Falling for a Bentley Read online

  “Yeah. Sure. What’s up?” Again he seems confused, understandable, strange girl singling him out and all.

  He is wearing a white T-shirt and faded jeans, and those damn camel work boots. His brown eyes study me with an intensity that makes my leg wobble as he waits for ... What is he waiting for? Oh, for my reply.

  I sink down and glance over my shoulder at my so-called friends. Glad they’re finding my current situation so entertaining. Keira is balanced on one of Colton’s knees, an arm thrown friend-like over his shoulder, a sight I am getting used to.

  “Me and my friends were playing ….” ME’s not supposed to come before my friends. Would it be me or I? My brain is fried. “We were playing truth or dare. I mean … we are playing truth or dare.”

  I’m rambling.

  He chuckles, the sound pretty amazing. “Truth or dare. Really? I didn’t think anybody played that game anymore—”

  “I’m supposed to talk you into making out with me for ten minutes,” I blurt out bury my burning face in my hands.

  I feel his fingertips brush against my wrist as he pulls my hands away from my face. He lowers his head and forces me to look him directly in the eye. “Relax. There’s nothing to freak out over. It’s just a game, right?”

  “Um, yeah, just a game.”

  “Why me?” He asks.

  “Why you what?”

  A corner of his mouth rises. “Why did your friends dare you to kiss me when we’ve never even spoke to each other before?”

  “Yes we have. Once I said ‘excuse me’ and you said, ‘oh. Sorry’.”

  “You’re right. I forgot,” he laughs. His smile is infectious. “What’ll your boyfriend say about us kissing?”

  “Nothing. He doesn’t care.”

  He raises an eyebrow. “Really? That’s strange.”

  “We haven’t got all night!” Is yelled from the corner of the room.

  Jonah turns to see all my friends watching in eager anticipation.

  “I’m so sorry. I’ll just go tell them no deal.” Leather crunches as I go to stand up, but his fingers around my wrists stops me. He yanks me back down. On his lap! I feel the scorching heat, it starts in my neck, then crawls its way up to my face, which I’m sure is bright, bright red at this point.

  “I’ll do it.” He shrugs a shoulder.

  “What? Are you serious?” I sputter.

  In a matter of seconds his hands are on my waist, those brown eyes of his penetrating mine. “I’ll kiss you. If it will help, you know, with your friends.”

  “Are you sure? You don’t have to.”

  “Hey, trust me, it will be the highlight of my night.”

  His brown eyes drop to my mouth and my stomach goes all goo-goo.

  “Give us some lip action!” Reminds me we have an audience.

  One of Jonah’s hands settles my thigh. He tilts his head, leans in, his breath warm against my lips. “So, I’m going to kiss you. Is that okay with you?”

  I nod. Ten minutes. Ten minutes. You can do this.

  My lips tingle with expectation and my body stiffens on his lap, waiting. Nothing happens? I open my eyes to find him watching me. I say, “The clock doesn’t start until you actually kiss me, so the sooner we get started the sooner it will be over.”

  “Wow, you’re really starting to do a number on my confidence.”

  What? NO! “I’m sorry, I didn’t mean … it’s just we don’t know each other … never talked… ”

  “Tori, it’s okay. I was only joking. God, you’re trembling. You really don’t want to do this, do you?” His gaze narrows and then he sighs. “Just tell your friends you’re not going to do it. I’m pretty sure the world won’t stop spinning because you say no.”

  “You don’t understand. I can’t.”

  “What don’t I understand? You think I don’t get why they sent you over here? It’s a joke, right? They’re not daring you kiss me because they think you and I would make a cute couple.”

  “Make out with you for ten minutes because you said kiss, as in one. I want to be certain you know what’s expected, so there is absolutely no confusion.” I am rambling again. He is staring at me the same way Colton stares at me when he finds something I’ve did cute, saying ‘my cuteness’ is what does it for him.

  One of his hands moves to my waist, the other presses at the small of my back encouraging me slowly toward him. And then he kisses me. I knew his lips would be soft, you can tell that much by looking at them, which I have spent many, many class periods doing just that, but never did I imagine the electricity they could deliver to a girl. My arms slide around his neck of their own accord, my fingers interlocking. I am kissing Jonah Stevens! I’ve fantasized about this moment and I only had what ... nine more minutes of heaven?

