Studying Boys (12 page)

Nothing like a reminder that you're out with a player.

Boys. Total nightmares.

Theo handed him what looked like two or three twenties, and then the guy stepped aside. "Come on in."

Unbelievable. We were going to sneak into a club, both of us underage, through bribery. Where was my brain? There was no way I was going in there.

Then Theo tightened his arm around my shoulders, and we walked inside.

Okay, I was inside, but no way was I going to stay.

Theo grabbed my hand and held it out. Big Guy stamped the back of it, and then did Theo's. And then he thumped Theo on the shoulder and walked away.

Leaving us in the back hall of some over-eighteen club.

"What was that about?" I asked. "Bribery?"

"He was captain of the football team my freshman year at Mapleville. We've stayed in touch."

Oh, great. That male athlete bonding thing. Gotta love that.

That did explain why he looked vaguely familiar though....

Theo unzipped his jacket.

"You aren't seriously thinking of staying?" I asked.

Theo lifted a brow at me, then shrugged off his coat. "Yep."

"But..."

He grinned and unbuttoned my jacket and tugged it off my shoulders. "Leave your stuff here. We'll come get it before we leave. They'll get stolen for sure if we take them off out there."

Theo had undressed me. Granted, it was just my coat, but come on! No guy had every taken anything off me before. Ever!

Then he grabbed my hand again and led the way down the dark hallway, as if he knew exactly where he was going. "You've done this before."

He grinned at me. "Yep."

"Always with a different girl?"

"Not always. Occasionally, there's a repeat." He lifted his brow. "Jealous?"

"Not a chance."

Something flashed across his face, and he didn't look quite so amused anymore.

But he also didn't let go of my hand.

* * *

When Theo pushed open another door and we walked out into the club, I almost passed out from terror right then.

It was dark. Really dark. And loud. Music was blasting so loud I could actually feel it vibrating in my chest and thudding in my ears. And there were people everywhere. Not boys and girls. Men and women. Dancing. Wearing black and silk and some of the women weren't wearing all that much at all. No one even looked close to my age, and there sure wasn't any woman there without makeup, wearing jeans, sneakers and a baggy cotton sweater.

Except me.

Holy cow.

"Want a drink?" Theo asked.

"No." I pulled my hand out of his and backed against the wall. Oh my God. What kind of place was this? Where had I let him take me? It was one thing not to be uptight, but this was something else entirely.

I was way out of my league. All those people on the dance floor! Going crazy! Making out! There was no way I was going out there!

Then Theo moved in front of me and blocked my view. "Frances? Are you okay?"

"No!" I shoved at his chest, and he caught my hands. "Let go of me! How could you bring me here?"

"Sorry."

The simple comment caught my attention, and I stopped railing long enough to look at him. "No smug remark that it proves I'm uptight?"

He shrugged, still holding my hands. "I didn't mean to scare you."

He sounded like he really meant it. I didn't understand. Where was this Theo coming from? "Why aren't you being a jerk?"

A grimace pulled at the corner of his mouth. "I don't know."

"Oh." Not the best answer. It would have been nice if he'd said it was because I was so amazing that he couldn't bring himself to be a jerk to me. That might have helped alleviate the fact I was about to have a full panic attack.

"You want to leave?" He frowned. "We can leave."

"Well..." Now that he was being all nice, and blocking my view of the raunchy stuff happening on the dance floor, it didn't seem so bad to be there.

"Want to just hang here, against the wall, for a few minutes while you decide?"

I nodded. "Fine."

He gave me a slight nod, then dropped my hands and moved to the wall beside me, leaning against it, his arm pressing against my shoulder. Like he was being supportive.

We stood like that for a while. I watched the people, thought about Theo still leaning against me, not saying anything jerky or anything. Just hanging.

No one came up and bothered us. No one pointed at me like I stood out as being the only fourteen-year-old in the place.

"How are you feeling?" Theo asked.

"Okay."

"Want to dance?"

I looked at the floor. It was a slow song. "No."

"Why not?" He moved to stand in front of me again, but he didn't take my hands or anything. "I won't try anything."

"I just don't want to."

"You ever slow danced with a guy before?"

I lifted my chin. "None of your business."

He shrugged, but there was that challenge thing blazing in his eyes again. "One dance."

"Why?"

"Education."

I almost laughed. "What kind of a line is that? You use that on all your dates?" Not that we were on a date, or anything.

"The Homework Club." He didn't acknowledge the date remark.

I narrowed my eyes. He had my attention now. "What about it?"

"You can't run it the way you want to."

I lifted my chin. "Yes, I can."

"I brought you here so you can see what else is out there. So you can see why your approach is too hardcore. My friends know how much fun a coed environment can really be. You need to play on that, instead of denying it."

"Since when did you become a philosopher?"

"Since you threatened to get me kicked off the lacrosse team. No way am I going to let that happen. And if the only way I'm going to get to play lacrosse is to get this club of yours to work, then that's what I'm going to do."

"Oh." That's all tonight was about. His desire to keep playing lacrosse. Which was fine. The only reason I was here was for The Homework Club.

So why did I feel so disappointed? I didn't even like him, remember?

"So ..." He took my left hand. "In order for you to understand what changes need to be made, you have to see how the other side lives."

I eyed him. "Sounds like another line to me."

"I wouldn't waste a line on you."

"What does that mean?" That I wasn't worth it? That he had so little interest in me that he wouldn't want to risk me to succumbing to his charms?

