Young Love (Bloomfield #4) (12 page)

“Give it back,” he said, his lips twitching, eyes bright.

“I can’t now,” I said, giggling nervously as my stomach flitted with butterflies. This was the same feeling I used to get when Perrie would kill a spider in our bedroom and I never knew if she was going to chase me with it or not. It was half excitement and half fear. “I’m scared now,” I admitted through my laughter.

“You should be,” he said with a nod. That was all the warning I got before he somehow managed to fly across the bed, his hand latching onto my forearm, pulling me onto the bed. The phone was quickly returned to his possession as he hovered above me.

“It’s payback time,” he said, tucking the phone into his pocket.

“What? No,” I said, raising both hands. “You got it back.”

“So? Now you have to be taught a lesson. And it is done through tickling.”

“No!” I screamed as he started to tickle my sides. I hated being tickled. It was seriously torture. “Please, Adrien,” I gasped through laughers. “No, stop...I can’t handle it.”

“Too bad,” he said. “That’s what you get.”

I cried out no again, my breath coming out in gasps as he continued his torture. Then suddenly I heard a loud bang, and a second later, a pissed off looking Grey stood in my doorway as if he were ready to take on the world. His chest was puffed out, his hands clenched into fists at his sides, and those blue eyes narrowed with a scary menace that would probably have most guys pissing their pants.

Adrien looked over at him, the two of us freezing.

“Who’s this? Your older brother?”

I couldn’t stop the snort that escaped as I bit back my grin when Grey’s gaze narrowed on me.

Chapter 14

Grey

I inhaled deeply as I took in the scene before me. Despite the fact that I had clearly misunderstood Honor’s cry I heard through the wall, my body vibrated with adrenaline. All I had heard was her shout no, and I’d been out the door in a flash.

Honor’s face was flushed, her eyes sparkling as those lips pulled up into a smile. The guy was holding himself above her, his eyes glancing between both of us as I stood in the doorway.

What the hell was going on here?

Slowly, I eased the tension in my body, uncurling my fists from my side. She wasn’t in trouble. I should have been relieved. Except I wasn’t.

I was about two seconds away from ripping the guy off her. Jealously so hot and putrid crawled through my chest and stomach. I was the one with a girlfriend and here I was pissed off that Honor was messing around with some guy.

A guy that looked like the type who knew his way around the ladies. Not the kind that had the right to put his hands on someone like Honor.

Like you?

Exactly, I was the same. It’s why I recognized it in him, and why neither of us should be with her. I couldn’t find my voice as she continued to watch me, as if the guy on top of her currently was no longer there, and only the two of us were in the room.

“Get off me, Adrien,” Honor said, looking away finally. She pushed at his chest. All I could picture was taking the three steps it needed for me to cross the room, and yanking him off with one good, hard pull.

Luckily for him,
Adrien
, rolled to the side, letting her up. He continued to glance between us.

“Am I missing something here? Is this your boyfriend?”

Fuck, did I want to say yes. The gratifying feeling that would have caused would have been unmatched.

“No,” Honor said as though the mere idea was ridiculous. I turned to her with narrowed eyes. “He’s just my neighbour.” She walked over to me, meeting my stare challengingly. “And he was just leaving.”

Well, well, well. I actually had to bite the sides of my cheeks to keep from smiling. A hot feeling washed over me as I watched her approach with a slightly defiant look on her face. Brave little Honor was going to test my limits. She was lucky I had such a strong hold on my instincts, otherwise she’d be pushed up against the wall already with my mouth on hers.

I raised both brows at her as she gestured for me to turn and walk out the bedroom. Deciding it was better not to argue, I did as she implied, making my way back to her still open door. I stopped just outside in the hallway, facing her.

“What have I told you about just walking into my place?” she said, closing the door so only she was visible.

I tilted my head, crossing my arms over my chest. I also didn’t miss the way her eyes quickly roamed over me. “I heard you scream and thought you were in trouble,” I explained. “I think that warranted an exception to your rule.”

She pressed her lips together. “Yes, well, I’m fine, as you can see.”

