Page 25 of Troublemaker: The Big Picture Edition

Does he even recognize me?

My hair is up in a tight bun, and I’m wearing different glasses, dressed a lot more conservatively than I was that night at the club.

I watch his expression change as he realizes who I am.

Even when he’s confused, he has a smoldering look on his gorgeous face.

“Emmy?”

We stand still, staring at each other for what feels like a smoking hot eternity. And then he continues walking towardme. I can’t move. I lean back against the counter, gripping the edge of it for support. He’s not smirking anymore. He looks so serious. His gaze sweeps all the way down the length of me and then back up, from my flat shoes, along my bare legs and fitted black skirt, hovering around the wet, vaguely see-through boob area of my blouse, and then farther up to my mouth.

His eyes stay locked on my mouth as he closes the distance between us.

He stands a foot away from me, hands on his hips, staring down at my lips.

I can hardly breathe.

I barely remember where I am.

It’s just him and me.

I swear I can hear that song that was playing when we were kissing on the dance floor.

He slowly raises his hand up. His fingertips gently curling under my jaw as his thumb brushes the side of my mouth. He pulls his thumb away and holds it up in front of my face. I stare at the pink frosting on the pad of his thumb and, without thinking, lower my mouth to it and suck the frosting off.

The sweetened strawberry flavor tastes so much better mixed with the slight saltiness of his skin.

I swallow and lick my lips.

“Jesus,” he whispers. He looks bewildered, and he’s leaning in.

To kiss me.

“Shit.” I slide out of the way, fast as I can, knocking over the paint brushes and paint trays that are drying by the sink. “Shit!” I crouch down to pick them up—because that’s the most important thing to do right now—well, the second most important thing afternotmaking out with a guy in my classroom.

He immediately crouches down to help me pick things up.

With those sexy hands.

I’ve spent so many hours thinking about all the things I wanted those sexy hands to do to me.

They look even sexier with those leather bracelets on his wrists.

I don’t remember him having such a beautiful jawline.

I want to run my tongue all along that jawline, up to his earlobe.

I want to suck on that earlobe.

I have never been so attracted to an earlobe.

I have to clear my throat before finally asking him, “What are you doing here?”

“Ryder’s in the bathroom. I didn’t want to keep you waiting.”

I drop the paint trays and paint brushes as I stand up and step away from him.

I step away from Ryder’s dad.