Dare to Kiss (The Maxwell Series Book 1) (5 page)

During announcements in homeroom, the principal sent out good luck wishes to the football team—they had their first home game tonight. A pep rally was scheduled after lunch. She also reminded everyone that baseball tryouts were scheduled for next Wednesday and Thursday. I had two shots to show Coach Dean my fastball, slider, and curveball. Even though I still had a few more days to practice, my stomach did a flip at the mention of tryouts.

I had just slipped into the hall when Tammy Reese, one of the cheerleader Barbies, stalked up to me. She was a beautiful girl. Her reddish brown hair was cut short to highlight her wide blue eyes and full lips. Pity she ruined her pretty features with a scowl
.
I flashed her one of my winning smiles.

“You think you’re so much better than us, don’t you?” she asked.

Becca’s words suddenly resonated in my head.
They don’t like you.

As if to prove Becca’s point, she grabbed my arm, hard. Biting my lip, I glanced at her hand on my arm then up at her.

Her brown eyebrows lowered. “Well, you’re not,” she said. “Just because Tyler’s your friend doesn’t protect you.”

“Good to know,” I shot back. “Now, get your slimy claws off me.”

“Or what?” she taunted.

A crowd had formed. Surprise, surprise. A tiny voice in the back of my head warned me to keep it together. I didn’t want to disappoint my dad.

“I don’t want any trouble,” I said in a softer tone.

“Are you afraid, bitch?” she spat out as her nails dug into my skin.

I could take name-calling, but I stopped at “bitch.” Sure, the word did describe my moods sometimes. That didn’t mean I had to hear it from a person who didn’t even know me. Not only that, I hadn’t done anything to warrant her animosity.

That buzzing sound whirred in my head. Anger bubbled to the surface so fast I shuddered. As I blinked, the hall narrowed to just her and me.

Walk away.
Baseball, baseball, baseball.
I had to remind myself why I was here at this new school. “Take… your… hand… off me.” I clenched my teeth.

“Or what?” she scoffed. This girl was relentless and itching for a fight. Then a malevolent grin split her burgundy lips. Her cocksure smile broke my resolve. I jerked my arm out of her hold. In the process, my elbow accidentally connected with the underside of her jaw. She stumbled backwards, her backpack falling to the ground.

“Next time, think before you put your hands on someone.”

The voices grew louder as the buzzing faded in my head. Several clicking sounds from camera phones echoed in the hall.

“Watch your back,” she hissed, holding her jaw.

I stalked closer to her. “Newsflash—I’m not afraid of you or anyone at this school. Spread that around.”

The warning bell rang.

As I turned on my heel, a camera phone flashed in my face.
Great! Now there was evidence. Whatever
. As I strutted away, a group of girls rushed to Tammy’s side. I was surprised that teachers didn’t storm the hall.

All of a sudden another hand grabbed me, and my fist came up before Tyler caught it. “What the heck, Lacey! It’s just me.”

“Oh.” I kept walking to my locker, trying to shake the nerves.

“What happened?” he asked as he followed me.

When I got to my locker, I punched in my code. I stuck my head inside and took several breaths, trying to quell the adrenaline pumping through my veins. On my last breath, I turned toward Tyler.

He pulled me to him, wrapping his muscular arms around me. “Talk to me.”

Becca ambled over with a frown on her face. Was she mad because Tyler was holding me?

I pushed Tyler back. “I’m fine.”

He raised his hands. “Okay. I just want to make sure.”

“What’s going on?” Becca asked, concern in her voice. Then her phone beeped. She opened it up and gasped before laughing. “Seriously, girl. You didn’t just get into a fight with Tammy Reese.”

Tyler ripped the phone out of her hands.

“Hey!”

Tyler’s face tightened as he studied the screen. He lifted his head, meeting my gaze, sparks of fury in blue eyes.

“What? You’re not my father. Don’t look at me like that,” I said.

“I’m only going to say two words. Baseball tryouts.”

Why was he always the one who rained on my parade? “She started it.” Now I sounded like I was talking to my father. Those were always the first three words out of my mouth when Dad looked at Julie and me after one of our sister fights. I let out a sigh. Dad wasn’t going to like this if he found out, even if it was an accident.

Tyler laughed. It wasn’t a funny laugh but a nervous one.

