Reason and Romance (River Valley Book 1) Page 20

  With every yard, they gained more attention. People were turning to watch them, and even from here, Adrian could hear their incredulous whispers.

  “Wait, are they really together?”

  “Why are they holding—oh my God.”

  Quentin’s grin broke out. As Adrian had known, he couldn’t resist soaking up the attention. “You’re really sure you want to do this?” he said, barely moving his lips. “There’s still time to back out if you change your mind.”

  Her stomach was churning, but it would be a cold day in hell before she admitted to nerves. “Nervous, Maxwell?” she drawled.

  “Never. I make love to pressure.”

  “You make love to your reflection.”

  “Damn straight. I’m that gorgeous.”

  It was getting harder and harder to maintain that cool smile. The butterflies in her stomach weighed a ton each. What the hell was she thinking? She wasn’t one of those girls who knew how to flirt with a guy. No, she was only good at pushing them away.

  Suddenly she couldn’t stand it anymore. She stopped and wrapped her arms around his neck. “Mm-hmm. You talk too much.” And because she was afraid that she’d back out any second now, she pressed her lips against his.

  He abruptly stiffened. Maybe he’d only meant it as a joke. Maybe he meant to humiliate her in front of everyone because he was Alex’s best friend—oh, he was pulling her closer in the circle of his arms.

  Her eyes fluttered shut. Quentin was kissing her, warm and pleasant, and although he was different from Alex, that was good. Why had she worried at all? She could do this, and even as she sighed and snuggled in his arms, she heard the whispers from the watching crowd. They would run to tell their friends and enemies. One way or another, Alex would hear about this. Oh yes, he would.

  CHAPTER NINETEEN

  The shocked swell of sound trailing in her wake assured Adrian that she had captured their attention. For a school so jaded by various misdeeds, they were surprisingly puritanical in some ways. They had paired her with Alex, but now that she’d made out with Quentin, they were scandalized.

  She had expected all of that, but what she didn’t expect was Vaughn and Travis converging on her as soon as she neared the AP English classroom. They snagged her arm and pulled her aside into what had become their standard hideout: the girls’ restroom.

  “Have you lost your mind?” Vaughn said.

  Adrian’s lips quirked. There was nothing funny about it, but she couldn’t help enjoying seeing the blonde off-balance. If Vaughn was surprised, the entire school would feel the same. What better way to ensure Alex’s attention?

  “Yes,” she said baldly. “I’m under Quentin’s sexual spell.”

  Vaughn stopped pacing. “Okay, that’s not funny, Adrian. That’s just not funny.” She glanced at Travis. “Tell her.”

  He ran his hands through his spiky hair. “Why Maxwell? No one takes him seriously. Not even I take him seriously! If that doesn’t tell you something …”

  Vaughn was nodding before he even finished. “Honey, I don’t mean to question your decision, but are you sure about this? Wouldn’t it have been more subtle—and smarter—to pretend to date Quentin quietly? And then you could have me leak the ‘secret’ and then it’d catch on like wildfire. But no, you’re just …”

  “Shoving your tongue down his throat.”

  “It’s just too … obvious.”

  “Exactly,” Adrian said.

  Vaughn and Travis exchanged glances, clearly trying to decide if she had lost her sanity. It was a silent contest of “your turn to talk sense into her,” and “no, you tell her,” before Travis turned back to her.

  “What are you doing, dude?”

  His tone sobered Adrian. “Listen,” she said, tucking her hair behind her ear. “I know you guys are worried, but I know what I’m doing. Just trust me.”

  Vaughn folded her arms. “What’s the grand plan?”

  “I date Quentin and make a public spectacle out of it.”

  “How is that a good idea? Everyone will think that you’re—I’m sorry to say it, Adrian, but everyone will think that you’re pathetic, making a fool out of yourself with Quentin who never settles down with anyone.”

  “Not if I play it right. I want them to think that I’m having a fling with Quentin, that I’m just using him for sex. Don’t you see, Vaughn? Everyone thinks that I want a boyfriend, but I don’t.”

