The Problem with Paper Dresses (A Dark High school Romance)

Chapter 10

Haynes walked me back to my mom who clapped her hands in excitement when she saw him. "That was incredible Haynes. Your dad must be so proud."
Here we go again. Of course she is going to use this moment to bring up Haynes dad. He is a well known rancher after all, and I bet she can't wait to stick her claws into him and drain out all the publicity she possibly can.
Haynes inclines his head to her, taking off his hat as he does. "Well ma'am, I had a pretty girl watching me in the audience, so I had to bring out my best riding." He turns and winks at me. Am I allowed to swoon? The southern accent just does something to me.
Mom finally turns towards me as if she is seeing me beside him for the first time. "We have an interview to get to up at the announcers stand. Will Haynes be joining us.
I open my mouth to say no when he responds for me. "I would be honored." His hands dig into my shoulders as if daring me to say anything against the statement. After our incident in the barn earlier I think better than to say anything. He grabs my arm and we follow behind my mom. Right now he is the picture of a gentlemen. Holding me arm and steering me in the right direction. It's so unlike what I've come to know about him in our brief interactions. There is something dark and twisted about Haynes Cole. I'm beginning to believe their is more than meets the eye with him. Do I truly wish to know how fucked up in the head he truly is?
       When we meet with the interviewers my mom fluffs my hair before standing back beside Haynes as cameras point towards me. They ask the usual boring questions.
"How has your reign been so far as Teen Miss South Texas?"
"When will we see you back on the cover of vogue?"
"Who designed your outfit today?"
I reply with the same rehearsed answers as always. Couldn't they ask me something better. At least about my platform. About how I wanted to make my mark on the world in a positive way.
My attention is finally piqued with the next question, so different from the rest. "Tell us about the incident that happened earlier with your horse. Do you know your savior, Haynes Cole well?"
I start to answer when a hand comes up on my shoulder to lay on my back. Haynes is smiling at the camera beside me like he is meant to be there. "Well actually now that you ask." He pauses to look at me and throws me a mischievous smile. "Me and Liv here are dating. We have been for a while."
My mouth drops open. He didn't. How could he announce we were dating on live tv. One, it's not true. Two, even if it were I wouldn't want the whole world in my business like this. I sit in silence. What do I do? I can't deny him or I will look like an idiot.
The interviewer notices I'm not going to volunteer any more information and turns to the camera. "You heard it here first folks. Our Texas princess and king of rodeo have made it official. We wish these two bombshells all the luck with their relation. This have been TNNN98Z with your latest here at the Texas state rodeo."
The cameras cut and I try to paste on the smile for the crew. "Excuse me for a moment," I say grabbing Haynes arm and pulling him with me. He smiles and lets me drag him into the nearest bathroom. I slam the door and it resounds with a smack that I'm sure will draw the attention of others around. Hopefully no one saw me shove him into a bathroom.
I shove him in the chest, getting even more frustrated when he doesn't move at all. I go to slap him in the face, but before I can make contact a hand grabs my arm. It's so fast I barely saw him move. He isn't smiling. He tightens his hand on my arm almost to the point of pain and I wince. He pulls me closer to him with that same hand and whispers in my ear. His tone is calm but in a way that is more frightening than if he had been yelling at me. "This ceased to be humorous to me when you tried to strike me. I don't do well with getting hit. Hit me and your ass will feel my hand retaliate."
I don't know what to say as icy fear snakes up my spine. I just nod. "I'm sorry, I'm just mad. You had no right to announce something like that. Something that isn't even true. While I was mad, I know I had no right to try to physically hurt you."
The smile is back on his gorgeous face. "There is my sweet girl." He stroked my hair. "I won't apologize for claiming you on tv. If it was up to me I would claim you in front of the whole world. It's not a lie. You are mine. You have been since I saw you that first day since I moved to that school when I was nine."
My eyes meet his. The emotion in them could bring me to my knees. "You've been watching me for that long." I never knew. How could I not have noticed? He was always there. Always watching.
"Liv, I could watch you forever." With those few beautiful words he pulls me all the way in by the wrist he still holds. His mouth consumes me as his tongue engulfs my mouth and his hand goes behind my head. Passionate, raw, a claiming. That's the only way I could describe the kiss. Haynes Cole had just claimed me with his mouth and the bad thing was that I don't mind one bit. In fact, I want more of it.