You Said I Was Your Favorite (A Lancaster Prep Novel)

The moment we’re hopping off the charter bus after getting back from our conference in the city, I’m headed for Daisy’s house. We left earlier than originally planned, which worked for me since we arrived at Lancaster Prep just as the final bell rang.

I’ve been anxious to see my girl. Get my hands on her. We’ve texted pretty much nonstop since I left, and I know she’s missed me too.

Once JJ and I go our separate ways, I move through campus like a man with purpose, only stopping at my room to drop off my stuff before I head for Daisy’s house. Her dad is still on the clock and in her last text she told me he’d been dealing with a sprinkler system problem all day on the opposite side of campus.

Meaning we’ll have some time together alone at her place.

I jog up the sidewalk, marching right up to her front door and start pounding on it, excited to see her.

Within seconds, she’s answering the door, clad in a pair of black shorts and a matching black sports bra. I take her in, my gaze seeming to eat up her long legs and when I finally look at her face, I see her lips are curved into a knowing smile.

“Finally,” she murmurs, her gaze lighting up. “Come in.”

I follow after her, shutting and locking the door behind me before I head deeper into the house, not stopping until she does in the kitchen. She turns on me, her lips parting, her eyes blazing with an unfamiliar emotion and before I can say a word, she launches herself at me, her arms slipping around my neck.

Automatically my arms go around her waist, my hands splayed across her back, touching bare, warm skin. She feels so damn good.

“I missed you,” she murmurs, just before she kisses me.

I return the kiss, my hands wandering, my tongue curling around hers. Damn, this girl.

She’s sexy as hell.

“I missed you too,” I finally say when she breaks the kiss to press her lips to my neck. “I’m glad I’m home.”

“I’m glad you’re home too.” She pulls away slightly so she can look into my eyes and we stare at each other for a moment, my heart pounding. When she reaches out and curls her fingers around the waistband at the front of my joggers, my dick twitches, eager to be set free.

Lust rushes through my veins, making my blood warm. My skin hot. All because of the way she’s looking at me. How she’s touching me.

Maybe I should leave campus more often.

“How was the conference?” she asks, releasing her grip on my joggers.

Disappointment floods me but I try to ignore it. “It was good. We had fun.”

“Meet anyone new?” She arches a delicate brow and I frown in return, not sure where she’s going with this.

“What do you mean?”

“I spoke to Cadence earlier—”

“When did you talk to Cadence?” I ask, interrupting her. I brace myself for her response.

My ex and my current girlfriend having a conversation? This can’t be good.

“We had lunch together.”

“You willingly sat with Cadence at lunch?” I’m blown away.

“It’s not like I had a choice.” Daisy shakes her head, vaguely irritated. “She tried to imply I wasn’t good enough for you. That you’d probably meet someone new while you were gone and forget all about me.”

Fighting my anger at hearing what Cadence said, I reach out, drifting my fingers across Daisy’s cheek. “I didn’t even notice any of those girls at the conference. Don’t let Cadence get in your head.”

“She also said that you two hooked up recently at a party.”

I’m frowning so hard my forehead fucking hurts. “What party?”

“I don’t know. She claimed she was trying to do me a favor by telling me the truth.” She shrugs.

From the look on Daisy’s face, I can tell she’s not hurt by what Cadence said. Nope, not at all.

My girl is pissed.

Hell, I’m pissed too.

“Did you believe her?” I yank her back into my arms, holding her close. “Because she’s full of shit.”

“I know.” She plucks at the front of my hoodie, her gaze fixed on my chest. “She made me doubt you at first, but then I told myself she’s just jealous.”

“She is,” I say without hesitation.

“And then I talked to Mya and she confirmed it was all lies.” Daisy finally lifts her head, her golden gaze meeting mine. “I don’t think their friendship is going to last much longer.”

“Good. Cadence treats Mya like garbage.” I thread my fingers through Daisy’s hair, cupping the side of her face. “But I don’t want to talk about Cadence or Mya.”

Daisy tips her head back, her eyelids lowering to half-mast. She likes it when I stroke her hair. “I don’t either.”

“And I don’t want you to ever doubt my feelings for you. I don’t give a damn about Cadence. Or any other girl.” I slip my fingers beneath her jaw. “I only care about you.”

Her smile is slow. Dazzling. And I love how she clings to me. I want her to trust me. Believe in me. I never want to hurt this girl.

Doesn’t she realize how much she means to me?

“I really hate it when you leave,” she confesses, her voice low.

“I hate leaving you too,” I murmur, just before I kiss her again.

We stand in the kitchen and kiss for long minutes, until she’s grabbing my hand and leading me down the hallway toward her bedroom. I stumble after her, eager to get her on the bed and the moment we’re in her room, I’m on her, gently pushing her against the closed bedroom door. I rest my hand on it, just above her head, my body pressed to hers. “How long till your dad gets off work?”

“I’m not sure,” she whispers, her eyes glowing. “He usually goes and talks to Kathy for a while once he clocks out.”

