His Hot Tamale Page 3

  “Why?”

  “Because the queen shouldn’t go to the ball alone.”

  “Cora?”

  “Trust me. Give him a chance.”

  “I would have, you know. Eventually.”

  “Maybe, but I’m not a patient person.” She pulled me toward her and put her arm around my shoulders. “Not when it comes to my best friend’s happiness.”

  “He’s here?” I surmised, not exactly knowing how I felt about being ambushed.

  “He is. Oh, and, umm, keep an open mind.”

  “What does that mean?”

  Jonah

  Any other time, any other girl, I would have felt like a complete idiot. Dressed in, well, a dress of sorts, standing in the foyer of one of the most popular sororities on campus, waiting for a girl to come downstairs and hopefully forgive me and give me a chance.

  But not today.

  Today, I was proud to be decked out in Greek warrior garb, though standing there thinking about Cat walking down as some goddess, I started to worry my costume wouldn’t hide any reaction I might have to her. Fuck. Hopefully, the compression shorts I’d chosen to wear below the costume would keep anything from popping up.

  The girls were standing around staring and gawking in their own costumes, obviously nosy about what the hell was going on, some sliding me expressions of disgust, obviously knowing who I was and what I’d done. But I didn’t care. I’d win them back. But first I had to win my girl back.

  Then like a snap of a finger, I saw it. My eyes on the stairs caught a flash of gold strappy sandals and cute little toes. One foot after another, a vision in white and gold appeared as my eyes drifted up, not missing the flashes of silky tan legs.

  “Jesus,” I muttered, not believing my eyes. I knew she was gorgeous. I’d never had any doubts, but now, now I was going to have to beat assholes back with a stick. “You’re stunning,” I said a little to loudly, and some of the girls giggled in the back, while Catalina blushed slightly before casting her eyes away from me

  “You don’t have to—”

  “It’s the truth. You’ve been beautiful since the moment we met, but, baby,”—I never moved my eyes from hers—“Jesus, you’re a goddess.”

  “Literally,” she sassed, the twinkle in her eyes letting me know she was joking around, but I wanted her to know I was being serious.

  “You’re my goddess,” I said as I stepped forward to close the small amount of space between us. With the utmost care, I took her hand in mine, her soft fingers in my hand. I liked the way our hands looked together. Her tan skin with my fairer one. “Will you be my date tonight?”

  “Jonah, you’re sweet, but you don’t have to do this. I accept your apology and—”

  “You’re right, I don’t have to. I want to. No, I need you to be my date.”

  “Because you feel bad I overheard you?” she asked, doubt clouding her eyes, but hope flicked and swirled so close to the edge that I grasped on to it. Don’t give up on me just yet, baby.

  “Because if I don’t finally take you on a date, I am going to check myself into a fucking looney bin.”

  “Finally?” she whispered back, and my thumb grazed her knuckles.

  “Every day since the party, you’re the first thing I wake up thinking about and the last thing before I drift off.” I dove in balls to the wall with honesty, probably being too open with her, the risk of freaking her out high, but fuck it. I didn’t want there to be any misunderstanding. A need like no other drove me to claim what I knew in my gut was mine.

  She stood there, and I swear my lungs were close to freezing as I waited to hear what she would say.

  “Be my date.” Be mine. “Please?” I asked again, knowing it probably made me look like a fool.

  “Okay,” she whispered, pulling in her lower lip just a bit, drawing my eyes to those plush little pillows of flesh I was dying to taste.

  “Yeah?” I asked, leaning my forehead against hers. “You will?”

  “Yeah,” she said and then laughed softly, the blush on cheeks so fucking enticing.

  “You two are so cute!” Allie walked in, snapping me out of my thoughts, and I pulled Catalina into me, my arm around her shoulders. She looked up, surprised by the PDA. “I need a pic! Say Vamps and Camps!”

  “What?” Cat giggled, and I smiled as Allie clicked her phone about four times.

  “I will see you two at the party!” Allie said with a wink. She turned, but Cat stepped out of my arms to call out the Kappa pres.