  “Woohoo … you go Stevens!” I vaguely hear one of the guys on the couch cheer.

  “… Six, five, four, three, two, one… times up!” is yelled. Not one voice, but the entire corner.

  “That was not ten minutes,” spills out of my mouth.

  Jonah pulls back, presses his forehead to mine, both of us breathless.

  “Was it as bad as you thought?” he asks his eyes penetrating mine. He doesn’t give me time to answer before he says, “we can ignore your friends and keep kissing.” To prove his point he catches my bottom lip between his teeth, gently teasing another kiss out of me.

  “Get your hands off my girl,” Colton growls, snatching me off Jonah’s lap. I am dragged away. “Thought I’d give you an easy out,” Colton says giving me a lazy grin. “I know how much you hate hurting anyone’s feelings.

  A hand lands on my shoulder and Colton pushes me down on my stool. “Sit. This is where you belong. Here with me.”

  “Tori, you’ve got more guts than I thought,” Duncan slurs, coming up behind me. He smells like liquor as he clamps a hand on my shoulder, leaning in close for details. “How was it? You can be honest. Was it worse than kissing your dog?”

  “I don’t have a dog.”

  “But if you did?”

  “Yeah Tori, what was it like?” Stacy joins in. “I can’t believe you actually kissed Stevens.”

  She shivers with apparent disgust and slides over a couple of chairs next to me, smiling like I am her new best friend.

  Brave, brave Tori.

  Once again I am in the hot seat.

  Oh, how I do not want to be in the hot seat anymore.

  It is the deciding moment. Truth. Or a lie. They don’t want to hear how amazing it was kissing Jonah. They don’t want to hear how he is actually a nice guy if they would only give him a chance. They want details, something to twist and shape into juicy gossip laughing about it in the school cafeteria on Monday.

  I glance over at Keira for help, but all she does is shift in her chair refusing to make eye contact with me. Who invited Jonah to Colton’s party anyway? He isn’t part of our clique. He doesn’t fit in. He doesn’t belong. Not in my world.

  Colton slides his hand in mine, threading our fingers. He brings our hands up and kisses the top of my hand imprisoned in his.

  Duncan grins still waiting for my reply. It really isn’t so bad, is it? To tell them what they want to hear. Jonah himself admitted it was a joke. But then again, this feels like the ultimate ‘wanting to please others’.

  In my head good and evil battle:

  Keira: “Come on, Tori. Why the hesitation? He’s a nobody.”

  My mother: “It’s a small price to pay for fitting in, sweetie.”

  Colton: “Are you really going to let this loser come between us?”

  Grandma: “I believe in you, Toriabear. You’ll do the right thing. Listen to your heart.”

  My stomach clenches. I know this decision; the one I’m about to make will change everything.

  Evil wins.

  “It was pretty bad, yeah, kind of like kissing a slobbery dog. Not something I’d ever want to do again,” I answer, the words leaving a funny taste in my mouth. What is that I taste? Shame?
It’s bitter. Unpleasant. Leaves an awful aftertaste.

  “Ohhh Man that was harsh!” surrounds me, rippling out like a wave. Colton snickers behind a closed fist and I know … I just know Jonah Stevens is standing behind me. My entire body tenses and I draw in a deep shuddering breath, clamping my eyes shut. No way can I turn around.

  I may never look at Jonah Stevens again.

  Hate’s a Strong Word

  Jonah

  A dog, huh? I think of poor Roscoe and his canine disgusting breath and the amount of drool that always comes along with it. Well, screw her. I don’t care. I’ve never had a girl complain before. And she’s the one who asked me to kiss her, not the other way around. Maybe she’s the one that kisses like a dog. Sliding in behind the wheel of my old truck I exhale a breath and scrub my face in an attempt to forget what it felt like kissing Victoria Anderson.

  “Shit.” I can’t get the feel of her soft lips moving against mine out of my head. “This isn’t good.”

