So Hot For You by Melanie Marks Read Free Book Online Page B

break with me?”
    I raised an eyebrow—something I’m pretty good at. “Maybe I’ll give Ava a call and see how she feels about it.”
    Justin grinned at this, but looked resigned. “Ava and I—we’re not a couple or anything. It’s not like that.”
    I began shuffling through paperwork, trying to appear indifferent. “Well, maybe it’s not like that to you, but I’ll bet it is to Ava.” Still studying my paperwork I added, “I bet it was to Sharon Andress , too.”
    Justin wet his lips again, studying me. “Are you always like this?”
    “Like what?”
    “So direct.” He put his hands over my paperwork, forcing me to look up at him. “Because I like it.”
    What he said—the way he said it—he had me ready to close my eyes and take a leap of faith. Trust him.
    Don’t be stupid , my brain pleaded. This is Justin North. Justin North! He’s not going to hold hands with you and stroll through the school halls. He’s going to ram his tongue down your throat, then rip out your heart. He’s a player. A dog. You don’t need him. You don’t want him.
    Only I kind of did. Sort of.
    But it was dumb. I tried to focus on reality instead of his gaze. Just breathe , I told myself. Only I was having trouble remembering how to do that. Justin had that effect on me, even at school, from a long distance. His stare was electrifying.
    I needed him to leave. Go away and never come back. So, finally I just told him, “I need you to leave.” But I didn’t add the never-come-back part. Instead I said, “I have other customers.”
    “Yeah. Okay,” he said, taking a step back. “I’m going. But obviously I didn’t just notice you at school. You know about Sharon and Ava, and probably every other girl I’ve dated.” He grinned. “You noticed me too.”
    Busted.
    Only I walked away, acting as though I didn’t hear him, or didn’t care. Still, even then I could feel his eyes linger on me, but I listened to my brain. I kept going. I didn’t turn around.
     
    ***
     
    When I got home from work it was late, and dark. I almost tripped over a box on our front doorstep. I had to switch on the porch light to see what it was: a box wrapped in fancy red foil. A gift. Probably for my sister, Summer. The thought that it might be for me didn’t even cross my mind, until I saw the card. Kali was scrawled across the front.
    I snatched the card up and peeked inside, then squeezed my eyes shut. I read the card again: To Kali because it is so versatile (and I don’t have a sister ).
    I ripped off the foil of the box, threw open the lid, then gasped, staring at my gift: the dress.
     
    ***
     
    After the dress-on-my-porch night, over a week went by without me talking to Justin. Over a week! But one night, when I was at the library he was there too, only he didn’t see me. He was at the non-fiction section with Ava, playfully holding a book from her as she tried to get it away. It was kind of a romantic-movie-type-scene. You know, where there is music playing to show the couple falling in love rather than actual dialog.
    Only (yikes!) Justin felt my eyes on him or something. ‘Cause all of a sudden he saw me. A smile crept on his face. It got my heart going all twisty and wild and I wanted to look away. Only I couldn’t. Not until I got swatted in the head by my best friend, Maya .
    “Are you even listening to me?” she asked, gazing up from her notes.
    “Yeah. Well, no. Sort of,” I spurted out, wondering if Justin saw that, me getting bonked on the head for paying attention to him. I took a quick peek at him to see. He was still smiling at me. Yeah. He saw .
     
    ***
     
    I vowed not to look at Justin for the rest of the night. And I didn’t. But I guess he kept looking at me. I guess. Maya seemed to think so anyway. She kept announcing it every five minutes.
    “Justin is still staring at you,” she said for like, the hundredth time. “He has the hots for you, Kali. Big time.”
    I rolled my eyes. “Yeah, that’s