“We have a little bit of time then.” I lean in and press my mouth to her neck, right at the spot where it meets her shoulder, and she sighs, her body melting.

“Definitely.” She circles her arms around my neck and tilts her head to the side, giving me better access as I continue to kiss her throat.

Her scent hits me like a drug, sweet and floral, making my grip on her tighten. I want to devour her. Consume her until she becomes a part of me. Since I left for my trip, I’ve thought about nothing else but her. I was supposed to pay attention to lectures and presentations. Slide shows and video clips about the future of our youth and our country, and I couldn’t focus.

All I could think about was Daisy.

I dip my head, my mouth finding hers, the kiss slow. All-consuming. I revel in the way she devours my mouth. Her eager lips and tongue. How it circles around mine while her hands slide down my chest until they pause in front of my joggers once again.

She wants me. And I want her too. So fucking bad.

Eventually I take over, cupping her face. Slowing the kiss, my tongue thrusting, plundering her mouth. I drop my hands, cupping her ass, teasing the hem of her shorts, the curve of her cheeks and she whimpers, that sound like a shot straight to my dick.

My hands shift to her hips and I steer her backward toward the bed until we both land on the mattress, our legs tangled. A soft huff of laughter leaves her, it turns into a moan when I kiss her deep. I keep her tucked beneath me, rising up to rid myself of my hoodie, tossing it on the floor. Pausing when I catch the way she’s watching me, her gaze eating up my bare chest.

Her hands land on my stomach, the muscles constricting beneath her touch. Her fingers skim downward, pausing to curl around the waistband of my joggers yet again. “Take ‘em off,” I practically growl.

With eager, shaking fingers, she tugs them down, reaching inside to touch me, her fingers curved around my cock, giving it a squeeze just like I taught her. Hard enough to make my eyes cross. Firm enough to have me leaning in, kissing her again.

It’s my turn to devour her. Consume her. And she lets me. We’re lost in each other’s mouths and hands. I’ve got her sports bra shoved up above her breasts, my mouth on her nipples, my hand cupping her pussy as she rocks into my palm. She’s hot and damp and I’m dying to get beneath her shorts. Wondering absently if I have a fucking condom on me—

A door slams. “Sweetie, I’m home!”

I jerk away from her, climbing off the bed, Daisy lying there in the middle of the mattress with a dazed look in her eyes. All over her face.

And then she’s moving, jumping to her feet and tugging her sports bra back into place. Smoothing her hair back with trembling hands, while I stand there like a fumbling idiot, looking around for my hoodie before I finally spot it and tug it back over my head, my dick practically hanging out of the front of my still tugged-down joggers.

Which hasn’t caught on yet that her fucking father has just come home because I’m still as hard as a rock.

“Daisy, where are you?”

I’m shoving my dick back in my pants when the bedroom door swings open, revealing Daisy standing in the center of her room looking freshly fucked, offering an awkward little wave to her father in greeting.

“Hey, Dad,” she says, her voice weak.

Ralph Albright steps into the bedroom, his gaze snagging on me at the last second. The disapproving look that appears on his face says it all.

He’s not happy finding me in his daughter’s bedroom all alone.

“Daisy.” Ralph doesn’t bother looking at me again, his focus solely on his daughter. “Explain what’s going on.”

Silence. The tick of a clock from somewhere in the house reminds me of a bomb about to go off.

“Um, Arch came over. He just got home from his conference and we were doing homework.” Her voice is shaky, her eyes bright and her cheeks flushed. This is exactly what she looks like after she comes. I’m sure her father sees right through her.

Uh huh. Homework.

“I don’t see a single book out.” Ralph scans the room, his hands resting on his hips. “You know you should do your homework in the kitchen if you have—guests over.”

Considering Daisy never has anyone over, I’m guessing she isn’t aware of that rule.

“Sorry, Daddy,” she whispers, her gaze sliding to mine for a brief second, silently pleading with me to understand.

And I do. I get it. This is the last thing I expected to happen.

Didn’t expect her to try to jump me either so it’s been a day of revelations.

“I think it’s time for you to leave, young man.” Ralph will barely look at me, his upper lip curled with obvious disgust, and I hate this is how he discovered that Daisy and I are a thing.

That we’re together.

Any other girl, I wouldn’t give a shit about her parents or what sort of impression I might leave on them. Not even Cadence, considering our so-called relationship was a fucking disaster from day one.

This girl and her dad, I want to impress. I want to do this right. I want to prove I’m not as bad as every adult in my life seems to think I am. Because they all think that. I know they do. I’m the reckless Lancaster. The kid who doesn’t give a fuck. The one who doesn’t have to worry about shit because Mommy and Daddy have got everything covered.

“Sir, if I could talk to you for a—”

Ralph holds up his hand, stopping me. “Spare me the details. From what I just saw, I can figure out what you two were up to.”

I swallow hard. So does Daisy, our gazes connecting. Lingering.

“I’ll see you later, Arch,” she murmurs, her soft voice wrapping all around me.

Giving me no choice, I offer a short nod to her.

And leave.