  Keys dangle from the ignition. I sit there in the dark cab of the truck sneering at Colton Bentley’s three story brick home, party still going strong inside. It’s wrong to envy what someone else has. I know this, but oh man, I really, REALLY, hate him. Hate’s a strong word, a word my mom would go ballistic if she ever heard me use it, but in this case it pretty much sums up my feelings for the arrogant, loud mouth asshole. It doesn’t have squat to do with Victoria Anderson. Or her delicious lips.

  “Forget her. She’s way out of your league,” I mutter under my breath. Forget? Impossible. No way am I ever going to get the taste and feel of her mouth out of my head.

  “Dammit!” My boot hits the clutch and I fire her up. Rumbling backwards down the concrete I consider taking out a few scrubs in the neat sculpted triangle at the end of the drive, but the destruction of Colton’s parent’s property isn’t going to fix anything. Nothing is going to fix it. Something major has changed tonight. Victoria Anderson has gone from being a fantasy to something I can actually touch and feel making her very real.

  Slave

  Victoria

  “Give me the keys,” I demand holding out my hand. All 105 pounds of me is blocking the driver’s side door to Keira’s Honda Civic. Even when she tries to elbow past me I hold my ground. No way am I going to let her get behind the wheel. “I’m serious, hand ‘em over.”

  Keira gives me a once over, then wrinkles her perky little nose, shoves blonde hair off her shoulder. “I’m fine Ms. I-am-in-charge. My buzz has already worn off THANKS to you. See, I can walk a perfect straight line. ” She gives a demonstration on the edge of Colton’s driveway. I have to give her credit, she only stumbles a few times, but the endless giggling tells the truth, she is in no condition to drive.

  Colton and Duncan are in no better shape, snickering somewhere off to the side. In fact, Colton doesn’t seem to care that his house is probably getting trashed while he is standing out here with us.

  There’s no time to deal with Colton. His house can be replaced, Keira cannot. I sigh hating being the bad guy, or girl. “I’m not moving until I get those keys.”

  Her bottom lip puckers out. “I’m not ready to go home yet. Who wants to hit up Waffle House for breakfast? I’m starving.” She smiles and makes a gesture of pulling a rabbit out of a hat, except it isn’t any rabbit she pulls out. “And I brought a few of my little friends with me to keep the party going.” Mini airplane bottles of liquor ting together in the bottom of her purse. She pulls one out, breaks the seal and takes several swallows not even flinching from the burn.

  What girl hides alcohol in her purse?

  “Hell yeah. Let’s go!” Colton cracks the passenger door, his head popping up over the top of the car. He drums his long fingers on the hood, waiting. He knows how it is. Why is he encouraging her?

  My voice breaks from all the anger building up inside me. “Have you both forgotten my curfew is 12:30?”

  “Oh please, you know your mom won’t say anything as long as you’re with me.” Keria scoffs taking another swig from the little bottle.

  The sad thing is she’s right. I square my shoulders and take a step toward her. “You’ve been acting weird all night. If you have something to say then just say it instead of acting like a spoiled brat.”

  She huffs and jabs a finger at her chest. “I’m acting like a spoiled brat? Me? What about you, Ms. my-birds-keep-me-connected-to-my-dead-grandma. Give it a rest Tori AND grow the FUCK UP!” Her hands shove against my chest. My backside slams into the side of her Honda Civic. Air rushes from my lungs. She shoves my chest again. “I had big plans for tonight. You messed everything up. Tonight was supposed to be special instead it’s been one big disappointment after another, YOU getting what you want like usual.”

  My mouth falls open. “What did I mess up, Keira? Tell me!” I yell.

  “Girls, girls, as much as I’d love to see a cat fight… ” Duncan steps in-between us giving us both a once over with his perverted gaze. He lays a palm on each of our chest separating us. Like he thinks we’re going to start hitting or clawing each other, please. “There’s no need to shout. Why don’t we all calm down, ladies, and go get something to eat. Tori, you can drive. Keira, hand over your keys.”

  “NO!” I scream in his smug face. “I told you I have a curfew! I am going home! Not to eat. Home!”

  Keira turns in her stilettos, pulls out her cell phone the light of it illuminating her fair face in the dark. She walks a few feet away and stands with her back towards us. She talks low in a cupped hand like her call is all top secret.

