*Exclusive sneak peek of my novel SHAMELESS.*
Every student at Shame U has their secrets, and Henley Brooks is no exception. Struggling to pay for college and maintain her perfect reputation has become overwhelming. When her friend Gigi Oxford offe...
Lucas handed me a controller and turned on the game console before sinking down beside me, sitting close enough that his arm brushed against mine. It was distracting, to say the least.
"So... you play the violin?" He asked, his eyes still locked on the screen.
"Do I play?" I threw his words back at him and from the corner of my eye I could see him shake his head. "I did... I mean... until life got in the way."
"What is that supposed to mean?"
I shrugged as I felt my eyes begin to water. I swiped my fingers under my lashes to dash the tear that threatened to fall. "I outgrew it."
His eyes cut to me as he rubbed his palm against the back of his neck. "Not many people get tattoos of things they aren't passionate about."
Oops! This image does not follow our content guidelines. To continue publishing, please remove it or upload a different image.
"Can you please stop psychoanalyzing me, Dr. Fraud, and just play the stupid game," I snapped with a little more venom than intended. But the wound from losing my most prized possession was still fresh, and it was the last thing I wanted to talk about.
"I think you mean Dr. Freud," he replied with a sigh.
"No, I meant what I said. You have no idea what you're talking about."
"I know plenty about having to give up something you love," he groaned before stretching his neck from side to side. "You know, with some shading, you can give that piece some depth, make it look like the holes are actually carved into your skin."
"Really? You're a tattoo expert now," I laughed as he glanced over at me, completely stone-faced.
He shrugged but didn't reply.
"Where'd you learn so much about them, in prison?"
He shook his head as he beat me, advancing to the next level. "You have me all figured out, don't you?"
"Oh, come on. You judged me just as much as I judged you. It's human nature. I'm just honest about it."
"There's a difference between honesty and being rude." His eyes cut to me as his lips pressed into a hard line.
"Fair enough. Lay it on me. What was your first impression of me?"
He shook his head, letting out a small laugh. "You don't want to know."
"Seriously? I asked, didn't I? Let me guess... you thought I was -"
"A fit bird. Sexy. You were all frazzled and nervous. It was kind of cute." He glanced over at me as his tongue ran out over his lips, and somehow I'd forgotten how to breathe. He looked back at the television and clicked the A button on his controller, killing me again. "But then you started talking to yourself in obscure film references, and I thought maybe you were a bit mental."
"I was not nervous." I shoved my shoulder against him, and he laughed before nudging me back with his elbow, his body now resting comfortably against mine.
