I sat upright and collected our trash. “That’s not a debt, Constantine.”
“Well, no. I mean, I know I don’thaveto do anything.Duh. I was just thinking it was really quiet out here, and I really appreciate everything you’ve done for me this morning. The… the thing in the back room earlier and the… you know.” He made a motion with his hands at the blanket and the breakfast spread out on it. “The coffee.”
“The blowjob, you mean? And the conversation?”
“Yes.” His gaze was frank and sincere. “Both.” He frowned slightly before he recovered his smile.
“So say, ‘Thank you, Micah.’”
“Huh?”
“Not everything is transactional,” I said, pushing to my feet. “Not every mistake requires you to kick your own ass for a decade. Not every blowjob requires an equal and opposite blowjob.”
He stared at me with this bewildered little frown on his face, like a kicked puppy. “Wait, are you mad?”
“No.”Yes.
“Is it because I wouldn’t talk about finances?”
“No.”Alsoyes.
Except that wasn’t true either. It didn’t bother me that he was being loyal to his family, because no one got that better than I did.No one.It was more the reminder that therewasthis line between us, this no man’s land of divided loyalties. And however attracted I felt to him, however strong the urge to pick him up and take him back to my apartment and kiss the shit out of him might be, I couldn’t do it.
Plus, I really didn’t want to be another debt Constantine owed.
“It’s just that those flower arrangements aren’t gonna make themselves. You know?”
“Oh.” Con got to his feet, too. “Shit. Yeah. You’re behind now, aren’t you?” He pulled his phone from his pocket to check the time and winced. “I could stay late and help—”
“After sunrise? When anyone could see?” I knelt to roll up the blanket and tried to rein in my shit. “It’s fine, Con. Belle will be in. We’ll get it done.”
He grimaced. “I feel bad that—”
“Constantine,” I said, straightening up and grabbing his wrist. “EverythingI’ve done today was something I did because I wanted to. You don’t need to feel bad about it. You don’t need to repay me for it. It wasmychoice.” I lifted one eyebrow. “I like you. It’s that simple.”
“I don’t—” He shook his head. “I don’t get why. I’m sorry. I know I’m being weirdly ungrateful or dense or whatever. But like, two months ago, you hated my guts for no reason. Now I dump all this shit on you, shit that has made lots of other people think really badly of me, and you’re like, ‘Oh, it’s fine, Con! Ilikeyou!’”
I chuckled, almost against my will. He was so fucking cute. “Okay, first, I have never sounded like that in my life. And second… I only ever disliked you half the time. Remember? And now it’s, like, twenty-five percent of the time. Tops.”
“Because I’m pretty?” Con looked at me with a soft little smile dancing on his lips, his blue eyes filled with the same vulnerability I’d seen there earlier, and I sucked in a sharp breath.
Jesus fuck, the man was a walking wet dream. His hair was mussed around his head, the dark strands glinting in the sun, and I wanted to run my fingers through them so badly I ached. I wanted to kiss the shit out of him. I would happily have gone to my knees for him again.
And again.
And again.
And I wanted toscreamin frustration, because if I made the slightest move toward him right now, he’d melt for me. I knew he would.
Which is exactly why I couldn’t.
If Constantine wanted me, he’d have to make the first move.
“Yeah, Con.” I tucked the blanket under my arm. “‘Cause you’re pretty.”
“And I’m growing on you.”
“Like black mold,” I agreed.