  Duncan and Colton cage me in against the car. Apparently afraid I might go after Keria and rip her long honey-colored hair out by the roots. What a joke. Me. I am the only sensible one here.

  “So what’s this Colton? You on her side?” I ask, eyeing my boyfriend. He grips my upper arms holding me in place. “Don’t be ridiculous. I’m on my girlfriend’s side. We’ve all had a shitting night, Tor. Why don’t you back off until she sobers up? ”

  “She’s never going to sober up if she keeps drinking,” I point out.

  How is that not taking her side? Him telling me to back off. His choice to take her side hurts deeply. It’s a blow I should have seen coming. Any normal girl would cry right about now. I’m too pissed to cry. I concentrate hard on listening to what Keira is mumbling.

  Keira smiles, I can’t see it, but I can hear it in her voice. “Hey, yeah, I’m still here. Listen, I’ve had a little too much to drink. Think you can come pick me up? You sure? I feel horrible asking you to come back out.”

  “News flash, I can still hear you,” I shout, trying to see around Colton’s shoulder. I’m suddenly feeling all this aggression and honestly I don’t know what to do with it.

  “What’s up with you tonight, Tori? You’re acting different,” Colton says.

  “Maybe I’m tired of being pushed around! Maybe I’m tired of watching my so-called boyfriend hang all over my best friend!” Maybe I’m tired of everyone expecting so much. “Maybe I’m tired of you in general!”

  Duncan chokes on his own laughter.

  Colton’s eyes widen and his jaw drops. He says nothing. He’s too shocked to speak. I’m shocked. Wow. Where did that come from?

  Keira crams her phone in her purse and tosses a conceited smile my way that says ‘I’m one up on you.’ Of course neither guy sees it because they’re too busy studying me with confused expressions.

  “If I let you go, think you can play nice?” Colton asks, releasing his hold on me. He takes a step back. Nobody has ever asked me that. Can I play nice? Please, I’m always nice.

  “I’m not the one who started it Colton and you damn well know it. She’s been being a bitch to me all night. You’ve been too busy drooling over her to notice.”

  “Tori, you’re doing it again … turning nothing into something. It’s not like that and you know it. Damn. Is it so horrible for me to want my girlfriend’s cousin to like me?” He goes to hug me, a-boyfriend-like thing to do
. I step back, not so sure I want him anywhere near me.

  Keria saunters back over brushing her hair off a shoulder. Every snotty gesture she usually possesses is magnified by the alcohol. She places a hand on Colton’s arm, takes his hand and turns it over dropping her keys in it. “Bring my car by tomorrow morning… say... around eight a.m.”

  Yeah. Like my boyfriend is her personal slave. I snort at the humor in that. He’d never get up early on a Sunday morning for anyone.

  “Okay. Car. Tomorrow morning,” Colton stutters.

  Ugh.

  “Where do you think you’re staying tonight?” I snap sarcastically at Keria, taking pleasure in the fact that I know she hates to go home. If she thinks she’s staying at my house she is sadly mistaken.

  “A friend is picking me up,” she mutters, not looking directly at me.

  Headlights flash up in the drive and then go out. My hands go to my hips as my eyes narrow trying to get a good look at the make of the car, but it’s too dark and it’s too far. The rumbling engine dies and a car door opens and slams. I hear the jingle of keys and solid footsteps. A cough. Male? Keira takes off squealing down the slope of the driveway basically tackling whoever it is.

  It is so not Stacy. My chest tightens.

  Out of nowhere things begin to click into place, highlights of the night in rewind to the exact moment my best friend became my enemy. It’s as if someone has dumped a bucket of ice water over my head to wake me up.

  “Jonah Stevens,” I mutter, blinking in disbelief.

  “No way the hell,” Colton finishes for me.

  Jealousy

  Victoria

  The moon overhead offers enough light to see the slight lift of Jonah’s gorgeous lips, lips that had been hot over mine not more than a couple of hours ago.

  “Colton. Duncan. I know you know Jonah.” Keira announces with the flick of her dainty wrist. I am not included, but then again she knows how well I know Jonah, doesn’t she? “Jonah this is the guys.”

  “Don’t trust this loser, Keira. Let Me and Tori take you home,” Colton says, puffing out his chest.

  Am I the only one missing the big picture here?