CRUSH (3 page)

I dragged my stare away and looked at the lab
sheet in front of me, as I tried to forget the conversation we’d had. She was
unsure of me. I could tell from the way her honey eyes rounded in surprise and
how she chewed on her apricot colored bottom lip, her perfect skin blushing
softly like an overripe peach.

Growling, I shifted slightly in my seat. I made
her sound like she was a fruit salad just waiting for me to take a bite.
There will be no biting of anyone,
I
reminded myself, frowning at my internal dialogue.
Strictly off limits.

“You okay, man?”

I glanced over to find my lab partner and new
friend, Russ, staring at me strangely.

“Fine, why?”

He shrugged. “No reason. You were just making
some funny noises.”

“What’s the next step in this lab?” I asked. If
he wondered why I was taking a sudden interest in the project I’d basically
been letting him do alone, he made no comment about it.

He chuckled. “We’re done.”

“Oh, sorry.” I wasn’t really. I could think of
a million other things I would rather be doing right now. I hated being stuck
in this dumb science lab, or any class for that matter. I was so over high
school.

“It’s okay. You seemed
 . . . 
preoccupied.” He cast a glance in Cami’s
direction before looking back.

I gave a soft grunt and ran a hand over my
face. I needed to pay better attention to what I was doing and who was
watching.

“I get it,” Russ continued on as if we’d
actually been having a conversation. “I’ve always thought she’s pretty.”

“Who?” I asked, trying to bluff my way out of
this situation.

He grinned. “That’s really the way you’re gonna
play it?”

“Play what? I have no idea what you’re talking
about, bro.”

He shook his head looking perplexed. “Okay, I
get it. You don’t want to talk about the girl you obviously think is hot. I
don’t understand it, but whatever. It’s your deal.”

“Going to any good parties tonight?” I asked,
desperate to change the subject.

“I’m planning on heading to the one at Billy
Barker’s. His parents are out of town. You going?”

“If that’s where the good stuff is, then that’s
where I’ll be.” I needed to see if I could score something.

“Then look me up while you’re there,” he said.
“We can chill together.”

“Will do.”

The house was easy enough to find, thanks in
part to the massive amount of cars parked up and down the long driveway. I
climbed out of my black Camaro and glanced around, noticing there didn’t seem
to be any neighboring residences close by. This was probably a good thing since
the music was pounding so loud I was sure they would’ve called the cops by now.
I grinned slightly at the idea of the house being surrounded and watching
people scream and scatter while they tried to avoid arrest.

The gravel crunched under my boots as I made my
way toward the two-story adobe, Santa Fe styled home. It seemed like the party
was in full swing. The tree outside had already been toilet papered, and I
could hear some poor person puking their guts out in the bushes.

I walked up the steps to the covered porch,
choosing to avoid any eye contact with the couple heavily making out on the
swing, and went inside.

Weaving my way through the crush of bodies that
danced to the heavy bass, I moved toward where the kitchen appeared to be
located. I found the giant keg I was looking for and grabbed a plastic cup off
the counter.

“Fill me up!” I yelled over the loud music to
the guy manning the alcohol, Johnny, if I remembered his name from school.

He grinned. “Will do!” He opened the tap until
the amber liquid was close to foaming over. I nodded at him before lifting it
and downing a healthy swig, draining the glass to nearly halfway.

Careful to keep from spilling, I moved through
the gyrating crowd toward the open glass doors that led out to a pool area.

“Hunter!” A voice caught my attention, and I
saw Russ give me a wave, motioning me over.

I turned in his direction, handing him my cup
before I jumped up to sit on the short wall next to him.

“
Wassup
, dude?” I
asked, as he handed my drink back. I sat it carefully beside me while I fished
my cigarettes and lighter from my pocket. I lit up and took a long drag before
blowing the smoke out the side of my mouth.

“
Nothin
’ much. Just
scoping out the girls.”

“Finding anyone good?” I surveyed the ladies
both in the pool and out and shook my head. I didn’t think large crowds, beer,
and water were probably the best mix. Plus, there was no way I’d be getting in
any pool in March, unless of course it was heated. The weather this week had
been quite a bit warmer though, so maybe it wasn’t too bad.

“There’s a couple I might try
hookin
’ up with later.” He grinned, ruffling a hand through
his light-brown hair. “See anyone you like?”

I gave a slight shrug and shook my head. “Not
really.”

“Well, Gabrielle Martinez has been asking
everyone if you’re coming tonight. I think she has her eye on you.”

I looked over to where the striking brunette
was standing beside the pool in a skimpy turquoise bikini talking to her
friends and groaned. The lights under the water were sending glowing ripples
across her smooth, caramel-colored skin, highlighting her near-perfect body.
She laughed at something—her smile lighting her face—and cast a
glance in my direction.

“She’s pretty, but not my type,” I replied to
Russ, reiterating my complete lack of interest in having any of these girls as
a girlfriend.

“Oh, I already knew that. I just didn’t have
the heart to tell her that your tastes tend to run toward the nerdy, redheaded
variety.” He chuckled.

I stiffened at his reference to Cami and the
disturbing fact I immediately knew who he was talking about. Images of the stunning
redhead filtered through my mind, causing my pulse to jump up a notch. This
wasn’t good. If I were being totally honest, she was the first person I looked
for when I walked through the door tonight, although I knew she wouldn’t be
here. I was glad she wasn’t.

“Cami’s gorgeous, but she’s not my type
either.” I reached for my beer and took a sip before taking another drag on my
cigarette.

“Could’ve fooled me with the way you’ve been
staring at her in school. If she’s not your type, who is? I’m sure we can find
you someone good to hook up with.”