  “But wait, I have to work the door!” Cat called, and Allie waved her off. “Not anymore. It’s been covered!” Allie shouted back, and Catalina turned to look up at me.

  “I guess I’m all yours.”

  “You have no idea,” I rasped and somehow fought the temptation to take her lips against mine.

  _______________

  The party was held at one of the ritzy hotels close to campus. But this wasn’t some prom-esque shindig. Hell no. Not when it was thrown by Kappa Sweets and Delta Eps.

  The party was at the rooftop pool overlooking the desert city with a clear view of the campus.

  We were one of the first to arrive, and because of that I asked her if we should help. Together, we helped get the last-minute things arranged and ready. Right as we were finishing, Cora and Milo arrived, and they stuck by us like a fucking double date. I understood it. She was still a little gun-shy around me, and at the end of the day, it was my own damned fault, but I wanted time alone with her. I hadn’t lied when I told her she’d been on my mind nonstop since we met.

  “Alright, Ghouls and Ghosts! Don’t forget to cast your votes for the costume contest! Grand prize winners of every category will win an all-expense paid trip for two to our very own Sandy Patch Apple Farm!” the DJ called out then started back on the dance music he’d been playing.

  “Wanna dance?” I asked, leaning into her, my lips two centimeters away from the shell of her ear.

  “I don’t, umm, not yet,” she nervously said but then suggested, “Want a drink?”

  “Sure.” I held her hand, happy to get some time with just her.

  Unfortunately, it felt like half the campus had chosen to drink while the other half stayed on the makeshift dance floor. By the time we reached the bar and had the attention of a bartender, the DJ started to announce the winners. Luckily, I grabbed a barstool for her, helping her sit on it while I stood close behind her. Allie came by with a huge smile and wink and two thumbs up before disappearing into the crowded bar for her own beverage.

  “Now, to cutest couple. Drum roll, please!” the DJ announced. “The Greek Gods! Catalina Navarro and Jonah Scott!”

  “Did he just call us?” she asked, wide-eyed, looking up at me. I chuckled. Then the both of us spoke, coming to the same conclusion. “Allie.”

  “I think so.” I extended my hand, and she took it.

  Side by side, we walked to the stage, where Ivey Guzman from Kappa Sweets and Colt Conway from Delta Epsilon crowned us. We stood together until the last winner was announced and we were ushered to the dance floor, where, to my luck, the DJ played the first slow song of the night.

  The song was sultry and perfect. I brought her into my arms, my hand on the small of her back as hers moved to my chest.

  “Thank you,” I said, leaning my cheek to hers so my lips were aligned with her ear.

  “For?”

  “Giving me a chance I probably didn’t deserve,” I spoke and felt her hand move to my shoulder then twine to the back of my neck, where her delicate fingers played with my hair.

  “Did you really mean what you said at the mall?”

  “Every word.”

  “You were really interested?”

  “Why is that so hard to believe?”

  “Because it’s me. I’m just in the background. I’m not, you know…”

  “I don’t know. Explain it to me.” It was a deep conversation in the middle of a dance floor with blue and green lights shimmering over us, maki
ng the feel of the night even more ethereal under the moonlight.

  “I’m not the girl someone notices off the bat,” she said softly, her lips now closer to the skin on my cheek. I was fucking glad I had shaved before getting dressed. “I’m in the background,” she whispered softly.

  “I don’t see how you could possibly think that.”

  “Jonah, we’ve been going to school together for almost four years now. You’ve never noticed me—”

  “That’s not true,” I argued and knew I was going to sound like a crazy man. “At the blood drive every year you guys have hosted one, you’ve been on snack duty for those donating,” I pointed out. “Greek Week’s softball game, you give out water. You tried to play outfield last year, but the pop flys freaked you out too much, so Sasha pulled you by the second inning. And at the Kappa Sweet St. Patty’s 5k, you work the registration booth.” She stopped swaying, her eyes on me like she was looking at me for the first time.

  “You noticed me.” Her surprise was clear, and I couldn’t believe I had wasted so much time. “Really? Me? I’m not even the leading lady of my own life.”

