L.W.T.B.B Copyright © 2012-2015 xXMopelXx All Rights Reserved.
Thank you for the tremendous amount of support on this story! Three years later I'm still surprised people enjoy it. Again, just keep in mind that it takes me a lot of time to post the chapters so please be patient with me!
Rewritten version of this chapter posted - June 12th 2015
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{Chapter 3}: Beer Boy Has An Effect On Barbie Girl's panties.
Exhilaration thrummed through my veins and my skin sizzled when his thumb performed a gentle sweep against the back of my hand. The caress only served to emphasize his words.
I wheeled around and was suddenly stricken by our close proximity. Appalled at myself when my breath hitched in my throat at the sight of him. A mere second ago, we'd been at a hairsbreadth of a distance until he'd taken a step back.
I arched an eyebrow scornfully - something I seemed to be doing a lot in his presence. "So he speaks."
"He does." Sam's voice dropped to a low rumble. This time, he slanted his eyebrow casually, almost as if to mock me. "And he seems to want to speak with you."
"Does he now?" I asked, peering at him through my lashes. I took a sip of my drink, never breaking eye contact from his striking green eyes.
A crooked smile graced his lips and something about it had my heart simultaneously palpitating and swooning. Jesus, no wonder he had girls dropping at his feet. The dim lighting at the bar draped over his face, playing shadows across his chiseled features. He scraped a hand over his stubble peppered jaw, and I noticed that despite everything, there was a rugged quality to him. His tongue snaked out to wipe over that bottom, bee-stung lip. My eyes were drawn to the motion like a moth to a flame.
The sound of his tongue clicking against the roof of his mouth drew me out of my reverie. "Definitely. He's wondering why someone like you is alone at a party like this. You're usually hard to get a hold of."
I was fixated on the first bit of his words, not quite understanding what he meant by them. "Someone like me?"
"Gorgeous." He took a step towards me, then murmured as an afterthought, "Beautiful."
My eyebrows curved in response and heat skimmed across my cheeks. Okay, so it had been awhile since a guy had complimented me the way Samuel had - with that hot, fervent look burning in his emerald depths. I'm sure disbelief was painted all over my face.
I bit my lip and his gaze briefly dropped to my mouth. "For someone who just met me, you sure are straightforward."
"It's the truth." Another step my way. The bar top dug in my lower back and his heady cologne - a distinct mixture of an earthy scent and something that was pure-male - permeated my senses. "I only buy drinks for pretty girls like yourself. The kind that make me chase them down."
My chest expanded with a shuddering breath. I was right; a lot of changes were happening today. Never in a million years did I think I'd be standing in front of Samuel Adams, having a conversation about his choice in pretty girls and for whom he buys drinks. Truthfully, I wasn't sure if I should be flattered that I fell into that category or downright disgusted by the thought of him - or anyone else for that matter - chasing me down like I was some kind of prize to be won at the end of a race.
My mind was still reeling from what he said. When my eyes locked with his and I saw the playfulness shining in them, I decided to play along.
"Let me guess," I pushed a wavy strand away from my face, coyly, and gestured my hand flippantly in the air."You like chasing."
I didn't know where this flirtatious side was coming from. Maybe it was always there - suppressed and filed away with the last remnants of the girl who used to party too much, drink too much and hang out with the wrong kind of crowd too much. Or maybe it was simply the atmosphere; the lighting, the relaxed ambiance and the music of the party. Then again it might have just been Samuel: his dark green eyes, teasing expression, mouth-watering scent and low timbre. Something about the mood was rousing my old self to resurface.
He smirked devilishly and his gaze burned with a fire ember like intensity as it raked up and down my length. "Only when it's worth my while."
In other words, I was worth his time. He was smooth. I wondered how many girls he used that line on.
Because this banter felt like a breath of fresh air after all these years, I didn't want to stop. "I'm flattered."
"You should be."
So he was cocky, too. I'd heard enough rumours to know that cockiness with Samuel Adams was a given. Overconfidence in a guy irritated me, but the way he delivered that line, so carefree and casual seemed kind of charming. Surprisingly.
I took a sip of my drink and levelled him with a look. "So you want to tell me what's your reason for being here?"
"What do you mean?" The self-assured smile faltered of his face for a split second.