He grinned. "Because you'd probably kick me in the nuts if I tried a cheap line on you."

I burst out laughing at his response, and suddenly my tension went away. This was the Theo I knew. He would never hurt me. I might be a pain in his side, but I was his little sister's best friend, and that made me safe. "Probably," I teased. "You're a womanizing jerk."

"See? I knew you'd give me grief." He grabbed my other hand and started walking backward, pulling me with him. "One dance. For research's sake."

One dance. For The Homework Club. I took a deep breath. "Fine."

A nice smile lit up his face, and he dropped one hand and turned to lead me out on the dance floor.

Where his arms would soon be around me.

By the time we got to the dance floor and all the older people around me were seriously getting it on, I had changed my mind. "Theo."

"Yeah?" He turned toward me, put his arms around my waist, pulled me near him and started swaying to the music.

I waited for him to make his move, to try to kiss me, to grab my butt, but he didn't. He just swayed to the music and spun me around a little bit. Huh. Was that it? He wasn't going to try to make out with me? I glanced around, but no one seemed to care about us. No one was looking at my attire and wrinkling their nose.

"What is it, Frances?"

"Nothing." I started to relax enough to put my arms around his neck and let him lead me around the floor. His body was brushing against mine, but not in a scary way. More like an intimate connection and comfort with each other. A couple times, I caught a whiff of his aftershave, and it smelled amazing.

This was okay, dancing with Theo. I kind of liked it, actually. In an impersonal way, of course. Not that I was particularly liking the fact it was Theo, just the dancing. Just having a guy's arms around me.

"Relax," he whispered against my ear, his breath warm on my cheek and sending goosebumps down my neck.

"Sure." I sort of looked around again, and I saw that for the couples who weren't actually making out, the girls all had their faces sort of mashed into the guy's chest. Why not? Theo had a chest too, didn't he? Might as well use it.

So, I moved a tiny bit closer and turned my face to the side and rested my cheek against his T-shirt. I could feel his heart beating, and I was quite aware that he tightened his grip on my waist and pulled me a little nearer.

And you know what? I didn't mind. It felt pretty amazing, to be honest.

I burrowed my face deeper against him and realized that being in a guy's arms was pretty sweet. Or maybe it was because it was Theo. Or not. Preferably not.

Then I felt him kiss the top of my head, and I went rigid.

Holy cow. I wasn't going to have to stomp on his foot and poke his eyes out, was I?

He kissed my head again, and then I felt his lips on my neck, sort of sliding along and nibbling. My stomach immediately started getting all jittery and my heart was racing. Theo was totally trying to get it on with me!

For an instant, I was totally tempted. Why not? What did I have to lose?

The Homework Club. My future.

And any chance of ever having Theo's interest. When had he started to help me? When I yelled at him. When I told him I didn't need him for anything.

If I started making out with him, he'd have what he wanted and walk away.

Well, forget it.

He caught my earlobe between his teeth, and I almost changed my mind when my knees almost melted right out from under me. No wonder Allie kissed a lot of boys. It felt incredible. I wanted him to really kiss me, on the lips, and—

No. I had plans. Get it together, Frances.

I pulled back from him, and Theo caught my face in his hands.

He was going to kiss me. Really kiss me. I could see it in his eyes and his mouth and the way he'd gone all soft in his face. Almost tender. Theo, tender? I never would have thought it. Resist, Frances. "Don't."

He paused, his mouth only an inch from mine. "What?"

I put my hands on his wrists. "Don't."

"Don't kiss you?" He sounded confused.

"Exactly." I tightened my grip on his and tugged. He let me take his hands off my face, and more than a small surge of regret whooshed through me. "I'm not here to become one of your conquests."

"My conquests?"

"Would you stop repeating everything I say?" The music ended and switched to a faster song. "Let's just dance."

"You aren't a conquest."

I rolled my eyes and danced away from him. Funny how a few weeks ago, an almost-kiss from Theo would probably have caused me to pass out. Nothing like having him take away my future for the crush to fade.

And it wasn't just that.

I wasn't a fool. I knew the only reason he was interested was because he couldn't have me. And once he had me, I'd be history, like all the other girls. I'd known Theo since I was three. I knew him. I'd never bothered to really assess him until now, but I definitely knew him.

I had too much pride to be kissed and thrown away, even if it was Theo. Who needed boys anyway?

Well, I did, but only as study partners.

Theo caught up to me, and grabbed my wrist. I spun toward him, wiggling my hips like Allie had taught us. I put my arms over my head, aware that my sweater was probably creeping up. Showing a little skin, maybe? I might be wearing sneakers, jeans and no makeup, but I was still a girl. Might as well let Theo know what he wasn't going to get.

He grabbed me and pulled me up against him, moving in time to the quicker beat. "You're impossible."

I lifted my brows and set my hands on his chest, ready to block him even as we danced. "What does that mean?"

"I can't figure you out."

Ah. A woman of mystery. I loved it. "You've known me your whole life. What's there to figure out?"

"Have I?" He trailed one finger over my collarbone and sort of down toward my breast.

I grabbed his hand and diverted it. "Of course you know me."

"I think maybe I don't. I thought I did, but..."

I broke his grasp and spun away from him. This was way more fun than dancing with my friends around Allie's living room. Then I promptly crashed into some other guy, who whirled around and started dancing with me.