“Really.”
“Is that the only illegal thing you do?”
“Yes.”
Lowering my voice, I lean forward. “Did you used to do other things?”
His cool blue eyes lock with mine. “Yes.”
My heart hammers like galloping horses. “The other thing you used to do—?”
“Hold on.”
I stare at him, watching for signs he’s stalling so he can make up a story. Instead, he leans forward, too. Our faces are only inches apart now.
“There are things I want to know about you, Arya. So if you want to know things in exchange, all right. But we can’t have that conversation here. And we’re not having that conversation at all unless last night was more than a one-nighter.”
My thudding heart pounds harder. “Aren’t one-nighters your signature move?”
“Yeah.” His thumb presses on the arch of my foot, making me want to purr. “Usually.”
I love being the special one he wants for more than a night. I could sink into that feeling like a hot spring.
Arya, this is the way it always fucking starts. All the charm. All the seeming sincerity. And next thing you know you have a chip in your elbow from being knocked to the floor.
“It’s a Catch-22, right?” I say. “You can’t confide in me unless we’re a thing. But I can’t tell whether I’m willing to become involved with you unless you confide in me. And the fact that we can’t have an open conversation in Eden’s living room tells me plenty about what the answers to my questions might be.”
“I understand your concern. But in my experience, women like you don’t last long in relationships with nice guys. That leaves me with two options. Forget all about you, which will not work. Or be the kind of man you can’t get rid of, until we self-destruct.”
“‘She asked for it.’ Is that really the fucking brush you’re going to paint me with?”
“Don’t misquote me.”
“Then you’d better explain exactly what you mean.”
He strokes my foot and pinches my little toe through my sock. “It means I’m not leaving here without you. Eden’s having a party. If you’re staying, so am I, whether it’s a toga party, a BDSM munch, or a Hello Kitty extravaganza. And at the end of the night, you and I are going to share a bed, whether you invite me to or not.”
My entire body flushes, loving every word. While in my brain, warning bells blare.
“Eden said Icouldinvite you. If I don’t want you here, you won’t be here.”
“Is that really what you think?” He leans closer and slides his thumb up to rub my ankle. “Eden Buchanan has been trying to get me to her dirty parties since freshmen year.”
My brows shoot up. “Why didn’t you?”
“Because Eden’s only got one friend I’d fuck in the middle of a room full of people. And you never went.”
It’s flattering. But he’s insane.
“We’re not having sex in front of other people. Are you kidding? Someone would record it and ruin our lives.”
“Is that all that worries you?”
“No, but it’s the big thing. Eden collects phones, but all it takes is one missed one. I don’t know why she does these parties. She’s got so much to lose. Her parents would cut her off. Mine wouldn’t need to do that because they’d kill me.”
“If you’re worried about getting tagged, you shouldn’t even be in the apartment when it’s going on.”
“I know,” I say. “I don’t want to be.”
