We clean up in a comfortable silence, but when we sit down on the couch, the silence shifts.
The quiet’s suddenly fully charged.
I try not to notice how close he is. Fail immediately. The heat off his arm turns my skin into an antenna.
I steal a sneaky peek at the elaborately inked text on his left forearm and make an embarrassing gasp when I finally make sense of the swirly words.
See something you like?
He has that written on his skin.The question he asked me the day I finally found the courage to speak up — if we can call my flustered squeaking that.
The day I admitted I had feelings for him.
“When did you, um, that?” I ask, blushing, and point at the tattoo.
“The first fall in Briar Gap,” he says, voice low. Raspy. “Police academy,” he clarifies.
“O-okay.”
I’m cool. Not melting with desire. Nope.
(I’m not cool.)
Xaden’s looking at me; I can feel it, but instead of shrinking into myself and closing my eyes, I let myself meet his gaze and hold it. Although it makes me all tingly and nervous and squirmy.
It also adds new levels to the whole melting-with-desire thing.
His fingers brush mine, slowly. I turn my hand and thread our fingers, just for a beat, just enough to say I’m here.
We look at each other.
Not kissing him right now would be a crime against humanity, and I can’t take any risks, not when I know he’s a cop.
Buzz.
It takes a second to realize it’s my phone, and not my body overheating.I fumble my phone from my pocket.
CASPIAN: “Help! Antonio sent me a ghost, a devil and a tongue???”
I groan.
CASPIAN: “I don’t know how to reply!”
“I, uh… Caspian,” I mutter, showing the screen to Xaden while I type:
COLE: “He’s flirting with you. Send something similar back.”
“There’s this guy Caspian really likes,” I tell Xaden, putting my phone away.
“He got his number, then,” Xaden says, amused. I blink. “How do you know about it? Is it because you’re a cop?” I whisper, eyes wide.
Xaden’s face goes solemn. “Yes. I’ve had him under surveillance for some time,” he murmurs. It takes me a full two beats to catch the tease. I huff; he tugs me closer, thumb dragging over my knuckles. My heartbeat stutters, but I don’t hide it.
“You know, it might be illegal to look as good as you,” he says, deadpan, and I snort, poking his rib. He takes my hand, grinning, but then his grin fades. The heat in his eyes warms up my chest.
Then: another buzz. A screenshot this time. “I swear,” I mutter, trying to make sense of the words.
ANTONIO: so you don’t like me?? that’s what that meant???
