You’re Mine by Penny Brooks

Harper

Easton is pale.

Normally his skin is a healthy tan, his good looks are so ridiculously hot that I want to strangle him then kiss him right afterward.

I'm next to my locker when he walks up, hands shoved into his jeans, posture stiff.

"Sup?"

I snort out a laugh.

"Did you just bro talk me?"

“Huh?"

He scratches his head, completely distracted.

I mimic his movements, then give him a slight shove.

"Yeah okay, bruh, what you wanna do later, dude, wanna hit the pavement, go for a smoke, shoot some hoops and—"

"-Are you high?"

He leans in, and the smell of his cologne has me dizzy with want.

"And why wouldn't you share?"

Flirtatious Easton is back.

The one I'm obsessed with.

The one I need more than anything, despite how frustrated I get with him on a daily basis.

He's mine.

All mine.

I just wish all this bullshit would go away so we could have more time to figure out what we are, how we work, and what this means before graduation.

Ugh.

"Not high."

I wrap my arms around his waist.

"You just seem distant..."

We have at least half the day left before we can go home-—before I can go home with him, even if that means I'm just going to be in the backseat of his super sexy Jeep.

"Yeah okay boomer,"

he jokes.

"I'm fine, I promise."

Our foreheads touch and I forget all about the worries I have as people whistle and pass us as they walk down the hallway.

"I just had a moment.

shit is

paranoid about something when what looks like a

black pants, and a tightly tucked in blue shirt with a badge, okay so yeah totally a police officer—attached to

us, her sneer so apparent I

weird? He doesn't so much as flinch as he wraps an

"Have a great day."

Her eyes narrow.

"Girlfriend?"

"Yes,"

for him and

"My name's Harper."

"How..."

throws on her black

"Lovely for you..."

crisis stomps past us like it's the time of the

hell was that

I say out loud.

is tense but manages

shit? Hates her job? A woman in a man's world? Take

me toward

"What if we skip?"

"Skip what?"

I frown.

"Life?"

He jokes.

school, run back to our houses, pack,

so many epic things about his

mansion right on the lake and only the most popular

envy when Ryan

wants me to go?

I ask.

“Over my dead body."

suddenly appears, scaring the shit

against his side, her head laying

are moving weirdly fast if they're showing that much PDA during school

sounded

and look toward

know I'd never leave you out.” Easton

in? Should we

Ryan snorts.

get to write you an excuse

talking and

might

words bother him as much as they do me

hours, then

do it.” Ryan

need some

down at Sadie

I make a face.

front of you.” Ryan

me earplugs, FUCKING EARPLUGS and I wink at her and suddenly she's pregnant?”

Sadie jokes.