Beast: An Anthology by Amanda Richardson & Stephanie Alba & Madalyn Beck & Jessica Bucher & Jeannine Colette & A.M. Johnson & Caroline Nolan & H.B. Stumbo

Author:Amanda Richardson & Stephanie Alba & Madalyn Beck & Jessica Bucher & Jeannine Colette & A.M. Johnson & Caroline Nolan & H.B. Stumbo [Richardson, Amanda]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Published: 2017-03-13T16:00:00+00:00

The Rooftop

I KNOCK ON the door of Jameson’s room and then turn the knob, letting myself in. “Hello?”

I’m half behind the door but I can hear the ruffling of sheets and then his grumbling voice. “You’re supposed to wait for someone to say come in before entering.”

With a dish in one hand, I push the door further open with the other. “Yeah, but you probably wouldn’t have let me in,” I say jovially, but the mood turns very serious when I am face to face with a half exposed Jameson Brock lying in his bed alone.

“Don’t act bashful now,” he says. “You stroll into a man’s home unannounced, you have to suffer the consequences.”

He is lying down, his head propped up by two pillows. His bare chest is on full display. He’s only a few years older than me but he is all man. Thick muscle under tanned skin that’s sprinkled with hair that leads down his stomach and under the thin sheet that is showing another muscle beneath the surface.

“Throw me that blanket,” he motions behind me and it takes a second for me to avert my eyes from his waist.

I throw him the blanket. His biceps are corded, the veins running drown his forearms. I’m watching those arms as he covers his lower body fully with the blanket.

I hold the plate up to him. “I brought you cake.”

He cocks a brow.

Taking a seat on the bed, I uncover the foil and show him a piece of chocolate fudge cake and a fork. “It’s my birthday.”

“And you’re bringing me cake?”

“There was an extra piece.” I push it toward him and he takes it. I watch as he forks a piece. His tongue darts out in anticipation as he slides that sinfully delicious piece of chocolate into his mouth and lets out a groan at the heaven that is melting in his mouth. “Good, huh?”

“Perfect,” he says and takes another bite. “How old are you?”

“Sixteen.”

“Way to ring in your birthday,” he says. “Your boyfriend’s a real asshole.”

“He’s not my boyfriend.” I say to him for the second time this week.

“Then why do you hang out with him?”

“I don’t. I just,” I start and then stop, wondering why I even went to that stupid party. “I thought it would make my dad happy.”

“You have a lot of growing up to do.”

“What’s that supposed to mean?”

He puts the plate on his stomach and looks up at me. “You’re naïve.”

“And you’re an assuming jerk.” I rise from the bed and turn around for a moment before looking back at him with a pointed glare. “For your information, that’s the first party I’ve ever been to. I don’t drink, don’t smoke, I don’t do drugs and I certainly don’t screw around with asshole boys. I knew enough to call Randall to come get me. If I knew he was sending you, I would have told him to leave me there with the wolves.”

A small smirk creeps over his face. “You’re feisty when you’re angry. Didn’t know you had it in you to curse.