Pressing the red party cup to my cheek, I motioned around us, shifting from one foot to the other. "Here. With me."
"Told you I was wondering what a gorgeous girl like you was doing here alone."
"Who says I'm alone?"
Sam's broad shoulders quivered with his throaty chuckle. He made a big show of checking around him before inching closer. I pushed farther into the counter behind me.
"Who says otherwise?" Samuel murmured huskily and his eyes dropped to my mouth again, like he just couldn't resist.
"Touché." I shook my head. "Let me guess, you were wondering the same thing at Lyla and Nash's wedding when you tried to approach me. Am I right or... am I right?"
"Keeping track of my failed attempts, huh?"
"I'm good at math." I shrugged calmly, but the butterflies in my stomach begged to differ. He'd edged closer to me and one of his big hands was braced beside me on the counter. I was anything but calm.
"She's gorgeous and smart." The bee-stung bottom lip was pulled inside his mouth before he gave me a flash of a real smile. The kind that made my insides flutter. Then he placed his free hand over his heart jokingly. "I'm already a goner."
Shit. I didn't know my insides were still capable of fluttering. Despite myself, I laughed even as a slow heat continued to flood my face. "Aren't you sweet?"
He leaned closer, until his scent washed over me again. Until his mouth was close my ear. "Maybe I aim to please."
A shaky breath escaped me. When I turned my body sideways, our torsos were nearly plastered against one another. His hard planes and muscles a contrast against my softer curves.
"I just realized that I still don't know your name." As he said this, a furrow crinkled between his brows. Like that statement truly bothered him.
"Wow." I made mock-wide eyes and chuckled softly. The ends of my blond waves brushed his hand as I moved. "All those times and yet you still haven't managed to catch my name. Or ask for it. I don't know how I feel about that."
He jutted his chin out and narrowed his eyes playfully. "Like I said, you're a hard one to catch."
"You've got me now."
"What's your name, gorgeous?"
God, I was blushing like a prude. "Jodanna."
And the second it slipped out, I instantly regretted it. I rarely gave people my real name; I hated it. Anna was more sophisticated and that's what I've always stuck with.
It was too late for me to take it back. Samuel looked like he was torn between incredulity and amusement. He nodded his head and rolled his tongue over his teeth as if it suppress his outburst. At the first trace of laughter, I pinned him with what I hoped was a ball-shrivelling look.
"Jo-Jodanna," he muttered, looking thoughtful for a second. Before seemingly turning into the asshole he was well renowned for. "Your parents mistook the "h" for a "d" or something?"
While he amused himself with his joke, my hand stayed poised in the air, Pepsi halfway to my agape mouth. Did he just really... Anger spiked within me like tiny darts hitting a target. Jodanna was my great aunt's name and my daddy had deemed it fit for a baby girl. My odd name had been the subject of many elementary school jokes.
Well, two can play with fire, I thought, as I gave him a sickeningly saccharine smile. "What about you - what's your name?"
Obviously I knew his name. There wasn't one person in this house who didn't. But if he didn't know mine, then I'd damn well pretend I didn't know his either.
That cut him off. "You don't know my name?"
Suddenly, I didn't find his arrogance or cockiness charming. For a few minutes I let myself forget who I was dealing with.
"Should I?" I pretended to examine my manicured nails. "I mean, other than the fact that you're the guy who won't stop buying me drinks like a creep, I know nothing about you."
Did I imagine that hint of annoyance sparking in his eyes? It was a childish jab on my part, but the thought of him laughing at my name struck a nerve. Samuel pushed the sleeves of his torso-moulding black shirt over his thick forearms. "You really think that about me - a creep?" He tilted his head and his eyes narrowed another fraction as he smirked. "Liar."
Then he stole my drink and took a healthy pull from it, placing his mouth directly where mine had been - where you could still see my lipstick stain on the rim. Never once breaking eye contact.
He assessed my drink with a confused expression. "Never pegged you as a Pepsi kind of girl."
"Name," I urged and beckoned with my fingers for him to return my drink. My indignation hadn't completely dissipated. The fact that he drank from my drink irked me a little more.
"Sam." He licked his lips once. Then twice. Wiping away the remains of my drink from his mouth. "Samuel Adams, Johanna."
