The walk of shame
VIOLET
The car ride was unusually peaceful, save for Ashley’s incessant calls. Each one was a relentless stream of nagging about how I should have been there by now. I ignored her, too wrapped up in my thoughts—and the lingering ache in my thighs—to bother explaining.
Ryan, on the other hand, was the picture of calm. One hand gripped the steering wheel while the other rested lazily on his lap, his expression unreadable. He hadn’t said much since we left, but the occasional sly glance he shot my way said enough.
The heat of his gaze made me squirm in my seat, the memory of what had just transpired in the backseat playing on repeat in my mind. My cheeks burned as I clamped my legs together, trying in vain to shake off the delicious soreness that spread through me like an electric hum.
“We’re here,” Ryan’s voice broke through my trance. It was smooth, velvety, but laced with that unmistakable edge of smug satisfaction.
“Huh?” I blinked, completely caught off guard
A faint smile tugged at his lips, and his eyes, dark and unreadable, flicked to me. Somehow, he’d already fixed his clothes. His shirt was back in place, his belt buckled neatly. Except for the tousled state of his hair and the faint flush on his cheekbones, he looked infuriatingly composed—like he hadn’t just wrecked me in the backseat.
“We’re at the mall, mouse,” he repeated, glancing at me from the rear mirror. “Might want to fix your lipstick. As much as I love how you look freshly fucked, I’d hate to ruin the evening by having to kill every man who stares at you.”
My jaw dropped as my face went up in flames. “Ryan!” I hissed, mortified, but the traitorous flutter in my stomach told me I didn’t mind the way he said it.
He just chuckled, leaning back in his seat with that maddeningly smug expression.
I turned toward the window to hide my embarrassment, but what I saw only made things worse. The mall loomed ahead, bright and bustling, and my reflection stared back at me. My hair was a tangled mess, my lipstick smudged halfway across my cheek, and faint red marks from Ryan’s stubble and teeth dotted my neck. I looked like a walking billboard for public indecency.
“Oh my God,” I muttered under my breath.
Ryan, of course, looked like he was having the time of his life. “Need help?”
“No, I’ve got it, thank you very much,” I shot back, digging through my bag for a hair tie and my makeup compact.
“Better hurry, mouse. Unless you’d like me to mess you up all over again right here.”
Rolling my eyes, I reached for my bag and quickly got to work. I combed my fingers through my hair, trying to tame it as best as I could, and dabbed at my lips, fixing the lipstick he’d ruined. I straightened my dress and took a deep breath
By the time I finished, Ryan was already out of the car, strolling around to open the door for me. He extended a hand, and I reluctantly took it, my face still burning as I stepped out.
“Feeling okay?” he asked, his voice quieter now.
“A little sore,” I admitted, my cheeks heating again. “But… good.”
“Good,” he echoed, his lips twitching into a smirk.
As we walked toward the mall,Every glance felt like a silent accusation, like they somehow knew what had just happened. My face burned hotter with each passing second, but Ryan didn’t seem to care. His hand stayed firmly wrapped around mine, his strides confident, his smirk unwavering. If anything, he looked proud
And despite my embarrassment, I couldn’t help but feel the tiniest thrill at the thought. What we’d done was reckless, scandalous, and completely out of character for me… but I didn’t regret a single second of it.
Ashley was waiting at the mall entrance, arms crossed and tapping her foot impatiently. The second her sharp gaze landed on me, she narrowed her eyes, opening her mouth to unleash what was sure to be an impressive rant about my tardiness.
But she stopped mid-breath.
Her eyes widened as she took me in—really took me in. I could see her gaze flicking over my disheveled hair (despite my frantic efforts to tame it), my still-slightly-flushed cheeks, and the faint smudge of lipstick I’d apparently missed along my jawline. Her expression went from confusion to realization in less than a second, and then her gaze darted to Ryan.
“Oh,” she said, her voice low and knowing. Her eyes narrowed further as she crossed her arms tighter. “Ohhh.”
I wanted the ground to swallow me whole.
Ashley tilted her head, her lips twitching as though she were trying to hold back a grin. “So… is this why you were late?” she asked, her tone dripping with mock innocence.
“Ashley!” I hissed, my face burning hotter than ever. I darted a panicked glance at Ryan, who looked completely unfazed and, of course, amused.
He gave Ashley a charming, almost conspiratorial smile. “Traffic was brutal,” he said smoothly, the barest hint of a smirk tugging at his lips.
Ashley snorted. “Right. Traffic.” She turned back to me, her grin widening. “You’ve got a little… something.” She gestured vaguely toward her neck, and my hand shot up, mortified to discover a faint mark I’d missed.
“Could you not?” I muttered, furiously rubbing at my neck as I shot daggers at her.
“Oh, I could not,” Ashley said, clearly enjoying herself. She leaned in closer, lowering her voice as though sharing a secret. “But honestly, Violet, I can’t believe you. Backseat hookups? Who even are you?”
Before I could formulate a coherent response—or dig myself an escape tunnel—Ashley grabbed my arm and yanked me toward the mall entrance.
“Come on,” she said, her voice now brisk and businesslike. “We’re already late, and I don’t have time to let you pretend you weren’t just—”
“Ashley!” I interrupted, mortified beyond belief.
She just grinned over her shoulder at Ryan, who gave a lazy wave before trailing after us. “Don’t worry, Romeo,” she called out. “I’ll have her back in one piece… eventually.”
Ryan chuckled but said nothing, letting Ashley drag me into the mall like an overexcited whirlwind.
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