“Why would you?”
“I don’t understand why you’re asking me that, but I can assure you that I really care about your well-being.”
I eye him skeptically before deciding to stop messing with the poor man. “I still feel like shit but it’s not as bad as it was when you found me.”
“Do you want to talk about it?” He watches me attentively, carefully even, then he chuckles nervously. “I’m guessing you don’t, but I still wanted to ask, just in case you felt the need to confide in someone.”
“I got into an argument with my…with someone I care about,” I say, laughing hollowly to dissipate the tightness growing in my throat. “He got angry at me because I slept with other people. To be honest, that’s not really anything new, but he usually ignores the crap I do which is why I was so…shocked? I don’t know if that’s the right word to describe it, but yeah, I was shocked by his reaction.”
His eyes widen as though he didn’t expect me to actually open up, and I begin wondering if I should have just shut my mouth. He doesn’t even know me. Why the hell am I telling him all that?
That’s fucking weird.
I’m so stupid.
His hand settles over mine and he squeezes it gently. “Are you okay? Is he your boyfriend or something? Did he…did he hurt you?”
“No,” I mumble, taken aback by his worry but even more by the queasy feeling of his hand on mine. “He didn’t hurt me and he’s definitely not my boyfriend. That’d be insane.”
“I know it’s none of my business, but if you need help getting rid of this man, you can count on me,” he says cautiously, sharpening his tone. “One word and consider it done.”
I burst out laughing, removing my hand from his grip to cover my mouth as I shake against the seat. “I’m sorry! Oh my God, you’re adorable.”
“What?” he flushes. “What’s so funny? I meant every word, you know?”
“Yeah, no, of course you did.” I catch my breath and lean back against the seat. “I just think it’s endearing that you’d say something like that out of the blue. It’s like in those mafia movies where the big, tatted guy promises to avenge his lover.”
“You don’t think I would?” he asks, frowning.
I’m tempted to grab his face and just devour that adorable pouty mouth of his, nibbling on his bottom lip and sucking him dry of any silly comment he can still think of uttering.
“Oh no, Prince Charming. I know you would.”
“Are you making fun of me?” He grins and leans forward, crowding my space with his intoxicating scent. “That’s not very nice of you, Aoi.”
I mirror his gesture and take it up a notch by playing with the cuff of his sweater, stroking his wrist under the fabric. “Who said I was nice? I’ll have you know I’m aterribleperson.”
“No,” he breaths, glancing to my lips and back to my eyes. “You’re not.”
“And how do you know?” I tease, slipping further under his sleeve and tilting my head coyly. “You shouldn’t trust me so easily.”
He smiles so brightly that I have to lean back before I seriously do something stupid like kissing him and riding him in the back seat.
“You’re…”
“Yes?”
He chuckles under his breath and straightens in his seat, repositioning his hard on in his pants, cheeks flushed in delight. “Such a tease.”
Andhe’shard.
18
Aoi
“Can I kiss you?”
I stare forward through the windshield and smile to myself. “Aren’t you too eager?”
