I don’t miss my toes wiggling in my heeled boots as he flirts with me.
I cross my arms, pretending his gaze isn’t tracing the movement as it pushes my breasts together, that it isn’t setting my skin on fire.
He leans forward and picks up a strand of my hair, placing it over my shoulder while I breathe him in. Smoke, always smoke, with a hint of something sharper and more masculine.
His smirk deepens, and in that moment, I know he saw the way my breath hitched. And the smirk that’s still on his face shows me he enjoyed every second of it.
I roll my eyes, but I don’t answer.
He flicks the cigarette away, straightens up, and opens the passenger door for me. "After you, darling."
I hesitate for half a second before slipping inside.
Because, despite everything, I still want to go wherever he’s taking me. I can only hope it’s home and there are no more surprises. Even the looming estate is still too much for me to handle.
The car's cream leather interior is cool against my skin as I settle into the seat. The scent of leather, faint cologne, and a lingering trace of cigarette smoke fills the space between us.Hayden slides in beside me, shutting the door with an easy flick of his wrist before starting the engine. The low purr of the vintage Mercedes vibrates beneath us as he pulls away from the curb, merging into traffic with practiced ease. "Angel" by Massive Attack plays quietly in the background, the intensity matching the energy radiating off of Hayden's shoulders.
I glance at him. "So, do I get to keep going to class?"
Hayden keeps his eyes on the road, one hand draped casually over the wheel. "Depends."
"On what?"
His smirk is slight, but it’s there. "On whether you behave."
I scoff, turning in my seat to face him fully. "Behave? Does this mean you have faith in me?"
He ignores me. His fingers tap against the wheel, turning up the song slightly, his expression unreadable.
His look sends an unwelcome chill through me. I sit back, crossing my arms. "I can’t promise always to be perfectly behaved, but I can promise to try to be on my best behavior."
"I fail to see how those things are any different."
I narrow my eyes. "Was simply hoping you wouldn’t be able to. You're behaving as expected."
Hayden’s jaw tightens slightly, his grip on the wheel flexing before he forces it to relax. "Sharp wit for such a bratty woman."
My pulse kicks up. "I beg your pardon?"
His smirk returns.
Frustration flares hot in my chest. "This whole avoidant personality of yours is getting tired."
He exhales through his nose, shaking his head. "And your attitude is exhausting."
I glare at him. "Is repetition all you're capable of, or are you finally going to put that Ivy League education to use and engage in an actual conversation?"
"Watch it." He grunts at me, speeding up the car towards a road I finally recognise.
I let out a sharp breath, turning to stare out the window, my reflection glinting back at me in the glass. The silence stretches between us, thick with unsaid things.
Hayden always has the upper hand. And I hate that part of me still wants to know what’s going on in his head.
We pull into the long, winding driveway of his estate, the tires crunching softly over the gravel, and as we near the Estate, the pit in my stomach increases.
"I’ll expect you to be able to get ready for dinner without causing a scene."
I frown, shifting in my seat. "I wasn’t aware we had plans."