  Travis was frowning. “Then what do you want?”

  “I just want to have some fun, and that’s what you guys will tell the school.” Adrian aimed a cool smile at her mirror reflection. “Bad girls have more fun after all.”

  Vaughn nodded slowly. “I see …”

  Travis shook his head. He was bouncing up and down on his toes, a sure sign of his agitation. “Maxwell is Montgomery’s best friend. Can we trust him?”

  Adrian shrugged. The number of people she could trust could be counted on one hand. As far as she was concerned, the question was irrelevant.

  “Probably not,” she said, “but that’s why I’ll be watching him.”

  Vaughn let out a wry chuckle. “You are so Machiavellian. You’d fit right into my cousin’s private school in DC. Over there, they know how to play real politics.” She rolled her shoulders. “All right. Well, I’d better go out there and start talking you up.”

  Muttering a little, she left the restroom, but Travis didn’t follow her out. He stayed behind, still frowning at Adrian.

  “I don’t trust Maxwell.”

  She exhaled. “I don’t either, but I have to have him. I need to make it as public as I can, and he’s the most obnoxious famewhore we have here. Alex wants me to see that he’s with Bri? Fine.” Even now, there was that underlying hurt, one that she didn’t want to dwell upon. “We’ll see who plays that game better.”

  “I still don’t—”

  “I need you with me,” she interrupted. “Are you with me or not?”

  Travis ran a hand through his hair. “Dude, I’m on your side. But the thing is …” He shook his head. “Revenge’s never a straight path.”

  Adrian linked her arm with him. “You worry too much. Relax.”

  He still didn’t look convinced, but he followed her out of the restroom. A pair of freshmen girls who were about to enter the restroom gave them a scandalized glance, and Adrian almost laughed aloud. She would bet every dollar in her wallet that they would tell people that they’d just seen her having sex with Travis.

  It was too late to go to AP English, and she didn’t have a hallway pass, so she loitered in the school library, killing time until it was second period.

  The library was mostly deserted, so it was a relief to hide behind the tall bookshelves since almost everyone was in the computer lab instead. She sat with her back against the wall and sank down to the floor. Oh God. The cheerful, smiling mask she’d worn was getting harder to peel off, but she didn’t have a choice, did she?

  She was feeling sorry for herself when she heard Quentin’s voice. “Wherever you are, sweetums, come out.” A pause, and she could just visualize his smirk. Hell, it was there in his voice. “Let’s work on the ‘coming’ part.”

  “Jerk,” she muttered, but despite herself, she was glad for the distraction from her dark thoughts. She got up before he could see her sitting on the carpet.

  He rounded the corner. “There you are.”

  “How did you know I was here?”

  “I have you on my radar, baby. You and your bra size.”

  She rolled her eyes. “You’re so sleazy.”

  “The word you’re looking for is ‘charming.’” She didn’t even resist as his arm stole around her waist. “So do you want a report?”

  “Excuse me?”

  “They are—and if I quote my followers correctly—screaming for your blood. Some girls are actually crying and cursing your name, as we currently speak. My back is sore from all the back-slapping from every other guy for having scored with you.” Now Quenti
n did grin. “I do think we’ve just started a riot.”

  His enthusiasm was contagious. Oh yes, this was what she’d originally wanted. Suddenly her earlier doubts seemed absurd.

  No one approached her after she strolled out of the school library with him. She wasn’t being very discreet, but then again, that was the point. There was a certain voracious thrill in being outrageous. Oh, they would criticize her behind her back as they always did, but they wouldn’t tell her so to her face.

  Her smile cooled. Wasn’t that always how it worked? Her mother had stolen other women’s husbands, sometimes publicly, but no one had said boo. No, they just told their children to shun her daughters. When she was little, Adrian had wondered why no one had wanted to play with her. Was she ugly? Was she loud?

  Even when she realized that it wasn’t her fault, the questions had remained. Her sister Nicky made friends easily as one breathed, but she and Meg had always had a harder time making a go of it. But that had been then, and this was now.