I let my eyes drop down the front of her. “That I can.”

Her cheeks bloomed an attractive shade of pink. Clearing her throat, she stepped back, obviously intent on closing the door on me.

“Wait,” I said, bracing my hand on the door before she could shut it. “Who is that guy? Are you dating him?”

Her head turned, her eyes narrowing as she looked at me with pinched brows. “Does it matter to you if I am?”

“No, I’m just asking.”

“Why?”

“In case I see him around here, and then I know I don’t have to be concerned,” I quickly made up.

“Is that right?”

“Yes. Your cousin would kill me if I let something happen to you.”

“My cousin?” she said, jutting out her hip as she crossed her arms over her chest now. “You’re worried about me because of Perrie?”

I shrugged, running out of excuses. Honor watched me, before her lips turned up slightly in a sardonic smile, before she nodded at me. “I’ll see you around, Grey,” she said, shutting the door.

Damn it. Why did she have to have such a backbone when it came to me? Most girls always told me what I wanted to know, especially if they saw I was pissed. Honor didn’t seem to care at all what I thought. And damn did that ever make her more attractive.

Cursing under my breath, I walked back into my apartment, heading to the bedroom to change quickly. I had pent up energy, and now I was going to need a way to let it out. I glanced at my phone, considering calling Kelly, but decided against it. As much as I needed some exercise, I also needed a bit of peace and quiet – a drama free evening.

Changing my clothes, I was just heading out the door when my cell rang in my pocket. Taking it out, I let out a sigh before answering.

“Hey, Ma,” I said.

“Grey, your father is at it again.”

This was going to take a while.

***

Twenty minutes later and I was finally able to get off the phone. Heading down the stairs, I slowed as I approached the entrance. Honor stood outside, saying goodbye to Adrien, who stood a step below her, looking up at Honor with a smile that had my blood boiling again.

I stopped, shocked by my reaction. I did not want to see them kiss goodbye. The thought alone made me want to lash out and hit something. What the fuck was wrong with me? I had no right to feel this way. And yet, when I watched him turn and leave without so much as a hug from her, I couldn’t deny the relief I felt.

Walking again, I opened the door, locking eyes with her as she turned my way.

“Hey,” I said lamely.

“Hey,” she replied, tucking a piece of hair behind her ear.

“Study group over?” I asked, glancing at his retreating form.

Honor let out a mixture of a laugh and sigh as she shook her head at me, before nodding. “Yeah, Grey. Study group is over. Does that make you happy?”

I shrugged. “No. Should it?”

She just stared at me in silence, and I realized how absolutely ridiculous I was being. I’d always criticized girls for being dramatic, and look at me now. Honor was the younger one, and normally I would have expected this sort of immature behaviour from someone like her, but now the tables seemed to have turned. I felt like an idiot.

Without another word, she started to walk around me, making me feel even dumber.

“Honor, wait,” I said, just as she opened the door to our building.

“What now, Grey?”

The girl was annoyed with me. If I wasn’t so annoyed with myself also, I probably would have laughed.

“Look, I’m sorry I burst into your apartment. I am. My intentions were good, even if you think otherwise.”

Her shoulders slumped forward. “I know. It’s fine, you’re forgiven.”

“Good.”

We stared at one another in silence again. After a moment, she went to head inside. Why did I find it so difficult to communicate around this girl?

“I’m going for a run. Do you want to join me?” I blurted out.

She froze, her back to me, for a minute before looking over her shoulder. “Okay. Just give me a second to get changed.”

I just nodded, watching as she disappeared inside the building. Sitting down on the front step, I watched as people walked by, the evening night mild. It couldn’t have been more than ten minutes later when I heard the door open behind me, and her steps as she came to a stop where I sat.

“Ready?”

I looked up and for the first time in my life, my breath caught. I’d heard of that kind of thing happening, but never experienced it for myself. And it wasn’t as if she was wearing some spectacular gown, or made up nicely. No, she was the complete opposite, in track pants and a plain sweater. It didn’t matter. There was something about her that made every other girl pale in comparison, even dressed down as she was.

