The Bad Boy Kissed Me *ON HOLD*

Trust

The door opens slowly, and he hesitates at the entrance, staring at my window. It's hard to make out his expression in the dark and from the angle I'm at, but the heat suddenly radiating from him tells me he's pissed.

He walks in, dropping his keys on the table. I nearly smile because the girl isn't with him, but I don't have any reason to smile yet. Not until I face him and tell him I want him back. I make my move.

Staying quiet, I push the door, inch by inch, cloaking the room in utter darkness.

It's almost shut, but I'm grabbed by the neck and slammed against the door. My eyes go wide, and I struggle against him, unable to make a sound because of how hard his hold is on my throat. He raises a fist, rearing back.

Oh, God, I'm so stupid. He thinks I'm an intruder. I do the only thing that can save me: knee him in the nuts.

"The fuck?" he yells, pressing his palm to my face instead of pummeling it. Okay, I guess I missed, or he saw it coming because that was all muscular thigh. "Colette? Fuck." His grip loosens, but he doesn't let me go. "What the fuck are you doing here?"

I cough, holding his forearm. "Mom gave me the idea to keep you from escaping. I didn't think it through. I'm not trying to murder you."

His hand slips away from my neck, but he doesn't embrace me. He doesn't say anything.

I don't know what to do. I didn't even think past shutting the door and caging him in. So I do the only thing I want to do. I grab his face and stand on the tips of my toes to kiss him.

The taste of his wintergreen gum touches my tongue, but he stands his full height, out of my reach, before I can fully press my lips to his.

"What are you doing?" He grabs my hands that still cup his face, pins them above my head, and looms over me. "I'm not playing games. Tell me what the fuck this is, vecina."

My heart flips at his nickname for me, and I try to free myself. He stops me, pushing his knee between my legs. Since I was on my tippy-toes, I now straddle his thigh. My feet dangling above the floor like a freaking child. "Jeez, okay. I'm showing you I'm sorry and hoping my kiss is better than the pretty girl you took to lunch."

His hands tighten around my wrists. "You're sorry? You want me even though you saw me with someone else?"

It's such a violent spitting of words that I flinch. "Yes, I'm sorry. If that's all that comes from this, I want you to know I'm sorry and hate that I doubted you. I need you to know that much. If she's your choice, I won't do this again. I wish you all the best."

He's quiet for at least twenty seconds, then says, "I never wanted a girlfriend. I knew if I had one, she would compare herself to everyone I've been with. I didn't want to deal with that or hurt her with that, either. I didn't think I would be trusted to be faithful."

"I trust you," I whisper, trying to get free. "I do. I was just stupid for a tiny moment. I knew the truth when you looked at me."

He shakes his head. "You saw the truth and let your mind run and hide like always. You think I don't know you because we've barely been together, but I do. I used to watch you every chance I got, committed your sassy ass voice to memory when someone was pissing you off. I trusted you would believe in me."

"I do," I whine from frustration. "Please let me go."

"Why?" He jostles me with his leg to make me hover more. "So you can run off and listen to more lies and fall for them? Not once did I ever believe the rumors people said about you. But you believe River?"

"I was just afraid." I stare at him, making out more of his face as my eyes adjust. I don't point out that he did believe Heather and Becca, but maybe he doesn't count that as a rumor. "I trust you. I trust you with everything about me. You have to know that after I let you see and touch me."