Belonging to the Bad Boy

Chapter 17

"Interesting," Damon hums, obviously deep in thought as I told him everything that happened yesterday. Flynn and George were going to meet us at our usual lunch spot, the rest of his group deciding they had other things to do.

I liked George. He was the stark opposite of Ranger, and different to Flynn. He was good looking, there was no doubt about it, but he was textbook intelligent rather than athletic like his friends. He worked out, but also enjoyed doing his work and reading for pleasure. We bonded when we first met, talking for over an hour about our favourite authors and genres before we were begged to stop.

"I don't think it's right, and I don't think he's good for you," Damon says, ultimately coming to his conclusion. I roll my eyes, ready to defend myself.

"I agree," George says, sitting next to me and draping an arm over my shoulder. I chuckle and take a breath in, tea tree filling my nose. I scrunch my nose up, enjoying the smell but cringing at the sting it left in my nostrils.

"Me too," Flynn agrees, sitting next to Damon and pulling his lunch from his backpack.

"Damon, you were the one who told me to challenge him, and myself," I state, shrugging my shoulders as I take a bite of my apple, shooting him a knowing look.

"I didn't expect you to sleep with him, Alex!" I shouts and my jaw drops in disbelief.

George pushes my jaw back up, grimacing at me. "Please swallow that apple much before you open your mouth again," he groans, shivering in disgust.

I roll my eyes and huff. "I didn't sleep with him," I grumble, glaring daggers at Damon. He simply scoffs at me, grinning mischievously. "I simply am trying my best to figure out who is his and to stop himself being such a cocky d-"

"Can't stop talking about me?" A deep voice comments. I turn to the side, watching Ranger climb the bleachers, almost right next to us.

I blow air through my nose, a muffled laugh. "You wish," I mutter, rolling my eyes for the millionth time today already.

"I know," he shrugs, smirking down at me. I glance at my friends and see how uncomfortable they are. I don't know if they'll ever accept my decision, or if they could ever trust him, but I trust myself. I turn back to Ranger, ready to give some snarky remark when I'm stopped by a pair of lips pressing against mine.

It wasn't as harsh as yesterdays, a gentleness hidden under the hungry and rapid movements of his lips. I melt, whatever I wanted to say gone and my lips moving rhythmically with his. Something felt right, and I knew he felt it too. He pulled away and I longed for more. He left without saying anything else, running down the bleachers and back to his football team to finish practice.

I turn to face my friend once again and see them just staring at me, Damon's eyebrows raise, George's jaw dropped and Flynn's face scrunched. I feel a light blush dust my cheeks and narrow my eyes at them. "Stop gawking," I state, crossing my arms over my chest with a stare that could kill.

"Anyway," Damon says, breaking the silence that lasted far to long. "I was thinking Smith's later."

I furrow my eyebrows, confused as to what he was talking about. "After school we said we'd hang and get food?" Flynn asks, though it was more of a pointed statement as he tilted his head in confusion.

"Oh, I forgot," I hum, barely remembering this morning's brief conversation at my locker.

"That's hardly surprising. You've been in your own head all day." George snaps his head at Damon, shooting him a look as if to say 'shut up'.

"Pay him no attention," George says, wrapping an arm around my shoulder and sending me a reassuring smile. We hadn't been friends long but George felt so comfortable with us, and with me, and I loved it so.

I nod, sighing. Damon was right though, I had been inside my head all day. I've been trying to work Ranger out, to find his angle and why he would want me, further thinking as to why he was interested before my change. "I'll buy dessert to make it up to you guys."

"Oh, no, I did-" I wave a hand, cutting Damon off.

"You're right, I need to get out of my head so as a thank you I'm buying you the fudge brownie sundae," I grin, and I see his eyes light up. Flynn laughs at his childish delight and George smiles down at me again, squeezing my shoulders gently.

I nod and relax, glad to have my friends happy again and distracted from the fact that I'm distracted. I look around, having had an uneasy feeling during this conversation, and it isn't long before I find the source. I look down at the pitch and see Ranger glaring daggers at George as he hold onto my. A shiver rattles my spine, and I know I'm going get an earful about this later.

-_-_-_-

True to my promise I bought everyone dessert, Damon chowing down on his chocolate fudge brownie sundae, George enjoying an indulgent, caramel cheesecake, and Flynn making far too many noises while he ate his banana split sundae.

Smith's diner was the best place to hangout and have food. As much as the food was delightful, the desserts and milkshakes were to die for! I sat, sipping on my chocolate and caramel milkshake, grimacing at the mess Damon was making and the noises Flynn was making.

All was simple, comfortable and normal. That was until a new body slid into the booth next to me. A dark chocolate and cherry milkshake was placed next time mine and a warm arm snaked around my waist. I smelt the mint immediately, followed by cinnamon and black pepper. I look up to see Ranger grinning down at me, a sparkle in his eyes.

"So, I overheard you guys talking and decided I should get to know you if I want to spend time with Ally," he shrugs, looking around the group. Damon almost chokes on his dessert when he hears Ranger's nickname and it takes Flynn's help for it to cease.

I chuckle under my breath but glare up at Ranger, his twinkle brighter because he knows I hate it. I would rather he went back to saying my whole name. I never gave him permission to rename me and only friends got to call me Alex.

"So, uh," Flynn attempts, struggling to find something to talk about. "Milkshake?" I roll my eyes at his decision of topic.

"Uh, yeah, dark chocolate and cherry," Ranger mumbles, furrowing his eyebrows.

"They're not this boring, you're just not the easiest to handle," I tell him, replying to his silent questions. He scoffs, rolling his eyes. "Anyway, George, it's nice to have a normal person at the table; someone who isn't an animal," I say, smiling at George while I narrowed my eyes at the other two.

This fired an argument between my three friends, and I raise an eyebrow pointedly at Ranger. He nods, a grin on his face as he enjoyed the arguing between them.

"They have a point," Ranger attempts, tapping his cheek with his finger to signal Damon had food on his cheek. He turned bright red and began frantically wiping his cheek, sending a chuckle through Ranger.

"There's... there's nothing there is there?" Damon asks, his cleaning slowing to a stop. We all burst into laughter and shake our heads no and he turns redder in anger.

The conversation begins to flow naturally again, Ranger not saying much but trying where he could. I sip my milkshake, almost choking on it when a hand squeezes my thigh underneath the table. I cough a few times, my cheeks turning red.

"You good?" Flynn asks, raising a confused eyebrow at me. I simply nod, catching my breath.

When all attention is removed from me I snap my head towards Ranger as he sat there with the biggest smirk in the world. Oh how it made me want to punch him square in the jaw. On cue, as if he were reading my thoughts, Ranger moves his hand a little further along my thigh and squeezed again, never breaking eye contact.

He leans down to my ear, his warm breath fanning over my ear and neck, sending fireworks into my stomach and shivers down my spine. "I am the only man who has permission to touch you," he growls, squeezing tighter than before to make a point. I nod quickly, and he lets me go. I let out a large breath I had no idea I was holding. Lord help me with this man.