Free All For You (Boys of the South) by Marquita Valentine, The 12 NAs of Christmas Page B

she snaps. “Everything and
everyone else seems boring in comparison.”
    “There’s
no comparison, McKenzie. I haven’t given any other female a
second thought.”
    “Because
you’re too busy with your first ones.”
    I ignore her
reference to Charlie. “I went to your house to pick you up, and
imagine my surprise to learn that you weren’t there.”
    “Did it hurt
your feelings?”
    “A little.”
    “Good,”
she says. “Now take that little and multiply it by a whole hell
of a lot, and you might get a tenth of how I felt the next day, when
you didn’t show up.”
    “I don’t
remember everything I said to you,” I finally admit, my cheeks
heating. “All I remember is being with you, but the rest is a
blur. I was drunk, McKenzie. Too drunk to have ever touched you.”
    Her eyes widen,
humiliation filling them. “Is that supposed to make me feel
better?”
    “It’s
the truth, baby.” I take a step toward her, but she holds up
her hands, warding me off. Exhaling, I steel myself, knowing that
what I’m about to tell her will probably make her hate me more
than she ever did, that whatever feelings she’s developed for
me will probably disappear. But I deserve it, and she deserves the
truth. “All I knew the next morning was that I felt guilty as
hell, and instead of talking to you, instead of being a decent human
being, I took the coward’s way out and bailed. I rationalized
my actions by thinking that if I left you alone, everyone else would,
too.”
    “You were
wrong,” she snaps. “Charlie found out about us, and she
made my life more of a hell than you ever could the last two months
of school.”
    “I’m
sorry.”
    “Sorry doesn’t
fix it or erase the past, no matter how many times you say it, no
matter how many times we have sex, or how many gifts you give me!”
    Reeling from the
vehemence in her voice, I step back. “If you still felt that
way, then why are we together? Why are you spending time in my bed,
in my arms?”
    “I made a
mistake,” she says, and it feels like I’ve been sucker
punched. I reach for her, but she shakes me off. “Don’t…
don’t you dare touch me.”
    Damn it. This isn’t
the way I’d envisioned tonight going. “I made a mistake
too, but I came by tonight to fix it.”
    She takes off my
coat and hands it to me. “Thanks for being honest with me this
time, West.”
    “What?”
I have no idea what’s happened. Or what’s in her head.
Before I can find out, Julia comes busting out the door, screaming
McKenzie’s name.
    Parker’s right
behind her, exasperation written all over his face. “Sorry, but
that girl is a menace. She almost started three brawls just by
winking at the wrong guys at the same time.”
    “You look
okay.”
    “Dude, I told
them I was her brother.”
    I cut my gaze to
Julia and then back at Parker. “Were they drunk?”
    Parker grins. “Julia
started calling me her brother from another Latin mother, and gave me
a noogie.”
    He always did have
the luck.
    I turn back to
McKenzie, only to see her and Julia climbing inside a cab. I shout
McKenzie’s name, but Julia looks me dead in the eye, flips me
off, and slams the door shut. The cab takes off for parts unknown,
and it would take too long for the valet to get my car so I can chase
after them.
    “ Men-ace ,”
Parker reiterates. “Still, she’s a cool girl.”
    “You think all
girls who look like Julia are cool.”
    “Yeah, but I
stay the hell away from her. She’s Beau’s cousin, and I
sure as hell don’t want him or his older brother kicking my ass
for touching her.”
    “Might be
worth it,” I say, trying to get a bead on whether or not he’s
really into Julia.
    “Seriously,
bro. I don’t want to protest too much, but Julia and I…
yeah, not happening. She’s too damn wild for me.” Which
is code for Julia reminds him of his mother and he won’t touch
her with a ten-foot pole.
    “Just
checking.”
    “Thanks.”
A BMW slows down, and Parker just stands