“I’m not going to let anyone threaten me. Besides, it was an accident.”

The tightness around his eyes loosened as he handed the phone back to Becca. The bell rang. “I’ll see you ladies in English,” Tyler said, shaking his head as he strode off.

I closed the door to my locker.

“Okay, I’m not going to ask right now what that was all about between you and Tyler.” Becca’s words dripped with resentment. “But I do want you to spill about Tammy.”

“Later,” I snapped.

“Pissy, aren’t you?” She laughed, her eyes dancing.

Then I laughed. We both walked into English giggling. Tyler peered at me from his seat near the far window. Then he dropped his gaze to his phone. After taking our seats, Becca tapped another student’s shoulder—Zane, a lineman for the football team. He was tall and built to tackle. He turned, flashing soft brown eyes at her.

“Kade Maxwell finally showed up. Where’s he been all week? I also heard that some girl gave him a shiner,” Becca said, gushing with excitement.

Burying my nose in my backpack, I pulled out my English book, trying to hide the heat staining my cheeks.

Zane laughed. “Yeah, right. What girl in her right mind would hit Kade Maxwell?”

“Who’s this Kade guy?” I asked. I didn’t want anyone other than Tyler to know it was me who’d ruined a handsome face like Kade’s. I’d have all the girls after me, for sure.

“Just the hottest badass guy in school,” Becca gushed. “I also heard his brothers are back.”

Zane’s jaw dropped. “What? Kross, Kody,
and
Kelton are all back?”

“What kind of name is Kross?” I asked.

“Who cares about names?” Zane asked. “It’s party time. They always throw the best parties. This just might be the best senior year ever.”

Zane had a man crush on these guys. Then it dawned on me—Tyler’s voice had hitched with excitement that night in the parking lot when he’d asked Kade about his brother Kelton. Was Tyler excited about the parties, too?

Mr. Souza, a short, gray-haired man, sat at his desk, taking roll. A couple of students snuck in, sliding into their seats before their names were called. Mr. Souza had a policy—if students were not in their seats when he took roll, then he’d mark them tardy. After the third tardy, he took points off the offender’s next test. “Good morning, class,” he said as he closed his red-covered grade book.

Zane swiveled forward.

“The topic for today is Shirley Jackson. We’ll begin with her background, then we’ll talk a little about some of her stories.”

I drifted off into my own world—a world of
who the hell was Kade Maxwell
? And why did he unnerve me so? I got hot flashes when I replayed the closet scene and how his mouth barely touched mine. My lips tingled.
Snap out of it, girl.
Then I replayed the scene with Tammy. I bit my lip. Why did she hate me? I hadn’t done anything to her.

Becca nudged me, ending my trip down memory lane. She nodded to the door. A tall, sexy male specimen walked in. All heads followed his movements as he made his way to Mr. Souza’s desk.

Whoa!

“Welcome back, Kelton,” Mr. Souza said.

So this was Kelton? He had artfully messy black hair, a strong angular jaw, and a small scar on his chin. He wore a tight, fitted black T-shirt that emphasized a toned chest and arms, and his worn-out jeans fit nicely on his hips. The only resemblance to Kade was in the build. I wasn’t surprised, since Julie and I had had different features.

“Take a seat behind Ms. Robinson.”

“Like I’m supposed to know who that chick is?” he asked, glaring at Mr. Souza.

“Manners, Kelton. Did you lose them at your last school?” he asked.

“I never had any. You know that, Teach.”

“Enough. Ms. Robinson is right there. Raise your hand, Lacey.”

Okay
. Now I wanted to run out of here and hide in that closet Kade had had me in. In fact, maybe being held hostage by this guy’s brother was better than this.

I didn’t raise my hand, but out of the corner of my eye, I caught Becca pointing at me. Great. Just what I needed—a distracting testosterone factory staring at me, thinking I didn’t even know my own name.

Running a hand through his hair, he sauntered down the aisle toward me, casual, cool and confident. In the five long strides it took him to reach me, several whispers and a few squeals erupted. “You’re Lacey?” he drawled with a cocky-ass grin, showing a set of white teeth.

Grace Edison, who sat in front of Zane, muttered something about me under her breath.

Kelton’s blue eyes gleamed when he met my gaze. Folding his tall physique into the seat behind me, Kelton grabbed a handful of my hair in his strong hand and sniffed, loudly.