“No one’s my type, I don’t want a girlfriend.
They’re too complicated.”

Russ arched his brow, looking at me as if I was
crazy.

I decided to get chatty. “The last girl I was
with did a real number on me. She was super possessive, always wanted me to
meet her and do whatever she wanted. It seemed as if nothing I did was ever
good enough. Then I found out she was cheating on me the whole time with some
college guy. I broke up with her and she threatened to tell my parents and the
cops I was doing drugs. She wanted me to stay with her while she was with this
other guy.”

“Wow, that’s crazy. What did you do?”

“I told her to go ahead and tell them—she
couldn’t prove anything. Besides, she was the person I was always getting
stoned with. I could’ve gotten her in just as much trouble.”

“Sounds like she was a real winner.”

I chuckled. Dang, I was a
friggin
’
good liar. He totally bought it. “She was something. Who can I hit up here to
score a little blunt?” I asked, successfully redirecting the subject as I
glanced around the large group. “The last party I went to provided all the
goods for us, but it was smaller. I guess that’s not the case this time.”

“Talk to Derek Johnson.” He pointed to a guy
standing by a girl in the far corner over by the house. “He can hook you up.
I’m not sure where he gets his stuff, but he always seems to have something on
him.”

I saw the girl give Derek some money, and he
slipped a small bag into her hand.

“Thanks. I couldn’t find anyone at the party
last weekend to spot me something for my personal stash, so I had to make do
with alcohol. Thank goodness my uncle left his liquor cabinet open when he went
out of town. That helped me pass the week a little easier.”

“I heard you live with your uncle. Sorry about
your parents.” He looked at me sympathetically. “We’ve known each other for a
couple of weeks now, but you’ve never really brought stuff up when it comes to
your past. I didn’t want to pry—figured you’d talk when you were ready.”

I took another swallow of my drink and
shrugged. “Accidents happen. I try not to think about it.”

He looked uncomfortable. “So your uncle is gone
a lot?”

I nodded. “Yeah, he seems to enjoy that
jet-setter lifestyle of his—always flying around to his big corporate
meetings around the country. I’m sure he wasn’t thrilled to be saddled with me,
even though we get along. I don’t mind, though. I’d rather be alone.”

“Well, if you ever need someone to just hang
with, you know where to find me.”

“Thanks, dude.” I crushed out my cigarette,
clapped him on the shoulder, and hopped off the wall. I headed toward Derek,
feeling pretty good with myself—until the very curvy brunette, who’d been
eyeing me since I arrived, waylaid me.

“Hey Hunter,” Gabrielle said sliding up close
and blocking my path.

“Hey,” I replied, trying to keep my eyes on her
face and not the rest of what she was so generously flashing.

“I’m glad you came tonight.” She boldly traced
a finger over my chest.

“Really? Why’s that?” I tried to gauge if she
was drunk, but I couldn’t smell anything.

“Haven’t you noticed I’ve been watching you at
school?” She smiled flirtatiously, tossing some of her long hair over her
shoulder.

“No.” That was a lie. I’d noticed and was doing
my best to avoid her. I knew her reputation and exactly what she was hoping to
get from me.

“Well, I have been.” She pressed in closer. “
Wanna
come sit by me at the pool? We can put our feet in
together.”

“No thanks. The chlorine bothers me.” Another
lie. I noticed Derek slipping into the house, and I felt irritated. I didn’t
want to lose him. The whole reason I came to this party was to get some sort of
illegal refreshment.

Gabrielle gave me a pouty look. “Okay. How
about taking me for a ride in that sweet car of yours then? I know a place with
a great view of the city where we can go park.”

Wow, this chick didn’t take a hint very well,
and she certainly didn’t waste any time.

I pulled my cell phone from my pocket and
glanced at it. “Sorry, Gabby, but my uncle will be home soon,” I fibbed again.
“I was just dropping into the party for a quick beer and to say hi to Russ. I
gotta
get going.”

“Oh. All right.” She looked truly put out. “See
you at school then.”

“Sure thing.” I ducked around her, making a
mental note to do my best to avoid her completely from now on.

I hurried into the house, looking around for
Derek, but couldn’t find him anywhere. “Hey, did Derek just come through here?”
I shouted at the guy standing by the door so he could hear me over the music.

“I think he went upstairs,” he yelled back and
pointed.

“Thanks.” I weaved through the throng in that
direction, quickly ascending the staircase, but only saw a couple making out in
the hallway. I walked around them, pausing by a door that was ajar. I knocked,
opening it enough to stick my head in and was rewarded with a shriek.

“Lock the
friggin
’
door people,” I grumbled, wishing I didn’t have that image stuck in my head. I
paused, staring at all the other doors, afraid to open them now. “Derek
Johnson! Are you up here?” I shouted.

The couple
who
’d been
kissing stopped and stared at me like I was crazy. There was no answer from any
of the rooms, and no one emerged.

“We haven’t seen him up here,” the guy said.

I gave a frustrated sigh and headed back down
the stairs. After searching the whole ground floor unsuccessfully, I finally
left the house and headed toward my car.

Damn.
What a wasted night.

Cami-

I stretched out in the poolside lounge chair,
trying to catch some of the warm, spring rays, and get a jumpstart on my tan
for the year. Once again, I thanked the genetics of my parents. Even though
they’d given me the curly, red hair of my mother, I had at least been blessed
with the warm skin tones of my father—skin that loved the sun.

Clay, who was not so blessed, sat beside me and
continued to slather sunscreen over every inch of his white, glowing body.

“I think you’ve got half the bottle on you
now,” I joked as I watched him rub it in vigorously.