Page 32 of Left on Read
“Really?” I blinked at him. That had to be flirting, right?
“Yeah.” He shrugged, looking bashful all of a sudden. “They look good on you.”
“Thanks. You’re pretty much the only person who’s ever said so.”
He gave me a quizzical look.
“I was bullied a lot as a kid. And as a teen. Little bit as an adult.” I tried to laugh, but it came out as a choked sound. “My glasses were one of the things my bullies really zeroed in on.”
“I’m sorry that happened to you,” he said softly, tracing his eyes over my face in a way that made my stomach flutter with more than just nerves. “No one deserves to be bullied. It sucks.”
“You were bullied?” I blurted.
He nodded grimly. “It was really bad when I was a kid. Got better when I got out of school, but yeah.”
“For what? Did you have a glow up or something? Because you’re literally perfect.” I clapped my hand over my mouth. That had slipped out.
River blushed. “Not really. I was just…a weird kid. Didn’t really understand things or people. Got used a lot. I was super gullible, still am, so I kinda attracted bullies because I’m an easy target. Zane protected me as much as he could, but kids can be assholes.”
“That they can.” My eyes fell to his lips.
River licked the bottom one, the move slow and deliberate. My body tightened and my chest squeezed tight as Ryan’s words echoed in my head.
“Fuck it,” I muttered and surged forward.
Our lips connected in a soft kiss, but a second later, River jumped back, his eyes wide and mouth slack with shock.
“I’m sorry!” I backed away from him. “I just thought… I’m so sorry.” I took another step but tripped over my feet in my haste to run away.
“Whoa.” River grabbed my arm and steadied me. “Careful.”
My body flushed hot, and my vision went hazy.
Fuckfuckfuckfuck.
What had I done?
“Hayden?” River’s free hand closed over my other shoulder. “Shit. Hayden. It’s okay. Just breathe, okay? Please. I just need a second.”
“I’m sorry,” I repeated. Why couldn’t a sinkhole open up under me and end this humiliation?
“Don’t be sorry. I just need a second to process.” He shot me a pleading look. “Please. I’m just… I wasn’t expecting that.”
“I’m sorry.”
“Stop apologizing. You didn’t do anything wrong. I’m…straight?”
“You’re straight?” I repeated stupidly. “But your profile said men and women?”
“Yeah. My friend suggested I do that because I’d be more likely to get an answer from a guy.”
“So all this was just…not what I thought?” I whispered, fighting the urge to pull free and run up to my room so I could die in peace.
“I don’t know.” He sucked on his bottom lip. “I didn’t think so, but now I’m not so sure.”
“Don’t do that.”
“Do what?”