Page 17 of Next Time We'll Fall

I bite down on my lower lip.

“Is that what you want?” he says.

I shake my head.

“That’s what I thought. Come on.” He pulls me into him and lifts me up slightly, and I reach my hands around his neck as men start booing.

I am so embarrassed. I don’t want to look at anyone.

“I’m taking you home,” he says as he strides through Cocktails & Chaos to the parking lot.

I hold on to him until we reach the outside.

“What the fuck do you think you were doing, Juniper?”

“What are you talking about?”

“A wet T-shirt contest. Really? I know you didn’t know it was that. I know you actually thought it was a talent contest.”

“I knew it was a wet T-shirt contest. I wanted to show my boobs and win a thousand dollars,” I lie.

He looks down at me, his lips twitching slightly.

“Really? You wanted to show your boobs to all those strange men and be felt up by some young college kids?”

“Well, I mean …” I bite down on my lower lip. “Maybe not.”

“Juniper, you really need to grow up.”

“Excuse me?”

“You can’t be making these dumb decisions.”

“What dumb decisions? I was having fun. Just because you were uncomfortable?—”

“I wasn’t uncomfortable,” he says, running his fingers through his hair. “In fact, I was very comfortable.”

My eyes narrow as I gaze up into his eyes. “What does that mean?”

“I’m a man, Juniper. You don’t think I want to see some hot girls shaking their boobs? I am not ninety, and even if I was, maybe I’d still like it then.”

“You’re a pig,” I say, hitting him in the shoulder.

“I’m not a pig,” he says. “If you noticed, my eyes have been on yours the entire time. I was looking at your face.”

“What’s that supposed to mean?”

“I could have been looking at you like this.” His eyes lower slightly, and he’s staring at my breasts.

I can feel my nipples are hard, and I look down. My T-shirt is plastered to me, and I quickly pull it back, but then it tightens against me. I look up, and he’s still staring at me. His body is stiff, and I watch as he swallows. His eyes slowly meet mine again.

“See? I could have been looking at you like that. Like that’s all I cared about.”

“But you don’t see me as a woman, Rafe, because I’m Mia’s best friend.”

“Is that really what you think?” He chuckles slightly as he shakes his head.

“Well, I …” I bite down on my lower lip.