  “Funny, you’ve been the leading lady of my dreams all week.” To think I had wasted so much time with a girl who only used people when a woman like Catalina had been so close. “I noticed you. You were always nice. Skittish but kind.”

  “Why now?”

  “Honestly?” She nodded, and I smiled, my hand touching her chin. “Timing. And you made me laugh.” My thumb was skimming the bottom of her lip. “I was with someone, and after that ended, I focused on school and soccer. The night of the party, when you made me laugh, I saw it all.”

  “All of what?”

  “What I was missing.” She looked confused, so I clarified as easily as I could manage, “You.” We gazed into one another’s eyes as we swayed to the tempo of the song. “I didn’t want the night to end. I wanted to ask you to dinner all week, and when I finally got the balls to, you were ignoring my texts.”

  “I went over to ask you to be my date tonight,” she admitted, and I smiled. “That’s how I overheard.” My smile faded from my face.

  “About that,” I started to say, but she shook her head.

  “You explained.”

  “I completely stepped in it.” I cleared my throat. “I do that sometimes.”

  “Quirky,” she said and smiled like it was an inside joke or something.

  “But you believe me?”

  “I’m getting there.”

  “Good.” I ran my nose along hers, something I’d never done with anyone in public. But with her I didn’t care who saw; I wanted everyone to know she was mine. “I want to kiss you,” I admitted. My eyes moved from her lips to her eyes. They were hazy with desire. I pulled her in closer, my hand on her lower back moving to touch the soft skin of her exposed back.

  “I think I would like that,” she said. I leaned in slowly in case she had a sudden change of heart.

  She didn’t.

  Our lips touched and my world shifted. Filled with more meaning than before. Every fucking thing I had done in the past, good or bad, was so I could be right there, right then. With her in my arms dancing to Lana Del Rey under the stars. Her lips were soft. The kiss was slow. I didn’t rush.

  “OH MY GOD!” a high-pitched voice cheered. “You guys made up!” I begrudgingly pulled away, only to see Allie right in front of us, now wrapping her arms around us.

  “Allie, you okay?”

  “I’m peachy-chichi.” She grinned, and I looked at Catalina, whose attention was on Allie, concern clear. “Allie, how much did you have to drink?”

  “Not much.” Her arm dropped from me, and she leaned most her weight on Catalina. “I don’t think.”

  “Shit,” Cat mumbled, her eyes meeting mine to explain. “She doesn’t drink.”

  “I only had two. One I gots frohm the bar, and the other washiname gave me,” she slurred as she swayed. I’d just seen her at the bar. How much could she have had to get her like this?

  “Two?” I repeated, now looking at Allie. She was too messed up for two drinks.

  “Yeah, a light beer and a itty, bitty shmall shot.”

  “I think you had a little more than that.”

  “Nope.” Allie stumbled forward and laughed. “I promise on love I didn’t. Only two! You know my limit. I followsh the rules.”

  “Promise on love?” I repeated, looking at Catalina to explain.

  “She’s a hopeless romantic,” Catalina filled in.

  “And I okay wit tat,” she told Cat.

  “Hey, there you went.” Colt Conway came up trying to wrap his arm around Allie, but she made a face and moved closer to Allie. “You left me talking to myself. How about we get back?”

  “Go away, Colt. I already told you,” she slurred, her speech diminishing too quickly. Something at the back of my neck prickled.

  “You heard her, Conway. You should back off.”

  “Shut up, man,” he clipped.

  “I should take her home,” Catalina said, moving away from me and closer to Allie, her arm around Allie’s waist.

  “No, I can do that.” Colt smiled too easily, his eyes moving up and down my girl’s body. I felt my hands clench into fists.

  “Hey, kitty cat. How you been?” My girl’s cheek twitched, but she didn’t respond, and I frowned wondering what that was all about.

  “You need to back off, Conway,” I warned, standing to my full height. He was about an inch taller than me, but I had a hell of a lot more muscle that him.

  “Or what, Scott? You going to do something? Fuck you.” Jesus, he was definitely drunk. Sober Conway was a little bitch.