"Doesn't ring a bell," I said through clenched teeth, my smile fixed in place. "Tell me. Were your parents history fanatics or alcohol lovers?"
All traces of amusement left his face when I fired the shots. His jaw worked in an irritated fashion. So his name was a touchy subject, too. Good.
"What got your panties in a twist?" His rumble almost sounded like a growl. Almost.
"Certainly not you."
He grazed his knuckles against the corner of his mouth and that hot, melting look was back in his eyes. "I beg to differ."
I shot him a pointed look. "Do you now?"
Twin pools of emerald dipped down the length of my body until they landed at the top of my thighs, where my boots ended. They lingered there for a beat longer. Sam ran his knuckles along his mouth again, seeming like he was secured in a trance. "I like your shoes."
"Do you now?"
"Are you stuck on those three words because I've rendered you speechless with my charm?" Sam ribbed. "Or did I really have an effect on your panties, Johanna?"
"Jodanna," I corrected, giving him a scatting look. "And don't flatter yourself by thinking you had any effects on my panties."
Samuel chuckled darkly and placed an arm on the counter top. "Did I now?"
He was throwing my own words back at me. I nearly snarled, leave my panties out of this, before I started searching through the crowd for any familiar faces. Anything or anyone that I could use as a diversion of getting away from Samuel.
I wasn't sure how much longer I could bear being in his presence. He was making me nervous and blush all at the same time with his comments. But what little last bit I found charming of him was steadfastly spiralling into annoyance after the joke about my name. Maybe this was a bad idea to begin with. I gave him a leeway and he'd used it as an opportunity to talk to me. Maybe I'd done the right thing by running away from him all those times.
The wind was knocked out of my lungs when my eyes fell upon a familiar group of guys in the far corner. They exchanged a rolled joint and laughed boisterously with a couple of girls. They were the kind of exuberant crowd you wanted to avoid. The kind that spelled trouble. The bad boys. The kind that used you, played you, broke you. Simply because they could. And then they'd make a huge joke about it afterwards, after destroying you. My breathing quickened and my heart beats accelerated as I wondered if... if Joey Donald was there, too. Here.
The force of that thought had me crushing my cup tightly.
No. No. He couldn't be here. Please, no. I squeezed my eyes shut as thoughts of him invaded my mind like pinpricks. Please, don't let him be here.
I heard rustling as Sam shifted. "Are you okay?" His gruffly spoken question rang in the air.
No. I tried to ease my breathing back to normal. There was a familiar, tingly sensations spreading through my wrists, to my palms, and landing in the tips of my fingers. Causing my hands to shake. My drink almost fell out of my hands.
The look on Samuel's face - the crease etched between his brows and the way his body was inclined towards me - when I finally looked at him just did it. The markings of fake concern was too much for me to handle - too much of a resemblance between him and Joey. The way he'd sweet talked me for the first time at a party, the way he'd gotten under my skin and wormed his way into my life... just like Samuel Adams was doing right now.
My nostrils flared when I spotted one of the guys from Joey's crew, putting his hands all over a young freshman girl. She had no idea what they were capable of. Instead, she giggled timidly as he whispered sweet nothings into her ear, most likely so he could take her upstairs later. My guts churned with painful realization. I was going to puke. God, I had been that girl once upon a time.
Sam placed a hand gently on my bare shoulder and I jerked. He flinched like I hit him and raised his hands defensively in the air. "Jodanna, are you okay -"
"What do you want from me?" I bit out. Right now, all I could see was Joey Donald in front of me. Not Samuel Adams. Blond hair and green eyes were replaced by dark hair and brown eyes and a deceiving smirk.
"What do you mean?"
I shook my head, trying to remove the thoughts of my ex as a bitter laugh flew out of my mouth. "I know all about guys like you. There's no way you're here just to talk. Spit it out. What do you want from me?"
Sam's face morphed right before me. No longer was there a teasing glint in his eyes. His features hardened. "What the fuck is that suppose to mean?"
Boys like him - bad boys - only wanted one thing from girls like me. I'd given it and landed myself in this turmoil to begin with. He wasn't here to harmlessly flirt with me or anything remotely similar to it. No. He obviously wanted something from me. They all did. I knew all too well about guys like him. I'd just forgotten for a moment who I was talking to. Samuel Adams wasn't reputed for being the kind of guy that kept girls around for longer than he deemed necessary.
