels are forthcoming in 2011, such as The Stranger Inside; A Demon’s Kiss ; and When Kyle Came Back.
Melanie enjoys reading in the bathtub, writing in bed, and living in a house longer than
Similar Books
