Chapter 18: Eighteen

I glowered at his bewildering perfection which only seemed to amuse him. “Am I going to stand out here all night?”

He laughed, “Certainly not princess.”

I walked past him and tried not to breathe through my nose. I didn’t want his delicious scent engraved in my mind for the rest of the night. His face was enough torture.

“Do you have to be here?” I asked him, irritated.

He smiled my favourite smile. “I don’t have a choice in the matter.” His face rid itself of the smile that was tagging his lips, “there is no where I’d rather be than right here.”

I stared at his gorgeous face. His lips were red today, instead of the normal pale pink; it was as though he’d been biting on them for a while. I sighed, lowering my gaze, reassembling my now dishevelled thoughts.

“Can you move out of my way?”

“Are you sure that’s what you want?” his velvet voice was quiet as usual, deep. He took a step towards me; I refused to move back as my mind screamed for me to do.

I found it hard to breathe as I looked anywhere but him.

“Ye…”

“Trade carefully.”

The threat took me off guide and I made the mistake of looking up at him. I gulped taking an involuntary step back; I couldn’t afford to be close to him.

He took another step and closed the distance between us. Not even air could pass between us. The proximity made my skin crawl. “Should I move?”

When he spoke his breath fanned my nose. I forgot the simplest thing in the world – I couldn’t breathe. My legs shook. He caught me before I fell. He had a weird effect on me.

I closed my eyes. I couldn’t move, trapped in the delightful sensations freezing and boiling my blood simultaneously. His lips moved against my neck as he spoke, luring me to a heaven only his eyes could take me. “Should I?”

I shook my head.

“Tell me.”

I’ll probably regret this later. “No.”

I felt his lips lift up to a smile as he inhaled deeply. “Mm, you smell so good.”

I turned sharply to glare at Bradley.

“It’s an off day when people don’t comment on my perfume.”

He shook his head. “Your essence…”

“How would you possibly know what my essence smells like?”

He shrugged.

I glared at him. “You are avoiding my question.”

“You didn’t ask a question.” He said his voice low and teasing. “It’s not my fault that you don’t know English grammar.”

My palms tingled. I turned my back to him, walked down the narrow hallway. I didn’t trust myself not to slap him again. Bradley Carter brought out the worst in me. I wasn’t a violent person before I met him.

“Beth,” he called, his low voice filled with humour. I kept walking to the direction of the music. Where was everybody? I needed to get away from him and fast.

“Do you have to take everything so seriously?” he continued as he caught up with me and easily kept my pace. “Can’t you just be your age for a second?”

“Why are you so keen on irritating me?”

He smiled. “Isn’t it obvious?”

I ignored him, angrily pushing the doors that we passed open.

He was quiet for a second and I turned slightly to stare at his gorgeous face. His lips were pale and pressed to a thin line. “When you’re angry small orange flakes dance around your eyes.”

I was stunned. “You…” I gasped.

He smiled down at me as he closed the door I’d just opened. It was as though I was seeing him for the first time, his beauty momentary dazzling me.

“Hope you straightened your two left feet.”

“You said I should stay away from you.” I grumbled.

“Believe me I tried…” he said, his voice intense. His eyes were scorching as he met my gaze and articulated each syllable as though he were speaking to a three year old. I forgot how to breathe. “And seeing as I am here, I’m done trying to fight fate.”

“The blisters won’t go away.” I finally said when I’d recovered from my shock.

He frowned. “Can’t you just let this go?”

“I just wanna understand, Bradley…” his name seemed to roll off my tongue and I hated how rash I felt saying it.

He scowled at me. “I never saw any blisters.”

Laughing humourlessly I glared at him. “Look…” I flashed him my horrific hand. “This happened after I slapped, happens every time you touch me.”

“No one will believe you."

“I wasn’t planning on telling anybody.”

“You shouldn’t be asking those questions.”

“I wasn’t asking for permission.”

He smiled briefly but his eyes looked at me in disappointment. “It would be safer for you if I could stay away though.”

“I don’t want to be safe.”

His perfect face lost all traces of humour. “Don’t you value your life?”

I chose not to answer that. I wasn’t ready to face the truth.

“I’ll see you later on tonight.” He said, smiling again. “Three doors down, that’s where you’ll find Benjamin,” He snickered. “He has been waiting for you for a while now.”

My mood changed drastically. “Ugh.”

He turned gradually and sauntered back the way we’d come.

“Wait.” I called after him. “You never did answer me.”

“All in good time,” And with that he disappeared around the corner.