  Pride had her sauntering over to Alex’s table during lunchtime. She wasn’t about to have him think that he’d successfully run her off.

  Alex’s eyes were hooded, so she couldn’t read his expression, but even if he didn’t say anything, Bri casually leaned against him. It was an unsubtle show of possessiveness that had Adrian smiling inwardly.

  “We were just talking about our plans for this Friday,” Bri said. “Alex says he’s taking me to this fabulous Italian restaurant. What about you?”

  “I haven’t thought that far ahead,” she replied.

  Alex lifted his eyebrows. “Don’t tell me you’re staying home alone,” he said. “I know you like being anti-social, but that’s taking it a little too far.” His smile was a point shy of brilliant. “Maybe you’d like to tag along with me and Bri.”

  Quentin came to her rescue. Knowing him, he’d probably hung back and waited for the right opportunity because he certainly picked a good time to sit down. The others moved further down the table to make room for him.

  “Or, better yet, we can make it a double date,” he said.

  Alex shot him a glance, but much to Adrian’s amusement he didn’t bring up the subject again. He draped an arm around Bri and squeezed her shoulders briefly, and she brushed his cheek with her lips. It was nauseatingly cute, but still chaste by his standards. Adrian had almost expected him to throw Bri down on the cafeteria table, but come to think of it, she had rather stolen his thunder by making out with Quentin first.

  Bri was watching her and Quentin. “I didn’t know you guys were together. I mean, it seems so … sudden, don’t you think?”

  This time Adrian knew she couldn’t rely on Quentin to fight her battle. Everyone was looking at her, even Alex.

  “Oh, I’m just using him for sex,” she said breezily.

  If there was ever a time she wished she could record a moment for posterity, this would be it. She didn’t think she’d ever shut up everyone so successfully.

  Both Bri and Vaughn turned bright red, the former in angry embarrassment and the latter in mirth. Grant choked on his drink while poor Nicky looked as if she wanted to crawl under the table. Travis just shook his head, grinning.

  Quentin’s lips brushed her earlobe. “Nice move,” he murmured.

  “Thought you’d appreciate it,” she whispered back. “Isn’t that the line you use on girls?”

  “I usually say it first.”

  Conscious that everyone was watching, she batted her eyelashes. “A true gentleman never goes first, Maxwell,” she said aloud. “Maybe that’s the mistake you made with other girls.”

  He burst out laughing, and even she had to chuckle. Perfect. Let everyone see her laughing with him. It didn’t even matter that half of the school thought she was in a fake relationship, and the other half thought she was still sleeping with Alex. Either way, she was being talked about. No matter who Alex chose as his resident hookup or girlfriend, she would never replace Adrian.

  “That’s true,” Alex said unexpectedly.

  “Yes?” she said.

  Alex’s eyes were a startling light green. She had looked into those same eyes a thousand times, but she could never get over the fact just how green they were. It was with a chill that she realized she really didn’t know what he was thinking. He hadn’t seen her making out with Quentin earlier this morning, no, but even if he had, she suspected he still wouldn’t have commented on it publicly.

  “A true gentleman always lets the lady make the first move.”

  She nodded slightly, and although he didn’t say another word, she knew he had understood and accepted her challenge.

  Anticipation flooded her veins. Let’s play, then.

  CHAPTER TWENTY

  Alex’s returning salvo came the next day.

  The school parking lot seemed unusually crowded when she pulled in. “What’s going on?” Adrian said, as she searched for an empty slot. “Did something happen?”

  Nicky had been staring outside the passenger window, but now she glanced at Adrian. “I think you are what’s happening,” she muttered.

  “Oh.”

  The very minute Adrian stepped out of her car, she saw her sister had been right because once they saw her, an expectant ripple spread. Students were whispering behind their hands, glancing in her direction or pointedly looking away. These last ones were Alex’s most fervent supporters, she guessed. Or quite possibly Bri’s. As much as Adrian hated to admit it, Bri was popular with the other athletes. Plus, Bri was cruising on the goodwill everyone had for Justin.

