Rocked Under (6 page)

“I’m holding your hand ‘cos I like it. I'm not flirting." His lips twisted, "You're not my type." He shrugged and turned back to the fridge.
 

Not his type? Why did that infuriate me? By the sounds of what I had heard, he went for girls that laid down for him on the first night. Damn right I wasn't his bloody type. I was far from a slag.
 

“You're right, I’m not your type. I’m not a slut.” I raised my chin defiantly.

He turned abruptly, his brows pulling together as he studied me. “What the fuck is with you?”

“Nothing, I just don’t want you to take my hand all the time. I’m not a doll.” I huffed and crossed my arms as I looked away from his intent stare.

“I’m a touchy person,” he shrugged, “stop overanalysing.”

“I’m not overanalysing anything. I don’t see you ever holding Ashley’s hand — or Meg's.” I pointed out.

“Why you being sensitive?”

“I’m not, I barely know you and you keep invading my bloody bubble.”

“Bubble?” he chuckled. "Do all Brits have brooms shoved up their asses, or is it just you?"

 
I gasped and my jaw went slack. How dare he? “Wow, your ego is really something, but no, we don't have brooms shoved up our anything." I gave him the best evil-eye I could. "I just don’t want you to get the wrong idea about me because of the other night. I don’t want you to think that I'm interested in you or anything, because I'm not.”
 

His expression sobered as I spoke.

“Really? Not interested?” He moved towards me slowly, like a panther tracking its prey, its eye on its goal. I edged back with every step he took until my lower back came up against a counter that was in the centre of the kitchen. His hands went either side of me as his head lowered to mine. I could smell the booze emanating off him but there was a scent that I remembered from the other night that mingled in with the alcohol and it was far from unpleasant.
 

My heart sped up and wanted out of my chest as his head came even closer. He stroked his cheek against mine and I froze as his stubble scraped my skin sending unwanted tingles all over me. One of his hands came up and fingered the dip at the bottom of my neck where my collarbones met. I could feel my pulse kicking rapidly against the gentle pressure of his stroking finger.

“Hmm…” he mumbled.

My eyes closed in embarrassment as I knew he had all the proof he needed that he affected me.
 

He moved away slightly to look at me, “This might not be interested,” his fingers touched my temple in a feather-light caress, “but your body’s telling me a different story.”
 

My heart doubled its speed. "My body isn't telling you a thing." What else could I say to make him back off?
 

He stepped away from me until he was leaning against the counter opposite me. He shoved his hands in his pockets, his eyes nev C hih="er leaving mine. Something had shifted in the atmosphere. A tension between us that was heavy and suffocating. I held his stare with my head held high, daring him to say I was lying. He watched me squirm a while longer, his head cocking to the side. After a minute, a faint smile transformed his features. He grabbed two beers from the fridge and came close again to place mine on the counter behind me.
 

"You're right." He shook his head in apology. "Wishful thinking, I guess."

Feeling way out of my comfort zone I grabbed my drink and headed back to where there were other people. Wishful thinking? What did that mean? He bothered me. He bothered me big time and I didn’t need it. I needed to just see him as a friend, nothing more. I wondered if we had met in the usual way of someone introducing us if I would feel like this about him but I probably knew I would. From the moment I had seen him on the stage, I was a goner. I may as well join the fan club and wear the bloody shirt. Okay, so maybe he was like this tonight because he was a bit drunk but he got to me like nobody else ever had. I wondered if that was what was referred to as a chemical reaction, lust at first sight. There was no way I would even entertain the idea of love at first sight. I really didn't know how someone could love a person when they just met them.

I remembered Ash saying that he didn't do the boyfriend thing but he made a great friend. I could believe it because although I was mad, it was only at myself for reacting to him so strongly when usually I was cool. Our talk on the way home earlier had shown me a side to him that was different to the side I saw when he’d been drinking and I liked him that way. I had felt sorry for him earlier when he told me about his mum, every child should have a mother.

I got comfy on the couch and dazed into the TV. I had missed too much of the movie to get into it but at least it was something to pretend to watch whilst my mind went into
overdrive. Scott came in after me and sat beside me but he didn’t touch me again, nor did he say much either. I finished my coke and made an excuse about getting an early night.

Chapter Six

Everyone was already sat at our table as I arrived in the cafeteria for lunch the next day. Even Adam was there waiting for me, watching me as I walked towards them and then my step faltered as another pair of intense hooded eyes watched my every move. Would I ever get used to that stare? Adam stood and put his arms around me before kissing me thoroughly in front of everyone. I heard cheering and wolf whistles in the background and I knew that this was a show of possessiveness on Adams part. I didn’t like that but I let it go while Scott was watching us.

"Hey, babe," he smiled as he pulled away from me.

"Hi,” I replied with a strained smile as he kissed my forehead.

I sat and chanced a peek at Scott who was looking away at something else. He seemed in a bad mood and I could see the muscles in his jaw clenching. Hangover maybe?

"So I take it you guys had a good time last night?" Meg wiggled her eyebrows up and down. She had been too engrossed with the film last night to bother to ask.

"Yeah,” I glanced at Adam.

Halfway through lunch a girl sashayed in and caught my attention, mainly because of what she was wearing, or wasn’t wearing. She was wearing a mini skirt, or was it a belt? I looked closer, yep, a mini skirt trying to be a belt. A skimpy top that showed off her tanned tummy and ample cleavage. Her eyes zeroed in on Scott as she went out of her way so that she could walk past him. I smothered a chuckle, she was being so obvious and looked bloody ridiculous too. I shook my head, the lengths that girls would go to was hilarious and cringe-worthy for other girls to watch.