Looking up at her, the moon shining behind her, those beautiful eyes of her on me, I couldn’t help but wish for things I had no business wishing for. We were just friends, going for a run. I needed to remember that, no matter how
right
it felt to be spending time with her.

“Yup,” I said, standing. “Let’s go.”

We started off at a light jog down the street toward the large park near our building. Once we got to the path there, we picked up speed. I was impressed how well she kept up with me. Her breathing was even the entire time, displaying how often she must run.

Neither of us spoke as we ran. It was nice. I liked people who could handle silence. Most always felt the need to fill it with useless conversation. The only sound was the pounding of our feet, in sync with each other, and our steady breathing.

I kept casting glances her way, watching how her skin began to glow with a light sheen of sweat. Her eyes always stayed focused on the path before us, never once looking in my direction. I wondered what it was that was going through her mind as we went.

After a while I was the one who started to slow down, my lungs aching.

“I need a break,” I said, breaking the companionable silence between us.

Instantly she slowed her pace to match mine. “You want to start heading back?” she asked, placing her hands on her hips as she took deep breaths.

I didn’t want to part just yet, so before I could think better of it, I suggested she join me for sushi. I’d already eaten, and I was pretty certain she had too, but I was grasping for straws like a man dying of thirst.

She stopped, forcing me to as well. We faced each other, her eyes searching mine, for what? I wasn’t sure.

“Okay,” she said.

“Yeah?”

She shrugged. “I love sushi and I haven’t had it in a while.”

“I know the best place,” I said.

Her answering smile had that same catching feeling in my chest appearing again.

I didn’t know what I was doing, but I knew two things for sure.

1. It was no good.

And, 2. There was no way I could stop myself now.

Chapter 15

Honor

“No bodyguard today?” Adrien said with a smirk as he dropped into his seat.

“Bodyguard? What bodyguard?” Chloe asked, leaning forward.

I gave him a,
I’m going to kill you
, look before muttering, “It’s nothing.”

I don’t know why I felt uncomfortable discussing Grey, but I did. It wasn’t as if Adrien knew I’d spent the rest of the night with him.

Shit. I mean, not the
whole
night, of course. Obviously. That was obvious. Because Grey had a girlfriend and I didn’t cheat on, or with, people. And we were just friends. Friends who went for a run and then had some sushi. Where was the harm in that?

So why did I feel the sudden urge to bolt from my seat and make a run for it?

“If it’s nothing, then why is your face red?” Adrien asked, his voice laced with amusement.

I was seriously going to murder him.

“What am I missing here?” Chloe said, looking back and forth between us.

“We were messing around last night,” I started, pausing when I saw her eyes go comically wide. “Not like that,” I said.

“Unfortunately,” Adrien muttered.

“Shut up,” I said, pointing a finger warningly at him. “Anyway,” I turned back to Chloe, “Grey ended up bursting into my place because he thought something was wrong. It was no big deal.”

She blinked. If only I could read people’s minds because I had no idea what was going through hers.

Finally she seemed to find her voice. “Grey broke into your place because he heard you with another guy?”

Adrien chuckled behind me.

“No, I mean yes, but it was more because he had heard me scream.”

Her eyes stayed the size of saucers. “You two were screaming?”

I shifted in my chair. This was getting worse by the minute.

“He was tickling me.”

Chloe’s lips folded in as she obviously tried not to laugh out loud. I rolled my eyes, sinking down in my seat.

“She’s very ticklish,” Adrien said.

I snapped my head toward him. “Shut. Up. This is all your fault.”

He laughed, raising both hands innocently. There was nothing innocent about the trouble maker!

Thankfully the teacher walked in, saving me from further interrogation. Chloe leaned sideways toward me.

“We’ll continue this conversation later,” she whispered.

“There’s nothing further to tell,” I whispered back.

She just winked at me, her mouth pulled up into an impish grin as she faced the teacher.

***

I spent the next hour trying my best to pay attention to the teacher as my mind continued to dip down memory lane. Last night was still too fresh in my mind to ignore.