Read Online Push the Envelope by Rochelle Paige - Free Book Online

you’ve known him was probably the best news I’ve heard in a long
time. I realized that what I’d seen between you wasn’t what I’d thought it was.
Meant that you were free for me to pursue.”

 
    He looked at me expectantly after his announcement.
“Oh, is it my turn to speak now?” I asked with sarcasm, masking the whirl of
thoughts flying through my mind.

 
    His eyes flared with heat at my show of irritation.
“Yeah, I’m done for now. Go ahead, babe.”

 
    “Not so sure I like you calling me babe, babe.”

 
    Drake leaned closer to me, our noses brushing
against each other. His lips were as close to mine as they could be without us
kissing. “Oh, you’re going to like me calling you babe. Trust me on that.”

 
    I shook my head, hoping to clear my thoughts as my
skin broke out in goose bumps. “You did get it wrong. Jackson is like a big
brother to me. His sister is my best friend, and we’ve known each other since
kindergarten.”

 
    “Glad to hear confirmation that there isn’t
anything going on between you two. Not sure I’d be able to back off at this
point anyway. You’d be worth the risk,” Drake replied. “Doesn’t explain why
Jackson didn’t introduce us or why he bailed on the party to hang out with you
in his room though.”

 
    His eyes had hardened again. Clearly the thought of
me spending time in Jackson’s room wasn’t a pleasant thought for Drake.
“Jackson’s a little protective of me with guys. I’m not sure if that’s why he
didn’t introduce us. You’d have to ask him. And he knew that the party wasn’t
really my scene so he helped me make my escape for a little while. We hung out
and watched a movie in his room so that I didn’t bail so early that Aubrey
would be pissed at me.”

 
    “Is that a normal thing for you two, hanging out in
his room and watching movies?” Drake didn’t look very happy with my explanation.

 
    “Every day normal? No. Happens from time to time?
Yes.” I knew my tone was getting snippy, but I didn’t feel like he had any
right to question my perfectly innocent friendship with Jackson.

 
    “Just want to make sure I understand the situation
right. Could have sworn that I saw something between the two of you.”

 
    “I don’t know what you think you saw, but I can
tell you that you were wrong if it was anything other than close friendship.
Jackson’s protective of me because he feels responsible after the way my last
relationship ended. Maybe that’s what you saw.”

 
    Drake’s head snapped up when I mentioned the end of
my relationship with Brad. “Is there a reason he should feel responsible for
you ending things with your boyfriend?”

 
    “No! That’s not what I said at all. Things got
messy, and Jackson had to step into the middle of it for me. End of story.”
There’s no way I was going to share everything with Drake now. If he managed to
dig himself out of the hole he’d put himself in and things progressed between us,
then I’d think about sharing more. Maybe.

 
    “I’ll accept that. For now. But I don’t want any
secrets between us. You got a problem or a question, I want you to come to me.
I get that Jackson’s been there for you in the past, but I’m gonna be the one
there for you in the future.”

 
    I held my hand up in protest. “Whoa. Slow down
there, buddy.”

 
    He reached up and tweaked my nose. “I get it. I’m
jumping ahead of myself. No pressure. We’ve got plenty of time because I’m not
going anywhere. Now that we’ve got all that past us, we’d better hit my mom’s
party. I’m sure she’s wondering where we’re at by now.”

 
    Drake’s parents seemed nice and were happy to have
me join them. Drea was serious about introducing me to everyone and stole me
away from Drake the minute we joined the party. She dragged me around the room,
flitting from group to group, and refused to listen when I told her I wasn’t
Drake’s girlfriend. Drake