I made a move to leave but he stopped me with a quick hand around my wrist, tugging me back.
"You're saying I can't come here to talk to you because-"Something suspiciously like hurt flashed across his face, but it was the undertone of his anger "-because I want to get to know you? You think I have an ulterior motive."
"Bullshit." I leaned in and spat the word in his face. He didn't let go of my wrist. "There's plenty of girls here, no need to flatter me. Get on with it and tell me what you want."
He grasped my wrist tightly and pulled me close with a swift yank. "Fine," he grated. "I'll stop beating around the fucking bush."
Strong arms came around each side of the bar top, caging me in. It was dark in our corner so I imagined no one could see the heated exchange between us. I had to crane my neck in order to meet his eyes. There weren't many boys who dwarfed me, but at roughly six feet three, Samuel loomed over me like a giant. A very angry giant at that.
"You're in my personal space." I tried to push him away, obviously failing when his brick wall of a body didn't budge.
I tried again but he pressed closer to me... until my palm nearly dug into his sculpted chest. I was forced to drop it away.
A rough exhale hit the shell of my ear. Cold lips, a contrast against my burning skin, grazed my earlobe and a shiver snaked up my spine. Involuntarily, my free hand rose to cup his bicep. I tried pushing him away, but to no avail.
"You want the truth?" he whispered hotly. "I'm having a goddamn hard time keeping my eyes off you. Been that way for awhile now."
My hand tightened on his bulging muscle.
"And now that I'm here -" His head dipped, causing his breath to fan across my neck. "-I'm having an even harder time keeping my hands off of you."
My chest rose and fell rhythmically, and my breaths were choppy when he planted an unexpected, open-mouthed kiss right at my pulse. Bewildered. Astonished. Frozen. Toes curled deeply inside my boots.
"You're very, very hot." A tiny lick as his tongue flickered against the column of my neck. Teeth grazed the delicate flesh, until I could feel his mouth back at my ear. He wouldn't bulge. His actions had robbed me of breath and the ability to speak. "And if I remember correctly, there's a vacant room upstairs... Give me the chance to show you just how gorgeous I think you are, gorgeous."
Mouth parted. Stomach plummeting. Heart rising. Pulse skyrocketing. I couldn't speak, dammit. I couldn't speak.
Samuel must have seen my silence, my utter surprise, as me pondering over his request. But I was stunned. He cinched my waist and pulled our bodies even closer, his warmth seeping through me. When his big hand did a lazy-sweep of my hair behind my shoulder, he pressed another earth-shattering kiss underneath the tender skin of my ear. And that was all I needed.
"What do you say?" he mumbled into my skin.
A sweet foreign sound escaped me at the tender gesture. It was moment of weakness, of affection that I hadn't felt in years. My hand traced over his arm and shoulder, until it locked behind his strong neck. Push him, away, Anna. I was trying, but I couldn't.
His head nestled into the crook of my neck as he continued spurring words - words that I could no longer comprehend in my addled state. I was escalating into a trance, drowning in his intoxicating brushing kisses and toe-curling whispers. But the feeling was short lived when he finished his sweet nothings by the following words. "Because I'm obviously that kind of guy." His tone was clipped, hurt, as he spoke again. A mixture of self-loathing. "That's all - what - I fucking want with you. Right?"
The rasped words resounded through me, and my hand fell away. Limp. Cold. I felt cold in a blistering second. My eyes snapped open and I took in my surroundings. We were still at the party, still in the corner and Sam still had me in his arms. Joey. Joey had been like this, too.
Mustering all the strength within me, I spoke hurriedly in his neck. "Get. Away. From. Me."
The softly peppered butterfly kisses along my jaw ceased in an instant. "Jodanna?"
"You really are a piece of shit, asswipe." I knew better than to give boys like him the time of my day. Nobody wanted a repeat performance of past history. Certainly not me.
His eyes blazed with anger and his jaw worked angrily as he pulled away. "Cool. Could have just told me you weren't interested, instead of flirting back, Barbie."
That name struck a chord. I'd heard it being echoed throughout campus, attached with my name. Because of the way I dressed and carried myself.
A rough sound erupted from my throat and I shoved at his chest again. From the corner of my eye, I could see that we were drawing in attention. But all I could think of was Joey spotting me and how much I really didn't need that. "I don't know what girls even fucking see in you."
