Queen of my Heart

10

“MUST I REALLY go in there?" I asked, eyeing the closed door nervously.

Bryan gave me a pointed look. "You don't have to do it," he assured me.

I rolled my eyes. "Sweet. If only you weren't just guilt-tripping me about five seconds ago."

He held his palms up in defense. "Hey. I was just making a mere hypothesis."

"You don't say." I raised a brow. "I don't exactly consider you saying that and I quote, 'Shane will despise you for not showing up. You know how much he wanted you and Gillian to meet', unquote, a mere hypothesis. Which, by the way, I definitely did not know," I said querulously.

My boyfriend stared at me for a moment or two longer. "You don't want to upset your best mate," he told me, his tone implying something else.

Something I didn't ever want to think about again.

"And why wouldn't I?" I challenged. "He's of no special importance to me." I looked away. "Well, not anymore."

Ha! Who are you trying to fool, woman?

Bryan sighed exasperatedly, running a hand through his soft blond hair. I tried not to stare, considering that he looked really tired and pissed that time, but the way he was subconsciously biting down at his lip sexily was making it harder.

He glanced at me and raised a brow questioningly.

Nothing ever escaped his notice, I tell you.

I played with the hem of my shirt, pretending not to be just caught red handed checking him out.

"Stop that," he suddenly said in that husky voice he rarely used.

Looking up, I noticed his blue eyes turned into a darker shade that left me rooted in the spot. Something deep inside me rumbled to life at the intensity of his gaze.

"What?" My voice came as a breathless whisper.

For goodness' sake, we were just outside the hotel room!

He took a step forward, staring down at me. "Stop chewing on your lip," he said, almost pleaded even.

I smirked, looking and sounding so much more confident than how I really felt. "But you were just doing it a while ago," I pointed out.

He created a sound between a groan and a growl as he moved to close the distance between us—

—only for the door to open in our faces.

We scrambled away from each other not a split second later, like we were just burned by each other's touch.

A bored-looking Nicky glanced from Bryan to me a few times before speaking up. "When will the two of you come in and stop jumping at each other like sex-crazed people?"

***

"Oh, you're here," Mark said as Bryan and I went in the living room with Nicky in tow.

I looked around for any sign of the she-devil when Kian caught my gaze, which quickly turned into a glare.

He casted his eyes down after that.

Shane appeared from the kitchen. "What took you so long?" he asked in that usual friendly tone of his, seeming to be in a good mood.

Well, somebody's moved on real quick.

Before Bryan or I could open our mouths, Nicky had already answered. "Apparently, the two were about to do it outside when I reached them," he answered as a matter-of-factly.

To my utter embarrassment, I blushed a probably rich shade of red. "We were not!" I insisted rather weakly.

I glanced to see if Bryan was having the same reaction as I. Alas, he just sat there looking all calm and collected, albeit a bit amused at how I looked.

Mark and the rest of the lads howled in laughter after a beat.

"You should've seen your face!" Nicky pointed at me, chuckling still.

"At least I have a face," I retorted, still blushing.

He feigned hurt. "Ouch. That was harsh."

Shane shook his head. "That was twisted, man." He nudged Nicky's arm playfully.

The latter grinned. "Bet you couldn't get that picture out of your mind."

I grimaced. "That's gross, Nicky."

"But your reaction was worth it, Jul," Kian piped in, surprising the lads.

You don't, I remind you, you just don't speak to a girl you offended, lest it be a heartfelt apology.

There was a terse silence as they waited for my response. My blush instantly faded away, replaced by a cold exterior.

Without looking away from Kian's wide eyes, I spat, "I don't talk to trash," rather venomously.

Everybody was shocked, I could tell. It was completely unlike me to show my disdain to someone so obviously.

But I still felt too insulted and belittled to care.

The room remained silent after my harsh statement and I thought I saw Kian's mouth move to say something.

But the door had already swung open before any of us hear what he had to say.

And then came a shrilly voice of the most annoying woman in the world.

"Oh, sweetie, I'm here!"