Be Rude but Love Me | ✔

CHAPTER 36

From our little group, Will is the only one to notice my departure with Yann. He stares as we leave till he can no longer see us. And even when his eyes cannot see us, they are still in our direction. I watch through the branches as he looks curious but doesn't come after us. At last, he averts his gaze and resumes his fun with our friends.

I follow Yann as he takes me away through the dead leaves and humid soil. His damp shorts stick to his body and so does his hair to the base of his neck. His grip on my wrist tightens with every step he takes, giving me the impression that he is dragging me behind him. My legs elongate as much as they can to match his pace, my breathing gets harder and I suddenly regret letting my hair loose for it's causing more heat than the summer is already.

"Where are you taking me?"

During the little time we've been walking, his walls went back up. I know it the moment he throws these rough syllables my way. "Away."

And that's all it takes for my obedience to go away. I yank my wrist out of his hand. "We're away now, aren't we?" I snap.

I notice his clenching jaw as he whirls around to face me. His eyes are a blazing fire and the drying hair framing his face makes him look much older, much scarier. When he says nothing, I try to recall what brought us here. As it comes back, how weird that little exchange had been, I attempt to form words to pick up from where we had left.

"You wanted me to listen. I'm all ears, Yann." I cross my arms over my chest and lean against a nearby trunk.

He looks around, lifting his head to the magnificence of the trees before looking back down. He pulls from his wrist a hairband that I hadn't noticed and ties his locks. His gaze falls upon my face but he never looks straight into my eyes. "Let's not think about last night."

Why is he reacting like that? It's not the first time we had kissed. "In simple words, forget about it."

His gaze returns on me, but this time, I'm looking into his eyes. "I said not to think about it, I didn't say forget."

I shake my head at him and push myself off the tree. "Nearly the same thing."

His eye are sharp, his face displeased. "Why do you always have to contradict me?"

"Why do you expect me to agree with you?"

I spin on my heels to leave, feeling like this conversation is over. Three steps away from where I previously stood, an arm wraps around my waist and pulls me back, spinning me around in the process. He reaches out and places a hand on my hip to stop me from colliding with his chest.

His brow creases in concentration as he stares down at me. "Why don't you just let go, Graham?"

I place my hand on his arm to unwrap it but it stays where it is, firmly securing me in his grip. "It's not in my nature to surrender, Yann."

"You should learn to," he says.

I raise an eyebrow at him, not bothering to free myself now. "What about you, though? Would you consider surrender to Will's pleas?"

I get the expected reaction out of him. The mild politeness vanishes and the Yann I first met resurfaces. "Don't go there, Graham."

I look into his eyes and see that I am wrong. Sure, anger is what I've wanted, but anguish, no, and I find both on his features right now. "Exactly. So don't expect me to give in neither."

When I try to remove myself, he's opposing himself and will not let me. He's holding me in his arms and not letting go. I look up to him, wondering why he's doing that again. And by the look on his face, I know that he knows that right now I'm thinking of it. He's thinking of it too.