"The same thing you did, apparently," he barred through clenched teeth, rolling his shoulders back. "Since you were all over me a couple of minutes ago."
"Over you?" I scoffed angrily. From my face, to the tips of my toes, I was burning. A couple of bystanders stopped near us. "You're so full of yourself. Bet you've got nothing to be cocky about, Beer Boy."
It wasn't the best I could do. But in my rattled state, it really was the best I could do.
"Beer boy?" Samuel taunted, his brows drawn. "That's the best you got, Barbie? I've got plenty to be cocky about. Girls like you always like to play-"
Something must have snapped inside of me. That's the only explanation I could come up with to justify my following action. I had a split second to glance down at the brimming cup of Pepsi in my hand. The next thing I knew, I stepped forward and splashed the remaining of my drink all over him.
Gasps and cheers echoed into the air. Everything stopped. Or maybe I held my breath. White noise filled my ears until the unmistakable sound of blood rushing pounded through. All I knew was that I'd made an irreversible mistake.
There was no use feeling sorry over what I'd done. I would never take it back.
Triumph soared within me when I saw the front blond strands of Sam's hair sticking to his skull. Pepsi rivulets travelled down the slopes and curves of his perfect features. The stunned look on his face evolved in a matter of seconds, and a mask of fury inched in its place. Vein throbbing in his temple, his lips were pulled back as his fist clenched tightly by his sides.
Fear coursed through me as I realized just how truly lethal he looked in that moment. Someone like him could knock me cold in one swing and I'd just fucked with him.
The collar and front of his black, long-sleeved were completely soaked from my assault, and plastered to his sculpted chest like a second skin. For good measure, I shot the uselessly party cup at his chest and he caught it with one hand, crushing it fiercely in the process.
"You're going to regret that," he growled, taking steps my way and trying to corner me. His eyes still blazed, but he didn't seem like he was going to hurt me.
I swallowed thickly but stood my ground, narrowing my eyes at him. "No I won't. But you will - if you don't stay away from me that is."
With the back of his hand, he wiped away at his mouth and took a deep, I'm-trying-to-keep-myself-in-check breath. "This isn't over."
"It is." And with those parting words, I pushed through the throng of bodies surrounding us.
Girls from Sam's posy gasped at me in horror and a couple of boys cheered me on. Gabriela stood at the outskirts of the entire fiasco, looking shell-shocked. Next to her there was no Layla, meaning she'd never found her. Guess we were leaving without her.
"We're going," I told her, ignoring the pairs of eyes I could feel burning in my back. I'd just put on a show for a crowd of hundred. This wouldn't go without any repercussion. People considered Sam some kind of royalty of Northwind High. "Did you find, Layla?"
"I saw her with Joshua earlier, but then I lost her again," she murmured, eyes bulging out of her sockets.
"Then we're leaving without her," I said, whirling around. "I've overstayed my welcome at this party."
A pang travelled through me when I saw Troy hovering near the bar, hands adorned with two red party cups. Our eyes connected and I felt so miserable for leaving him. The one guy I meet who's decent enough and I have to go and ruin it by talking to boys that reminded me too much of my past. I gave him a silent head shake, and mouthed an apology as I ushered my way out of the party.
Before I could fully leave, my eyes automatically drew to Sam - like a moth to a flame. He was pulling off his wet shirt and using it to wipe his face and hair. His muscles strained and rippled with the movement. So calm and quietly. Like nothing had happened. He was back to smiling and joking with his friends. He caught me staring and held my gaze, jutting his chin out.
This was far from over, I could tell. If the way his hungry gaze ran over my frame didn't speak volumes, then I don't know what did.
"That was one helluva party, huh?" Gabby said guiltily when we crossed the iron-wrought gates of the Brown residence. Laughter and chatter continued to echo behind us.
"You could say that again." We rounded the corner and my car came into view. I took a deep breath.
And as my gaze shot skywards, I realized that I was right. This was over. Never was I letting anyone like Joey Donald or Samuel Adams get this close to me. My hand flew to my heart. Never.
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A/N: Let me know what you think of Beer Boy and Barbie Girl in this chapter - and the revamped version of the story in general? I always answer comments on this story. xx