Broken Bad Boy

27

PERCIE

What the fuck?

“He asked you out?” My voice raised. I pressed my lips into a thin line before I spoke again. “And just

now you told me?”

“Yes. I mean. You ignored me, so how am I supposed to tell you when we were avoiding each other.”

“Did he insist?”

She stared at me right into my eyes. “He said just once, but I said I like someone else, and he asked

who.”

I swallowed the lump forming in my throat while wishing it would be me. My heart thumped faster in

anticipation.

“And?” My tongue thickened in my mouth.

“I said I like you,” she whispered shyly.

I thought my world just spun around, then abruptly stopped. Wait a sec? Did she just say she liked me?

A smile spread across my lips and slowly, deliberately formed into a wide grin. My face ached.

I squeezed her hands and caressed her knuckles. “Did you mean it, Hailey? Or you were just trying to

avoid Remy?” I could clearly hear the joy in my voice.

She didn’t meet my gaze. Though she nodded, I still wanted to hear it from her. “I want to hear it,

Hailey.”

She looked at me with a shrug. “It doesn’t matter now. You have already Lexie just right next door.”

“It matters to me, Lee. Like how you matter to me. And about that.”

She blinked as if she couldn’t believe what she just heard.

I moved closer to her without breaking eye contact. I cupped her face with my hands and caressed her

cheeks with my thumbs. Her face was so soft and smooth. And the way she looked at me right now—

with anticipation brewing in her eyes, was adorable. I wanted to crush my lips and kiss her senselessly

until we were breathless.

“I like you too, Hailey. So much. I know I’m not good for you, but I will do my best to be good and be

deserving of your trust, care, admiration, and your kindness,” I told her with all my heart that I’d been

bottling up in my chest.

She nodded again. My heart would burst out from my chest at any moment.

“Would you go out on a date with me?”

Then the most beautiful smile spread across her face.

Her answer caught me by surprise when she also launched herself into me.

“Okay. I take that as a yes.” I laughed.

She pulled away before I could hug her back. “Sorry, got too excited.”

“It’s okay. I’d been thinking about asking you for a while now. I just don’t want you to withdraw back and

not talk to me again. And I want more of that from you.” I tucked her hair behind her ear. She was so

beautiful, and I didn’t deserve someone as pure-hearted as her.

“What about her?” Finally, I was hoping she would ask.

“I’m not her type, Lee. She likes girls, and she likes Megan, your friend.”

Her eyes grew big, covering her mouth with her hand.

“Yeah. So, no need to be rude to Lexie,” I teased. “She’s just a friend.”

Her face instantly turned red. “Sorry.”

“I let her sleep in my room. I’ll stay on the couch, okay?”

Her brows quirked up. “You can stay here. We’ll fit here together.”

She has no idea how hard I had been trying to control myself when she was this close to me.

“It’s okay, Lee. I will stay on the couch tonight.”

She nodded, but she was not good at hiding her emotions. I stood up from her bed and kissed her

head.

“Get some sleep. I’ll go check on Lexie. Be nice to our guest in the morning, okay?”

She smiled.

“Night, Lee.”

“Night.”

***

I woke up to the murmur and smell of coffee. I rubbed my eyes and stretched my limbs until I

remembered I was on the couch. My mind went up to the event last night. I was going on a date with

Hailey. For the first time in like eternity, I had some planning to do.

After doing my bathroom chores, I went directly to the kitchen, only to find Hailey and Lexie busy

preparing breakfast. Lexie was already wearing Hailey’s shirt and Pajama bottom. They were chatting,

but I couldn’t quite catch what was all about.

“Morning, ladies.” I smiled.

Lexie elbowed Hailey. They seemed both speechless, just staring at me as if I was Thor visiting their

kitchen. No pun intended.

“Morning, Percie,” Lexie greeted back with a wink.

Finally, Hailey made her way towards me, beaming. She was so pretty and fresh in the morning.

“Hi.” I was all speechless when she did that.

“Morning.” She murmured, wrapped her arms around my neck, and pecked my lips. Wow! I could

definitely get used to this.

I froze in my track. Hailey pulled back before I could squeeze her and kiss her back.

She grabbed my hand to follow her.

“Hailey made the breakfast, and I’m just a help,” Lexie commented. She settled in on a stool across

from us. Hailey and I chose the same spot. I wrapped my arm around her shoulder, pulled her in, and

kissed her on her cheek. She looked surprised, but she offered a smile.

We had breakfast with a light conversation about stuff at school. When I caught Lexie glancing at us

and trying to hide her smile from Hailey, I gave her a warning look.

“I’ll just send Lexie to her apartment. I’ll be quick.” I told Hailey after our breakfast. She was reading a

book on our couch.

“Sure.”

“Don’t bother. I already have a ride, and it will be here soon.” Lexie had already her things ready.

“I told you I’m sending you home.”

She rolled her eyes. “I’m sure you have a lot of things to do today.” Her phone rang at the same time.

“No one can stop you, can’t you?”

“That’s the cab!” she sang merrily, grabbing her purse.

“At least let me send you down.”

She ran away towards the door, yelling bye.

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Once Lexie was gone, I took a seat beside Hailey on the couch. My pillow and blanket were still here.

She was pretty engrossed with the book. But what I could appreciate right now was her beauty, just so

captivating.

I was too drawn, and I didn’t even realize she was already staring back at me.

I cleared my throat. “So, ready?”

“For what?”

“For our date.”

Her eyes enlarged.

“Don’t tell me you changed your mind.”

“No. I didn’t change my mind. We didn’t talk about when, though.”

She was right.

I didn’t mention it to her, but I already talked to Grandpa about my plan.

“So, ready then?” I asked again.

“Sure. Where are we going? At least let me choose an appropriate dress to wear.

“No need to wear anything fancy.”

“Okay. Are we going somewhere far?”

I wrapped my arm around her shoulders. I could smell her shampoo as I tucked my chin on top of her

head.

“Not far. And how are your friends treating you?”

“No need to threaten my friends. They want to meet you.” She sat straight.

“Really? Did you tell them about us?

She nodded.

“Don’t do that.” My gaze landed on her biting her bottom lip.

“Do what?”

“Unless you want me to kiss you.”

She looked funny, blushing as she pressed her lips into a thin line.

“You can invite them over and have some girls’ bonding or girls’ night or whatever you girls do. Just no

boys allowed. Only me.”

She giggled.

I pulled her closer to me, wrapping my arms around her petite body. She looked small, but we fit just

perfectly right.

She grabbed my hand and kissed my bruised knuckles. “Have you tried to let this checkup?”

I swallowed as I felt her soft wet lips touching my skin. “No broken bones, I guess.”

“Why’d you do that? Punched the coffee table.”

“I will replace it.” When I came back, the shattered glasses were wiped clean.

“It’s not about replacing what you broke. It’s about talking, opening up by expressing your emotions and

letting them out of your chest.”

“I’m not good at that since I lost Emma.”

“Maybe we should see a shrink together.” Her suggestion made me think, but I didn’t think it was

necessary.

“How about we share and open up when we’re together.”

She turned to face me. “I think that’s a good start.” She then traveled her gaze down lips, leaving it

there for a moment. The process was making my body tense. My skin tingled with fierce anticipation. I

was a guy, but I was the breathless one. Yeah, damn right, I was breathless.

Her lips were quicker than the flash as she pressed against mine. Before I could get ahold of what just

happened, she was already standing, beaming down on me.

“Let’s go them.” She was already gone while I was staring down at the reaction on my crotch.