Love's Beat

Chapter 7

     "Get lost. You're ruining my welcome mat," Ember said, expressionless.

Jaden was indeed dripping all over her welcome mat but still didn't move an inch and gave her that puppy dog face instead.

That was so unfair! Her brother used it on one too many occasions and she was always the first to fold. In two seconds flat nonetheless.

And now with this guy who always made her butterflies-in-tummy syndrome come about, she absolutely had no choice.

She slammed the door in his face.

Ember leaned against the door in case his pounding fists knocked it clear off its hinges. If he broke her door, she was going to break his face.

She couldn't handle this right now. Not so soon. Her walls had been slowly rebuilding themselves ever since that day he cornered her in The Pulse. Jaden Houston was her only weak link. That's why a glance at his face can cause massive havoc inside her although she might be perfectly normal on the outside.

She felt tears of frustration prick at the corners of her eyes. She didn't want to feel weak like this. And over a boy!

Finally, the pouding stopped. She immediately jerked up and looked through the peephole. He was gone. She could only see the empty hallway.

     Good, at least he knew when to give up.

     Then why is your heart hurting?

She shook off the disappointed feeling and unlocked the door. She pulled it open slightly and poked her head out, intending to make sure that he was good and gone.

     Or if he was still around.

     Oh, shut up. Stupid heart.

Suddenly, Ember felt herself being shoved back into the house by a big, burly figure and landed on her butt. She heard the door slam close and jumped to her feet. She wasn't going to let some jerk rob her or who knows what else. Just as she opened her mouth to scream for all she was worth, she saw Jaden leaning against the door. In her house.

Her mouth gaping, she watched as he picked up the towel she had dropped when he first rang the doorbell and start to dry his own hair with it.

Three, two, one...

Ember never thought she would ever raise her voice so loud or speak so many cuss words in a single sentence in her entire life.

Jaden lowered his hands from his ears when she was done. Her chest was heaving and she thought she was going to have split ends before the day even ended. She'd never done this much shouting and screeching since watching her first horror film.

     "Dang girl, you kiss your momma with that mouth of yours?" he asked with an amused expression on his face.

     "My momma is dead. So I guess not," she said with almost no emotion at all.

     He immediately looked contrite. "I'm sor-"

     "Forget it," she snapped. "What do you think you're doing? You shoved your way into my house when I clearly told you to disappear. So I suggest you leave right now before I slap you with harassment charges that you'll be paying 'til kingdom come." She was so not joking. She knew some pretty impressive lawyers while working at The Pulse who would be delighted to lend her a hand.

     "Okay, okay. Take a chill pill. I just want to talk," he said with his hands held up as a placating gesture.

     She crossed her arms and her expression never wavered. She showed icy calm but boiling rage was simmering just under her skin. "You have ten seconds. Start talking."