In the Bad Boy's Bed Read Online Free Page B

spot and charged in. "Sean was drunk and being a jerk. Did he mention that when he called to tattle on me?"
    Silence fell over our odd little group, and I could see my parents struggling with how to process the information I had given them. I couldn't tell whether that meant they were having trouble believing that the prince they had chosen for their princess was really a warty toad, or just having trouble believing my version of the night's events. They stared at me, then at Nick, then at each other.
    "Let's take this discussion inside." Dad took my one arm, Mom the other, and they ushered me toward the house.
    I broke free and went back to Nick, despite their quick protests.
    "Thanks for everything. Sorry about the parents," I whispered.
    "Bet you wish you'd gone home with me," he whispered back in a teasing voice.
    I nodded.
    "Ask me nice and you can still come."
    We stared into each other's eyes, saying our final goodbye. Then he shifted the bike into gear and, with a tip of his chin, rode off into the night. I stood on the sidewalk and watched the darkness swallow him.
    "Take me with you, Nick," I whispered, but it was too late. He was gone.
    Despite the warmth of the late summer night, I shivered, feeling suddenly cold without his arms and kisses to warm me. My heart was as silent and deserted as the empty street.
    "Angela . . . I said now!" Dad's voice was firm as if he'd been insistent for some time.
    After Nick disappeared around the corner, I sighed and turned toward the firing squad. I walked past my parents and into the house. It didn't take them long to start the questioning again, and this time it was about Nick.
    "Who was that boy and why were you riding on his motorcycle?" Dad asked.
    "Did he do that to your dress?" Mom asked, her eyes wide with worry as they swept over my ripped dress.
    "His name is Nick Donnelly. We go to school together. He gave me a ride home after Sean stranded me at the river. Because of Nick, I wasn't walking the dark streets alone. I'd think you'd be a little more grateful to him instead of assuming he had attacked me and ripped my dress."

    Mom's face went ghostly pale. She tightened the belt at her silk robe and pulled the collar more firmly in place over her chest. "Did you say, Nick Donnelly?"
    At my nod, she touched her hand to her face and slumped against Dad as if she were feeling faint. Dad put his arm around her but continued his tirade as if it were a normal occurrence for her to faint against him, like women in old movies always did.
    "If you were in trouble, you should have called us to come pick you up instead of going off with some strange boy."
    The tone in his last two words enraged me for some reason. "First of all, he's not some strange boy," I insisted, "and second, my phone was in my bag in Sean's car, so I couldn't call anyone."
    "Donnelly. Donnelly. I don't recognize the name, and I certainly don't recall you ever mentioning him to us." Dad wore his pensive scowl – eyebrows furrowed, index finger pressing his lips—and I was sure he was mentally going over the country club membership roster to place the name.
    "Why are we even discussing Nick?" I said. "Why aren't you more concerned with how Sean treated me tonight? Do you know what he did?"
    "Sean told us what happened, and frankly, I'm surprised by your lack of good judgment."
    "What? What load of shit did he shovel at you and Mom?"
    "Load of shit? Is that the way you talk in front of your mother? Look how upset she is. If this is an example of that Nick's influence on you, I won't have it. I simply won't have it!"
    Dad was right about one thing: Mom did look upset. She looked as if she were going to be sick.
    "What did Sean tell you?" I asked.
    Though my question was directed to Mom, Dad answered for her. "He said you were upset because he had a beer at the dance, you two argued, then you jumped out of the car and ran off. He said he searched everywhere for you but couldn't find you in the dark, so he left