“You think I’m just flirting? Nah, pretty boy. This is exposure therapy.”
I choke on absolutely nothing.
“Exposure…Skip, that’s not going to work!”
He laughs quietly, warm breath hitting my jaw in a way that should not be allowed in public.
“You’re sitting on my lap, eating good food, in my arms, while half this bar pretends not to stare at us. And your heart’s racing… but you’re not fainting.”
“…yet,” I mutter. “I might once I calm down a bit.”
He smirks. “Exactly. We’re building stamina.”
“I hate you.”
“No, you don’t,” he says, nipping my earlobe. “You love me. And your body’s already learning that excitement with me doesn’t mean danger.”
My face is on fire.
“Now open up,” he murmurs, guiding the food back to my mouth. “Eat. Relax. And let your ass get used to the best seat in the house.”
“Your lap is not the best seat.”
“It is,” he corrects calmly. “And it’s yours.”
My pulse spikes so hard I swear the entire booth shakes.
Skip just chuckles, all warm and proud.
“See?” he says. “Exposure therapy.”
“Certifiably—”
“Insane,” Skip laughs. “Yep, I know.”
“You do realize that nothing can fix me, right?” I say, truly concerned he’s not actually joking. “No amount of therapy, exposure, or otherwise, can rewire my circuits.”
“Fuck, baby,” he sighs, wrapping both arms around me and holding me tightly. “I know that. I’ve researched everything there is to know about your condition. I didn’t mean to pick fun. I love you just the way you are. Mixed up circuits and all. I was just flirting.”
“I just wanted to make sure you knew,” I sigh.
Which turns into a glare when he takes one of my wings and bites the meat off the bone.
“Hey, those are mine,” I say.
Skip gives me the slowest, cockiest grin I’ve ever seen in my entire life…like he just stole candy from a toddlerandplanned to do it again.
He licks his fingers without an ounce of remorse.
“Baby,” he says, all smug and sinful, “what’s mine is yours…and yours is mine.”
I blink. “That… that wasmywing.”
“And I’m your man,” he shrugs. “So by extension, that wasourwing.”
“That’s not how food works, Skip!”
“Sure it is.” He grabs another wing…mywing…and winks as he lifts it toward his mouth. “Watch, I’ll demonstrate.”
