“Sure thing.”
It’s unfortunate for me that the only people I would really love tonotserve on my own are still in line. I want Terry to stay, but I don’t want him to think that I can’t handle myself.Ugh.
Finally, the only remaining customers are Aria, Beau, Micah, and of course, Xander. They step up to the counter, checking out the ice cream freezer. Xander’s gaze connects with mine, and he points at Aria. “I’ve got hers.”
My brow wrinkles, but I nod my understanding.Interesting.I’ve watched their interactions for two full days now and can’t honestly tell what their deal is. With a shrug, I focus on Beau and Micah who hover at the counter, stooping down to look at their options, pointing out flavors to each other as if they were five years old. But hey, big dudes are still allowed to like ice cream. Fortunately, once they’ve decided, theirs are easy orders. Ice cream cones in hand, they move away to go hang out with other friends.
Xander, on the other hand, watches me fidget behind the counter. His gaze lands on the sample spoons that sit in a container. “Can I have a sample of the coconut?”
I press my lips together and, without a word, take one of the little pink spoons and scrape out a bite of the coconut for him. I hand it across the counter and wait patiently.
He takes his time, savoring the ice cream on that tiny spoon, rolling his tongue over it to lick it clean. He pretends to ponder for a second before he asks, “How about the chocolate vanilla caramel?”
“Sure.” I repeat the process and wait again, my gloved hands clasped together. The way he moves his mouth should be illegal. My eyes are glued to it.
Aria rolls her eyes and shoves him. “I’ll just have the vanilla bean. In a small cup, please.”
I scoop it for her, stick a spoon in it, and she moves away, rejoining her fellow cheerleaders.
That leaves me with Xander, who’s finished his second sample. He puts the spoons in the little trash can on the counter. “I want a sample of the chocolate marshmallow creme.”
I raise one brow, skeptical that he actually wants to sample all of these. He’s totally fucking with me at this point, but what am I supposed to do? Call him on it? Make a scene on my first day here? It’s the same damn reason I hadn’t said anything about him touching me in Precalculus or gone home and spilled about the scene in the bathroom. I don’t want the extra attention, don’t want anything to happen that will get back to my aunt and uncle and give them more of a headache than I’ve already imposed on them. If he gets off on messing with me, so be it.Dick.
I sigh deeply as I watch him consider another option.
“What? You have somewhere else to be, Red?”
“Nope. Take your time. I’m at your service.”
“You’re finally beginning to get how this works.”
I nod my head and wet my lips, my eyes casting down until he speaks again.
“I’ll take a regular cone of that last one I tried.” He winks at me.Dickhead.
I scoop it out for him and hand it over, strip off my gloves, and ring up his cone and Aria’s cup of ice cream. “A regular cone for you, a small cup for your girl.”
He chuckles.
I have no idea what that means, but he doesn’t deny what I’ve said, so I can only assume it’s the truth. I hand him his change, and he dumps it in the tip jar, then reaches into his pocket and adds a twenty-dollar bill. My eyes widen in shock and slowly drift up to meet his.
I blink a few times and stare at him. Finally, my brain starts working again, and I murmur, “Thank you.”
“You’re welcome.” He winks at me again. While my eyes are still scanning his face and I’m wondering what on earth he’s thinking, his tongue slowly comes out for a lick. He watches me over the mound of ice cream, and I swear he devours it in the most sensual way I’ve ever seen. He’s making me think about things I definitely shouldn’t. But I can’t tear my eyes away. As I continue to watch, my lips part, and the visual he’s providing becomes even more crude. The things he’s doing with that tongue of his, oh my God.
Xander flashes a wolfish grin. “Are you jealous of my ice cream cone, Red? Your cheeks are turning the most amazing shade of pink. Like I said in class today—must be that pale-as-fuck skin of yours.”
I’m so overwhelmed by his words I think my heart is going to hammer right out of my chest. He’s so goddamn sexy, I swear I’m going to melt like one of these ice cream cones on a hot day. And I hate myself for feeling that way.But I do.
He leans toward me and beckons with his free hand for me to lean closer. His force is almost magnetic, and I can’t stop myself from leaning closer. His breath, cooled by the ice cream, tickles across my cheek as he whispers, “Scarlett? Are you imagining how I’d lick you? How I’d use my tongue on your pretty pink nipples and your wet, needy pussy?”
The moment those dirty words slither out from between his lips, my nipples harden. I inhale sharply as a jolt of pure lust races down my spine and pulses at my center. My legs squeeze together behind the counter, and I sure as hell hope he can’t see the effect he has on me. Thank goodness the apron Terry provided me is thick enough to hide the pointy peaks straining toward his mouth. Because yeah—I’m guessing I’d be a fan of his mouth on me.
“Shut up, Xander. I get it,” I say, my chest heaving out ragged breaths. “You’re messing with the new girl. It’s all kinds of hilarious.” My voice raises unintentionally. “News flash—I don’t give afuckwhat you think of me. Or what you say or do to me or even things you warn me about. I’m not going anywhere.”
He cocks his head to the side, and I have no doubt he’s assessing me to find out just how much further he can push. “Ouch. Didn’t your daddy ever tell you not to cuss? It’s not ladylike.”
My eyes blaze at him. “I don’t know my dad.” I bite down hard on my lower lip, trying not to let him goad me any more than he already has. Our classmates behind him are starting to sense the tension over here, and I can feel it coming before he says it.