“The naked part.”
“Yeah, well, I don’t think you need to see that part.”
“No offense, dove, but I don’t think you understand my needs. Can I at least come in?”
My gaze did a sweep of the room, making sure there were no panties, bras, or other embarrassing articles of clothing laying around, but it was clean. Clues to all my secrets were in this room, though. Was I ready to let him see them? I couldn’t decide.
“Where’s Trent?” I asked.
“Completely absorbed in the movie I put in for him.”
I could refuse to let Wasp in, but I didn’t want to. No matter how stupid it made me, I trusted him and wanted him to see this side of me. Stepping aside, I silently invited him in. He moseyed past me, looking around. “Pretty cramped in here.”
My bed and the dresser had come with the furnished apartment, but I’d purchased Trent’s small dresser, toy box, and race car bed at a yard sale three blocks away. Then Jessica and I had carried it all the way to the apartment. I didn’t own much, but what I did own barely fit in the space.
He plucked a framed picture from the top of my dresser and studied it. “Who are these two with you?”
“Robbie and Becca. Trent’s dad and my best friend. No, my two best friends.”
“Where’s Becca now?”
“Dead. They’re both dead.”
“What happened, Carly?”
For the first time ever, I actually wanted to answer the question. I wanted to tell someone—no, I wanted to tell Wasp specifically—but I couldn’t. It sounded too bizarre, too unbelievable, and I didn’t want him to think I was crazy. “Soon,” I said, taking the picture from him and setting it back down. “I’m not quite ready to talk about it yet.”
He quirked a smile at me. “We’ll call that progress.”
I swallowed. “Or stupidity.”
“Whatever happened… I’m here for you when you’re ready to talk about it. I’m not gonna push, but I’d be lying if I said I wasn’t interested.”
“Thanks.”
“Of course. But that’s not the reason I came in here.” Something dangerous sparked in his eyes as he closed the distance between us. I tried to take a step back, but he wrapped an arm around my waist and held me there. “All night I’ve been watching you, thinking about that kiss we shared and wanting another. I’ve seen the way you look at me. The way you lick your lips. I know you’re thinking about the same damn thing.”
My gaze drifted down to his lips. Yep. I had been fantasizing about another hot make out session. “Trent’s just in the other room. He could barge in here at any time.”
Wasp leaned closer, until our lips were almost touching. “I’m aware, and that’s the only reason I haven’t ripped your clothes off you. You have no idea how beautiful you are, and how hard it is to be around you without touching you. Especially now that I know what your lips taste like.”
He was coming on so strong I should be pushing him away, but instead of rejecting him, my fingers tangled in his shirt as heat pooled between my legs.
“You don’t work Monday night. Stay at my place with me,” he said.
My pulse sped up at the possibility. “What? I can’t do that.”
“Yes you can, hear me out. I can pick you up after I get off work tomorrow, and we can get dinner and maybe go bowling or go play miniature golf or something. Whatever you guys wanna do. Then we can go back to my place and hang out, watch cartoons or something. I have a spare bedroom with a comfortable queen-sized bed. You two can crash in there if you want, and we can take him to school Tuesday before I drop you off at the coffee shop.”
Wow. He’d planned this all out. Surprised by the disappointment I felt at sleeping in his spare room, I said, “I don’t know—”
“If it’s a good idea,” he interrupted, tucking a stray hair behind my ear. “Yeah, you say that a lot. But sometimes you just gotta take a chance, sweetheart, or you could miss out on something earth-shattering.”
“You saying sex with you would be earth-shattering?” I asked.
The corner of his mouth quirked up. “I didn’t say anything about sex.”
I couldn’t think straight with him so close to me, smelling all wonderful while his grey eyes watched me like I was the most interesting person in the world. Breaking free of his hold, I took one giant step back. My legs hit the side of my bed, and I almost toppled over. Righting myself, I asked, “Why?”