"Hi, Scott," she purred as she got near him, but as she was about to walk past, Scott whipped his hand out and grabbed her onto his lap.
 

She squealed with laughter and I couldn’t help but grimace. What was
wrong
with me? Why did I care what he did?
 

"Hey," he said right before he kissed her. I watched in shock as his hand crawled slowly up the outside of her bare thigh. His hand stopped just at the top of her thigh as his thumb stroked slow circles on her bare skin.

I swallowed past the lump that formed in my throat and turned my head away.

"Here he goes again." Meg said rolling her eyes. Everyone else just carried on as if this was normal behaviour for him.

"Same old Scott," Newton mumbled as he eyed the girls thigh.

"Are you two going out again?" Ash asked me expectantly.

"Tomorrow,” Adam answered for me without asking me first.
 

I wanted to yell that he hadn't even asked me yet but again, I let it go. I felt grouchy.

"We're all going to Macy's again tonight. Wanna come?" Meg was looking at me and I noticed that Scott had stopped eating the girls face but his attention was still on her.

"Might as well. Who's playing?"

"Scott."

"Great,” I tried to sound pleased but Scott’s eyes darted to mine with a faint frown, catching my fake enthusiasm so I gave him my best smile to let him know that I didn’t mean it. I was rewarded with a smile and a wink that made my pulse quicken.
 

Macy's wasn't as crowded as the first night I arrived, there were spaces between people and seats spare.

"Does anybody want to dance?" I shouted over the music at anybody on our table.
 

Ash laughed, "I think you guys have probably guessed by now that the girl
loves
to dance," she smiled at me, "I'll dance with you, Cuz. Come on."
 

As we got on the dance floor, the music stopped and the stage lit. Scott and his band were on stage. Excitement welled up in me as he started with an upbeat song. Same as before, the girls rushed in a mad dash to get to the front. He saw Ash and me instantly and winked as he thrashed his guitar and sang with a smile. Kwitirls r My heart fluttered as I smiled and waved shyly at him. The song had me moving fast but I kept up.
 

About halfway through, Ash pulled me off for another drink. "God, Em, you really can dance the night away!"
 

Dancing was all about letting go for me. At home it had been the only way I could let it all out and maybe lose control a bit. Ash would never understand the demands that were put on me from an early age.

It had led to my fake ID at sixteen just so I could get into the nightclubs at home. I was so happy when I turned eighteen, the legal age for drinking in England. Now I had to have another fake ID. I had been horrified when I found out that the drinking age here was twenty-one.
 

I quickly downed my vodka with a glass of water for hydration purposes and made it back out to the dance floor.

Later in the night, I spotted Scott dancing suggestively with a girl with long dark hair and a slender body. They were dancing close, face to face. He had a hand on her waist and I watched in envy — no, not envy,
disgust
– I watched in
disgust
as his other hand went up to her cheek and then threaded into her hair where he fisted his hand and pulled so she looked up at him. His eyes were hooded and his attention was all hers. His head went down to her but as he did his eyes found mine. I flinched at the blatant hunger burning through him into me. I turned and looked away quickly, not wanting him to notice how my smile slipped and my eyes had squeezed closed. Why should it be bothering me if I see him like that with someone else? I pushed the thought to the back of my mind with a shake of my head. No points for guessing who the lucky girl would be tonight —
unlucky girl
– I meant,
unlucky!
She wouldn’t be lucky with him, no girl would be.
 

I danced away from them and straight into an attractive blonde man. "Whoops!
Sorry!
" I shouted at him over the music.

He grinned, showing blinding white, over-bright teeth, and started to move with me. I stayed with him through a couple of songs until he got cocky. He put his hands on my waist and tried to pull me closer. I pulled out of his grasp and away from him but he reached for me again and clamped his hands onto my hips, squeezing me to keep me there. I wriggled and pushed against his chest but he wouldn’t let go. The first threads of fear licked at my spine, my heart tripped and then took off at speed.

“Get off me!” I shouted.

He let go. He was being dragged backwards fast. Scott was pulling him away and then said some heated words to him that I couldn't hear. I hoped he wouldn't hit him, although it would be no less than what he deserved, no means no. Scott pushed him back with force. Blonde guy went flying backwards into the arms of the waiting doorman and he was hauled outside by the back of his shirt. Relief washed through me in warm waves and I took a deep breath, not realising that I had been holding it.

Scott turned to me and came back to me. His shadowy face made his anger look menacing.

"Thanks, but I could've handled him," I lied.

He shook his head and looked at me hard. "This isn't fuckin' England, Emma! That dick wasn't going to fuckin' stop!”

His fury blasted me and I took a step back. I didn't want his anger directed at me.

He frowned like he was in pain and his gaze softened as he stepped forward and gently gripped my upper arms as he leaned down to my ear, “You need to be more careful, okay?"

His closeness was disturbing me. I managed a stupefied nod in understanding. I was super aware of his warm hands touching my bare skin. How could it be that every time he touched me I felt like this? It was annoying, I didn’t want to feel this way. My body had a reaction all of its own without me telling it that it was okay first.

“Come on, I’ll dance with you.” He smiled.

I hesitated and didn’t know how to say no in a kind way. "No, it's okay, I was going to sit out for a while anyway."

“It’s only a dance, Emma. No funny business, I promise,” he said with a mischievous smile.

I couldn't say no. He just helped me out when he didn't need to and what was one dance anyway? It would be over before I knew it.

I nodded my assent and he gripped my hand, then twirled me away from him so fast that a surprised giggle escaped my lips. Seconds later I was laughing loudly as he spun me around and around until I was squealing with dizziness and falling all over him. We were getting odd looks from everyone while we danced ballroom to rock. Adrenaline was pumping through my veins, which had nothing to do with the exercise.