  Nicky slammed her door. It was so unexpected that Adrian looked at her sharply. She understood Meg’s rage, but she’d never quite understood Nicky’s sweetness and pliant nature.

  “What’s wrong?” Adrian said.

  A list of possibilities came to mind. Had someone been picking on her sister? Or maybe … God, she didn’t know what was going on with Nicky. They barely spoke these days because Nicky always spent her time with Alex.

  Red spots blossomed in Nicky’s cheeks. “It’s you that is wrong.”

  “What?”

  “How could you not tell me, Adrian? You had sex with Alex, didn’t you? Now you’re sleeping with Quentin to get back at him? How can you do that?”

  It was as if she had been blindsided. She knew that Nicky had heard the rumors, but Alex had put that to rest. Despite everything, she had never expected Nicky to call her out on it, but now that her sister had, she was at a loss.

  “Nicky …”

  Tears sparkled in Nicky’s eyes. “Don’t you dare.”

  A sick feeling clenched her stomach as Adrian watched her sister storm off. What if Nicky told their father?

  Stop it, Adrian. The only way out is to win.

  She deliberately forced a smile to her lips. She’d cross that bridge if she had to, but she had an audience judging her every facial expression, every word.

  Quentin caught up with her before she walked into the school. As she’d expected, his arm stole around her waist. To his credit, he hadn’t grabbed her ass, but the mischievous glint in his eyes said that he was seriously considering the possibility.

  “So you came over to my house last night, and we did it three or four times before I wore you out. Just so you know.”

  She snorted. “You’re enjoying this, aren’t you?”

  “Of course. Would you like to hear some of the more detailed descriptions—”

  “I’ll pass.”

  “Your loss. Alex wants to talk to you.”

  The abrupt change threw her off. “Excuse me?”

  “He wants to talk to you in private.”

  Her body went on autopilot. She knew she was still walking, but it was as if someone had enclosed her heart in a fist. Alex wanted to talk to her? Was he really going to apologize? And if he actually did that and dumped Bri—

  You think he’ll break up with Justin’s sister and you’ll live happily ever after with him?

  Her jaw clenched. Ev
en now, she still wanted to be with Alex. She was still thinking of fairytales, but hadn’t Jason taught her the futility of that?

  She lifted her chin. “I don’t think so,” she said. “If he wants to talk to me, he can find me, himself.”

  Quentin grinned. “I thought so. That’s why I told him that he had to meet you just outside English class.” He pretended to check his watch. “Two minutes, baby. You should run.”

  Somehow she sidestepped the urge to strangle him slowly and painfully in front of their avid audience. “I don’t run for anyone. He’ll just have to wait.”

  As she sauntered into the school, she heard a wolf whistle from him. What the hell did Alex want? How dare he approach Quentin instead of her? They lived in the same house, but he couldn’t be bothered to talk to her personally?

  The more she thought about it, the angrier she got. If Alex had wanted to apologize, he would have done it quietly. He wanted something else, did he?

  She strode through the hallways. They were usually crowded at this time since people were at their lockers or hurriedly doing their homework before first period, but she had a clear path to AP English. It was as if everyone seemed to know that she had a meeting with Alex because the English corridor was busier than usual. Come to think of it, Quentin had probably spread the word before telling her.

  Alex was leaning against the lockers near the classroom. He was checking his phone, so he wasn’t looking up. The shirt he wore set off his muscles to advantage, displaying a toned body that she’d already had her hands on. Bri Latimer would get to do the things with him that Adrian couldn’t anymore. In that moment, she could have cheerfully ripped the girl apart with her two bare hands.

  He lifted his eyes and met her gaze, and her heart clenched. Then he glanced at the other students. Most people would have pretended they weren’t there, but Alex had always been Alex. He looked at them directly, challenging them to stick around, and Adrian saw how they wilted under his gaze and hurried on.