To say I was angry at Ethan for having ruined my moment would be an understatement.
Do you know how many times a week I get the chance to be kissed by a cute guy like Kyle? Well, zero. And for once, while luck was on my side, my ex crush decided it would be okay to interrupt for whatever reason that may be.
Well, it was not okay with me.
I shot Ethan my best glare but seeing as I was a measly 5 feet 2 and he over 6 feet, my efforts to make him feel remorseful were in vain for sure, and laughable at best.
Nevertheless, I jabbed an accusing finger at his chest and demanded angrily an explanation, “What are you doing?”
The music that had been playing very loudly stopped at the exact moment I shouted, making me sound that much angrier. I flushed in embarrassment, feeling all stares on me, and dropped my head in shame.
“You know how Ethan is protective of you,” Claire tried to appease me.
“I’m not 12,” I rolled my eyes at her and immediately felt bad for it. She didn’t do anything. He did.
“What’s wrong, man?” I heard Kyle ask from behind me.
“I’m sorry about this, Kyle,” was Claire’s input.
What was it about Claire? Why was she trying to find excuses for his behavior?
And why the hell wasn’t he speaking up?
As if on cue, he let out a sharp, “I’m not.”
I’m not? I repeated dumbly in my head.
“You’re not sorry?” I screeched at him while trying to shove him away, but his grip on my hand only tightened in response, keeping me in place.
For the first time since he broke my magical moment, I noticed something. Despite my best efforts not to be affected by him, by his proximity and his touch, what little skin touched felt like it was on fire, and white hot desire pooled at my entrance.
Oh god, I groaned inwardly. Now you like being manhandled? Bad, Anna. Bad!
What’s more is that his cologne which was filling my nose, made my mind foggy, rendering me almost unable to understand his next words.
“Annabelle is mine.”
I heard Claire’s sharp intake of breath and wondered what it was about. Kyle, on the other hand, chuckled openly.
What did the bastard say to elicit such a response?
Annabelle is mine, my mind mocked me.
I shook my head, trying to dismiss the silly thought, and simply asked the guy, for the sake of my sanity. “What did you just say?”
“That you are mine,” he confirmed my suspicion in a cocky tone that did not sit well with me.
“Like hell I am,” I tried to rip my hand off his hold –keyword here being tried– and just glared at him. “I don’t know what drug you’re on, dude. But whatever it is, it’s good.”
“Ethan, are you okay?” Was my stepsister’s attempt at making him see reason.
He didn’t even spare her a glance as he told her, “Never been better, Claire.”
“You do realize you’re dating her stepsister,” Kyle told the arrogant Ethan Young.
“I’m dating her no more,” he said in a tone of finality. “It’s over, Claire.” If he had been informing her of the weather, I’m not sure his tone would have been any different.
“You’re crazy,” I told him disbelievingly, shaking my head at him as I saw my stepsister tear up.
“For you,” he admitted, low enough that only I heard him.
And boy, the effect his whisper had on me should be illegal!
Kyle chuckled anew. “I should have listened to you, Belle. We should have stayed home.”
I couldn’t agree more. But for some reason, I couldn’t make my opinion known out loud.
“Home alone with Annabelle?” Ethan let out in what sounded like a threatening tone, “Keep on dreaming, Kyle.”
I rolled my eyes at him, and did something very daring with my free hand –I slapped the cocky bastard, twice.
“What the hell was that for?” He growled at me, his eyes darkening ever so slightly.
Uh oh. I probably shouldn’t have done that. Nevertheless, I stood my ground.