Temptation

Chapter 34

*Alice's POV*

I turn and glance at my mother, then at Jack whose looking at me with blazing eyes. And I silently yell, "I'm sorry,"

"These are for you, baby." His dark, soft raspy voice speaks snapping me away from my thoughts. He holds out a white buckeye of roses for me to take. I look up at him. The look on his face is unreadable. He's smirking, but I don't know if that's amusement or revenge. His eyes are dark, and seductive, and it's like he's trying to say something with them... I just don't know what.

I take the buckeye or roses, making our hands touch briefly. His touch is electric and toxic; it sends chills down my body. I gasp softly.

"And these are for you Miss Underwood." He says, leaning in across the table and handing my mother the buckeye of red roses.

She smiles widely, "Thank you, they're beautiful, you didn't have to." She begins and I roll my eyes. What the hell is going on? Why is he here? And how does he know my mother?

"Mother, can I have a quick word with you?" I ask sternly through my teeth. My eyes are blazing through hers, I'm beyond angry.

She glances at me, nods, then gives Cameron a quick apologetic smile. I set the roses down on the table before turning my heel and walking away from the table. I try to go as far away as possible, so no one won't hear me explode. I run to the very back of the restaurant near the bathrooms, my mother following behind me.

"You invited Cameron?" I raise my voice, finally reaching a stoping point.

"Yeah, is there a problem?" She arches a fine brow at me. She doesn't look pleased by my actions. "Because If there is a problem I can tell him to leave right now." She states sternly, her eyes are looking deep into mine, forcing me to look away.

How the hell do I tell her why I have a problem with him. How do I tell her he broke my heart, and even though everything he's done to hurt me, I'm still madly in love with him?

"How did you even meet him?" I ask dodging her question. I pace back and forth impatiently.

"He showed up at the house this morning, when you were showering. He was looking for you. He said he was a really good friend of yours, and that he'd loved to join us for dinner tonight... In fact he was the one who suggested we'd come to this restaurant specifically." She states, and I'm tugging at the roots of my hair angrily. He really is unreliable... He came looking for me? Why?

"Because he wanted to see you!" My subconscious dances happily, but I shut her down. I can't find this appealing at all.

"What's the problem? I thought you would be thrilled?" She asks, her brows furrow down at me. "Did something happened between you two this summer?" She arches her brows at me, and I gasp. How is she able to see these things?

"Yes," my subconscious states proudly.

I give her a don't-be-stupid look before saying. "No, of-of course not!" My voice betrays me by coming out much more higher then I intended it to.

I dread lying to her, but I can't tell her what my summer has consisted of since Cameron stepped into my life; parties, drinking, boys, drama... I'm too ashamed.

"Okay, well then I don't see the problem here." She states dryly. By the way her eyes meet mine, I know instantly she's angry at me. "Unless you say otherwise Alicia." She looks at me with intense eyes. That's the look she would give me when I got phone calls from my teachers due to poor behavior. Or when I failed a major tests; which is not often, but that's exactly what her face looks like in this instant.