  “Fuck me?” I repeated, starting to see red. I was sick of Conway’s stupid mouth, and something about the way he was looking in my girl’s direction rubbed me the wrong way.

  “Jonah.” Catalina’s voice snapped me out of my rage. “Help me call a SideRide, yeah?”

  “I’ll take you,” I offered, not taking my eyes off Conway.

  “I bet you will.” His little beady eyes went small.

  “Stay,” she ordered, and I glanced back at her. “Please?” She searched my eyes, and even though I didn’t want her to leave on her own, there must have been a reason she wanted to make sure Conway stayed put. An ugly feeling hit the pit of my stomach when her trembling hand touched my arm. “Jonah?”

  “I got you.”

  “What’s going on?” Milo said as he walked up with Cora.

  “Keep an eye on Conway,” I said through my teeth. It caught Milo’s attention, and he gave me a stiff nod.

  “I’m super tired, Catty Cat.”

  “Catty Cat?” Cora repeated all too amused.

  “Let’s get you a car,” I said as I helped my girl with her friend. “Here, use my app.” I handed Cat my phone.

  “I can pay for it.”

  “That’s great, but you’re not.”

  “Jonah.”

  “Please?”

  “Okay.” She smiled shyly, took my phone, and used the app to get a ride.

  We took the elevator down and walked out of the Halloween party.

  Night had fallen, and without the space heaters around us, there was a definite chill in the air.

  “This guy again?” I mumbled as a white truck pulled up and a tinted window rolled down.

  “Jonah?” he asked, and I nodded.

  “Take them to the Kappa Sweets house. There’s an extra twenty in it for you if you walk them to the door,” I ordered, and he looked over me and frowned, then jumped out of the truck and quickly moved to Allie. To my surprise, she smiled at him.

  “What’s wrong with her?”

  “It’s you,” she whispered before her lids fluttered closed and he carried her, picking her up in his bulky arms.

  “Too much to drink. Maybe I should go with you.” I turned to Catalina, who was watching Allison.

  “I want to make sure Conway stays here,” she said, turning to me.

>   “Why?” I asked, not liking the fear in her eyes. Not tonight, not ever.

  “I’ll explain later. Please?”

  “I don’t think she’s drunk,” the driver said. “Allison?” They knew one another. “Allie?” he called out to her, and her eyes opened before she sighed and curled into his arms.

  “Hmm? I must be dreaming because you sound almosh nice.”

  “Shit,” he mumbled, taking her to the back seat and settling her in as I turned to Catalina.

  “You going to be okay?”

  “Yeah. I’m sorry. I just need to make sure she’s home okay and that he’s—”

  “Away from the house.”

  “Yes.”

  “He bug a lot?” I asked, but she didn’t answer, and I sighed and nodded. “Call me when you get home. Make sure she hydrates. Okay?”

  “I promise.”

  “Okay, good.” I smiled and felt her take a step back, but then she returned to my arms.

  “Thank you,” she said, looking up at me. Her dark eyes bottomless in the moonlight.

  “He’s not gonna be a problem. I’ll make sure—” I started to promise when she took me by surprise.

  “For the best first date,” she corrected me, leaning up on the tips of her toes and kissing my cheek, her lips lingering for a second before she took them away and walked to the truck to sit next to Allie in the back seat.

  CHAPTER THREE

  Catalina

  “OOOO…” ALLIE GROANED, and I rolled over to look at her.

  “You’re alive.”

  “Barely,” she moaned as she threw a pillow over her head. “What happened?” she asked, her voice muffled.

  “You had too much to drink.” I rolled out of bed and stretched.

  “I did?” She peeked through the pillow, and I nodded, grabbing my glasses and tossing my hair in a high ponytail. “But I never have more than two,” she mumbled, repeating something I knew by heart. You didn’t live with people for a while and not learn things about them. Allie was always adamant about not having more than two drinks when she went out.

  “You took a drink from Colt?” I asked, an ugly feeling in the pit of my stomach.

  “Yeah, he was bugging me. I thought taking it would be the easiest way to get rid of him. Why?”