Jesus, great was an understatement. He looked positively edible. Just like he had in the store and just like fucking cinnamon rolls.
“Mm-hmm. Ah, sure,” I stuttered out, staring at my feet. “Hi, Flash.”
“Hey, Tater Tot,” he said, all sexy and shit.
“Don’t call me that,” I hissed.
“Okay. Sorry.”
I glanced at my mom, then back at Flash. “Ah, what’s up?”
What’s up? God, Tate, get it together.
“Heard you were home,” he said, not mentioning the fact he’d just seen me at the store. “Wanted to be part of the welcoming committee.”
“She’s been home for almost two weeks,” Mom pointed out. “I thought you knew.”
“Nope,” he retorted, raising an eyebrow pointedly. “Had no idea.”
“The text must have gotten lost in the ether,” I improvised.
“Yeah, that happens... in the ether,” Flash mused.
“Well, I’ll leave the two of you to get caught up,” Mom said.
Flash crossed his arms and continued to stare at me. “Thanks, Mrs. Burke.”
Mom walked away and I leaned against the sofa. “Well, I should get upstairs. I have stuff—”
“Bullshit,” Flash hissed. “You’re gonna stand here and tell me why you didn’t tell me you were home, then I’m gonna take you out to dinner to celebrate.”
“Listen here, dough boy.” I narrowed my eyes at him. “That’s not what’s going to happen. You’re going to walk your butt back out my front door and leave me alone.”
“Tate, I haven’t heard from you in years.”
“That’s not true,” I argued.
“You text me on my birthday and at Christmas, but if I try to call you back, you send my call straight to voicemail.”
“I have been in law school,” I pointed out. “I’ve had to focus.”
“Are you pissed at me? Holding a grudge about something?”
It wasn’t just a grudge. He’d shattered my heart and I had vowed then and there to never let him do it again.
I took a deep breath, then lied my ass off. “No. There is no grudge, Flash. I’m just moving on with my life. I have things I want to accomplish and hangin’ out with someone in a motorcycle gang isn’t really conducive to my success.”
“Are you fucking kidding me?” he breathed out.
“No.” I dropped my eyes to my feet again, knowing that was a really low blow. “I’m not kidding you.”
He stepped closer to me. Crowding me. God, he smelled incredible. Leather and soap and all man. I stepped back but he followed me until my back hit the console by the sofa.
“Look at me, Tate.”
I took a deep breath and met his eyes. “What?”
His eyes moved over my face. “Did something happen?”
