“Get out of my head.I’m trying to be a vampire in a coffin.Stay over there so I can rest in peace.”I lay down and turned away from him. Much to my dismay, he settledbeside me.“Can you scoot over?”
“It’s my coffin. You can move if you want more space.”
“Whatever.” I sighed and rolled over to face the ceiling. That was fair enough. “I feel like this day has been going forever.Are days always this longas a vampire?”
“Yeah, they drag. We move faster than humans so time feels slower even though it’s the same. Plus, the lack of sleep makes days a few hours longer.”
“That’s annoying. I guess I need more hobbies.” I rested my hands behind my head, causing my short top to ride up.
“And more friends,” Dennis said, playing with my bellybutton ring.“Have you ever had a boyfriend?”
I eyed him, wondering why he cared, but his expression didn’t change. He seemed genuinely curious.“No,” I said.
“Girlfriend?”
“No.I’ve never been in a relationship.”
“Because you’re scared they’ll leave you.”Hemanaged to guess when I didn’t even think it.
“Why wouldn’t they?”I turned to the ceiling again, trying to avoid the way he always looked at me.“I’m sure you will, too. But it doesn’t matter. You’ll trade me for another bind, eventually.”
“You only get one. There are no trades and no redos. This is it. You’re stuck with me,” he said,trailing a hand down my stomach.
“Really?”I stared at him. This made things even more confusing. “Why’d you pick me out of everyone? You didn’t even know me.”
He didn’t answer. Just ran a finger along my hip tattoo, tracing every curve of every letter. My stomach fluttered at the soft touch, but I willed my body to calm down. I was determined to follow my rule.
“What rule?”
“Nothing there is no rule,” I said in a rush.
“I’ll answer yours if you answer mine.”
I almost forgot what we were talking about when his hand slipped past my waistband, barely stroking the lace beneath. “Stop trying to seduce me or I’m leaving.” I shot him an ‘I’m serious’ look.
He withdrew and felt my immediate disappointment—that much was clear from his quiet laugh. “I’ll keep my hands to myself. If I behave, will you at least answer a different question?”
“Depends. What is it?”
“What’d you go to juviefor?I’m curious. I didn’t know I’ve been hanging out with a felon.”
“I’m not a felon.” I laughed at the exaggeration. Well, kind of. My only convicted felony charges were in juvenile court, so in my book it didn’t count. “You really wanna know?”
“I do.”
“It’s a long story,”I warned. “Multiple stories.”
“It’s not like I’m going to sleep anytime soon.”
“No, really. It’s a super longstory.”
“So tell it.”
“No, really—”
“Sometime before I turn fifty.”
“You’re such a smartass. Okay, fine.” I turned to face him and propped on an elbow, settling in for the long tale.“The first time was the beginning of senior year. Some girl was having a house party and invited everyone in our grade but me. I didn’t ask why ‘cause I didn’t care, but she randomly told me it’sbecause I’m a slutwho already fucked one girl the first week of school and made out with two guys I’d just met.”
