Read Online Dirty Blood by Heather Hildenbrand - Free Book Online Page B

a little more forceful than
I’d intended, and then I felt my face go red at the humor I spotted
in his expression; he’d only been joking. “I meant, you didn’t have
to do all this, and I appreciate it.”
    He reached out, like he was about to take my hand,
and then stopped. Instead, he shoved his hands into his pockets and
stared at the ground. “Tara, there’s something-”
    A car door, very nearby, slammed shut and Wes broke
off. We both looked over at the same time and I groaned at the
figure fast approaching my doorstep. Beside me, I could feel the
tension in Wes as he eyed our visitor suspiciously.
    “George,” I called, with fake calm, mostly so Wes
would realize it wasn’t a threat. I didn’t really feel him relax
though.
    “Hey babe.” George’s smile faltered at the sight of
Wes and his eyes narrowed slightly.
    I looked back at George, desperately trying to figure
out how to explain this in a way that didn’t involve the truth.
“George, Wes. Wes, George.” I gestured back and forth between them
and paused. Neither one spoke. Wes was watching George with an
intense look. It wasn’t menacing, necessarily, but it held a
challenge that I didn’t like. George eyed Wes back and sort of
grunted a hello at him. I felt my patience thinning at their show
of testosterone. “George, what are you doing here?”
    He finally tore his eyes from Wes’, breaking whatever
macho stare down they were locked in and looked back at me. “I
figured since you were out sick I’d come over and see if you needed
anything. Maybe take care of you.” His expression hardened a
little. “But it looks like maybe you’re not so sick after all.”
    “I was sick, George. I mean, I am sick.”
    George ignored me. His eyes swung back over to Wes.
“Who are you anyway?”
    I tensed. Out of the corner of my eye, I could see
Wes standing still as a statue.
    “I’m a friend,” Wes answered, finally. His tone was
not very friendly, however.
    George’s eyes narrowed even further. “I know all of
Tara’s friends and I don’t know you.”
    “Then I guess you don’t know all of Tara’s friends,”
Wes replied.
    I exhaled loudly, hoping to let it be known how
little patience I had left for all of this. “George, Wes is a
friend from out of town. I didn’t know he was coming. Either way,
it’s none of your business. You and I are not together
anymore.”
    It seemed to take George a minute to accept this, but
eventually, he seemed to get it. He stuffed his hands into his
pockets and mumbled something about still caring about me. He shot
a glance at Wes again and then stepped over and planted a very
deliberate kiss on my cheek. “I’ll see you, Tay,” he said and
headed to his car. I just watched him go, wondering whose benefit
the kiss had been for. Mine or Wes.
    I waited until George had backed up and drove off
before whirling at Wes. “What was that?” I hissed.
    His eyes were sparkling. “What was what?”
    “You were baiting him.”
    He shrugged. “I don’t like him very much.”
    I gave him a look.
    “Your mom will be home soon,” he said.
    “Crap. I forgot about that. You better get going.” I
hesitated and then added, “Will I see you again?”
    He pulled a small card out of his pocket and handed
it to me. “Here, take this. It’s mine and Jack’s numbers. Just in
case.”
    “Thanks, I guess I’ll… see you around,” I said,
hoping I sounded casual instead of the biting disappointment I
felt.
    His lips curved up on one side. “Probably.”
    Then he left.

 
     
     
    ~ 7 ~
     
     
     
    The next morning, Angela was waiting for me at my
locker. “Feeling better?” she asked.
    “Much. Guess all the cold meds knocked it out of
me.”
    “So?” she prompted, raising a dark eyebrow behind her
glasses. I looked blankly back at her. “What happened with you and
George? The one time I saw him yesterday, he was moping like a
little boy with a lost puppy.”
    I grimaced and rummaged inside my locker for