“Freddy doesn’t seem capable of what you’re suggesting.”
“You don’t know what anyone’s capable of. So when you go on about how helpful he’s being and how much you appreciate him, those are polite, throw-away words to you, but to Freddy, they may mean much more.”
“Jeez.” She grows pensive. “You really believe this?”
“I believe it’s possible, yes. Just be careful not to give him any mixed signals. The incidents have been minor; we don’t want them escalating.”
“All right. But I still don’t think he’d do this.”
“Err on the side of caution.”
“Is that how you operate, Jasper, by being cautious?”
“We’re not talking about me.”
“True.” She lets me off with a smile, but I know that brain of hers is wheeling away. “Here, I brought you a Slurpee.” She extends the cup that has collected condensation along the sides. “I loved these as a kid…still do. Blue Raspberry is my favorite, but I figured you for a traditionalist.”
“You bought me a Slurpee?” I pull up the icy cold liquid through the straw.
“Did I get it right, Coca-Cola?”
“You did. Thank you.”
“Was that a partial smile?” she teases. “I could have sworn I saw those lips twitch.”
“Yeah, yeah, I’m gruff and stingy with emotion but not dreadful.”
“That was a compliment,” she laughs.
I don’t. She stops. And for a moment we stand inches apart, sharing the same breaths.
My phone rings. Thankfully, the shrill sound breaks our connection. I retrieve it from my pocket and glance down to see that it’s Pops. “I need to get this.”
“Sure. I’ll see you later.”
Then she’s off with another finger wave, and I watch her retreat. A quarrelsome Jordyn Sinclair already had me treading rough waters, but this amiable side of her—fuck. I’m in over my head.
OKAY, KILLING HIM WITH KINDNESS might not have been one of my brighter ideas. But since anger seemed to provoke those sweltering kisses that left me restless and burning for more, I decided to give it a good effort.
Only that doesn’t seem to be working any better.
Another second longer, and well…it was a good thing his phone rang. I think back to that time in grad school, when an exam I hadn’t studied for because I’d gone out partying instead got postponed because of someone leaking the answers. Not that an exam and Stiles are comparable, but now, just as then, something had saved me from the consequences of my not-so-wise impulses.
He runs too hot and cold. He obviously has baggage. He’s gruff and pessimistic. Yet, I’m convinced I saw a hint of a smile accompanying a dry sense of humor. There are layers to Stiles that I wouldn’t mind peeling back, which is novel for me.
I take a shower, shave my legs, and rub on fragrant lotion. The knee-length cotton pullover with a kangaroo pocket in front says I’m not out to seduce him. But the leg-shaving is insurance, just in case there’s nothing to save me from myself this time.
Humming “I Want To Sex You Up” because I really, really do, even if I shouldn’t, I exit the bedroom and set up my laptop in the living room. An hour in, Eduardo calls.
“Ciao!”
His accent, which used to make me hot, has no effect at all. Things had been cooling for a while. However, it’s this mad attraction to Stiles that has put my sexy feelings for Eduardo on ice.
“How are you?” I ask.
“Missing you,mia cara.”
“Right.” I laugh it off. “With your roster of women?”
