Dare You to Resist the Bull Rider (Rock Valley High Book 4), стр. 42
Graham’s fingers on my shoulder were massaging me gently, even as the scary scenes began to flicker across the screen. I wanted to relax into his touch, but it didn’t feel right. An especially gruesome scene made me jump in his direction and hide my face with my hands. He just chuckled and lifted my chin with his finger until our gazes met.
“It’s okay, Charlotte,” he said, his eyes twinkling in the dark. “It’s just a movie.”
“I probably should’ve mentioned I’m not so great with horror flicks,” I whispered.
He chuckled again, his eyes searching my face. They glistened with a teasing glow. “Maybe we should concentrate on something else, then...”
My breath hitched in my lungs. This was it. The moment I’d been waiting for. The very reason I’d subjected myself to this bloodbath of a movie in the first place. One kiss was all it would take.
Graham leaned in closer, his lips forming a slightly cocky grin as he stared down at my mouth. His fingers splayed over my cheek, guiding me toward him. I froze stiff, like a tree branch after a freezing rain. His lips came ever nearer, his eyes closing in anticipation, and I just sat there. Frozen solid. Completely numb. When his mouth was almost on me, I bolted out of my chair, popcorn flying everywhere.
“I’m sorry. I’m so, so sorry.” My mouth felt as dry as the Sahara Desert, but I tried to swallow anyway. “I have to go. Excuse me.”
He grunted as I climbed over him and headed toward the exit as fast as my feet would carry me. In my hands I held the limp popcorn bag. My heart was beating incredibly fast. My chest felt tight. I couldn’t breathe. Not until I got to the brightly lit lobby and leaned over an empty metal chair, forcing my lungs to work.
Crap. I’d just run out on my extremely hot date to hyperventilate in the lobby. What was wrong with me? Why couldn’t I just be a normal teenaged girl? I ruined everything.
I was a ruiner. I’d nearly ruined my sister’s relationship with her new boyfriend before it even began. I’d nearly ruined my own life by partying with people I knew didn’t care about me. And now, I was ruining any possible future with Graham. I was the worst.
“Hey, what’s going on?”
I looked over my shoulder to see Graham walking toward me. He wore a scowl, his shirt dotted with oily popcorn stains.
“I’m so sorry, Graham.” I handed him the empty popcorn bag and hugged my torso with my arms. “I just had to get out of there. I’m not sure what’s wrong with me.”
He shifted his feet impatiently. “Well, are you coming back in or not?”
I shook my head. “Can we take a raincheck? I think I need a walk to clear my head. You’ll have to finish the movie without me.”
A little time alone would probably do me some good. My head was still spinning from the events of the last couple days. Maybe, with a little time beneath the stars, I could finally figure out what was so wrong with me that I had to go and ruin everything around me.
Raking a hand over his head, Graham scoffed. “I can’t believe I snuck out for this.”
I shrunk a little into myself. I hadn’t known he’d snuck out to go on this date. I never would’ve asked him to, if I’d known. “I’m really sorry, Graham.”
“Do you know what they do at the Ranch if you get caught out after hours? I’ll be on manure duty for a month. All for a stupid date.”
“Hey, man, she said she was sorry. It’s not her fault if you get caught. Lay off.”
I hadn’t noticed Hunter coming up behind me. He stood with his hands on his hips, his arms flexed beneath his blue long-sleeved t-shirt. He glared at Graham with an intensity that would’ve made a grizzly bear back down. A living, breathing superhero—minus the spandex. The sight of him looking so thoroughly appetizing made my outrage flare to life again.
“Don’t even start,” I growled, pointing a shaking finger at him. “You know, you’re worse than him.”
His eyes grew wide with surprise as his gaze shifted to me. “What? Why?”
“You show up here. Now. With her.” I pointed at the door to the theater to where Sarah was no doubt waiting for her chance to take advantage of the back-seat’s reputation with Hunter. “And then you try to pull off this Superman act? I just can’t even.”
“Charlotte, don’t be mad.”
He was wearing that puppy dog look. The one that always got me to forgive him. I glared harder at him, willing myself to stand strong.
“No. Stop it.” I glanced back over at Graham, who looked about ready to throw another fit about the way this date had failed to live up to his expectations. “Both of you, stop it. I can’t deal with this right now. I’m out of here. And I don’t want either of you to follow me.”
Graham crossed his arms and grumbled some sour reply I couldn’t make out. Hunter protested as I walked past him, but to his credit, he didn’t try to stop me. I burst onto the street, inhaling a breath of cool fresh air.
So much for pushing Hunter from my thoughts tonight. When I should’ve been making out with Graham in the back row of the movie theater, he’d weaseled into my date with my mortal enemy.
It was like he was trying to make me angry.
I’d never been so frustrated in all my life. My best friend wasn’t supposed to act like that. He was supposed to support me—especially when I was trying to chase all the inappropriate thoughts in my head about him away.
But no—that had been an utter failure. And now, all I could do was think about