Who did that? Well, he did, of course.

“Wow, woman, you smell delicious,” he said.

I whipped around. “Get your paws off me, shithead.”

“Kelton? Lacey? Quiet,” Mr. Souza commanded. “Okay, class. I want everyone to turn to page twenty-five, and read ‘The Lottery.’ I’ll give you a few minutes, then we’ll discuss it. There will also be a quiz tomorrow.”

Gathering all my hair, I swept it forward so the animal behind me wouldn’t touch it.

“Man, you’re turning me on with that spunky attitude of yours, girl. I would take a punch from you any day,” he whispered.

Horrified, I shot another one of my death glares at him. “Maybe you would like a hard knee to your crotch,” I whispered.

“Gee, you know how to make a guy flinch, don’t you?” His voice was tight.

“Just ask your brother, Kade,” I muttered.

“Lacey,” Mr. Souza called. “Read.”

I was trying to, if it weren’t for the cocky little shit behind me.

“What?” Becca asked, horrified. “You? You’re the one who gave Kade a black eye?”

I shrugged one shoulder.

“Oh, my God,” she mouthed.

I opened my book and skimmed through the pages. I’d read “The Lottery” before. Shirley Jackson was one of my favorite authors. I had a collection of her short stories on my shelf at home. Before long we were discussing the themes of the story.

“We talked about the randomness of persecution as a theme. What’s another one?” Mr. Souza asked, setting his gaze on me. “Lacey?”

“How dangerous it can be to follow tradition,” I said.

“Very good.”

“She’s smart too,” Kelton whispered.

The bell rang. Students scurried for the door.

I stuffed my English book in my bag. I had to get out of there. Between Kade, Kelton, and the incident with Tammy, I needed to hide for the rest of the day.

Kelton stood in front of me, looking down from his six-foot height. “My brother was right. You’re freaking gorgeous.” His lips curled on one side of his mouth.

I rose. “You got a problem with that, jerk face?”
Kade thought I was hot
?

Becca giggled.

Kelton leaned in, his lips at my ear. “I don’t, Sexy. But if my brother didn’t have eyes on you, I would make a play for you in a heartbeat.”

I shivered. His brother had eyes on me? Why didn’t I believe him? After what I’d done to Kade I wasn’t certain of his intentions.

I pushed him. “Get away from me. Are you, like, an animal or something?”

“I would like girls to think so,” he rasped.
Christ
! His deep, smooth voice sounded just like Kade’s.

“Hey, man. What brings you back to school?” Tyler asked, dodging a couple of desks to stand next to me, resting his hand on my lower back.

My muscles tensed. What was he doing with his hand on me? I wasn’t his possession.

“Tyler. What’s shaking?” Kelton wagged his finger between Tyler and me. “You two going out or something?”

“What? Why would you ask that?” I asked. Was it because Tyler had his hand on me?

The remaining spectators, Grace and Becca, pinned their gazes on me, Grace’s being especially forceful. Her eyes were burning a hole through me. I didn’t know if it was because she’d heard about my run-in with one of her squad-mates, or if she was jealous of Tyler hanging out with me.

“He’s being all protective of you, Lacey. My brother isn’t going to like that,” Kelton announced.

“And why is that?” Tyler asked, a scowl forming on his face.

“Kade doesn’t share his women, dude.”

What the
…“I’m sorry. I’m not an animal like you, Kelton. I don’t belong to anyone. I don’t even know your brother.”
Although I would like to
.

“That’s not what I hear,” Kelton said.

Grace’s face twisted into all kinds of pain as she glared at me, muttering my name and Tammy’s under her breath.

Was she implying Tammy and Kade? Of course he would have a girlfriend. Why wouldn’t a gorgeous guy like Kade not have one? Maybe that was the reason she had lashed out at me earlier.

The room had become deadly quiet.

“What did you say?” I asked Grace.

She glowered.

“Don’t you have somewhere to be, like soothing Tammy’s wounds?” I slung my backpack over my shoulder.

She narrowed her eyes at me. “Watch it, Robinson,” she all but growled, which was a new sound coming from of her. “The Tammy incident isn’t over. But then again, I’m sure you knew that. You started a war.”

“Grace,” Tyler warned.