“Impressionable age. No one else in my family caught the phobia,” she said dryly. “They think I’m crazy because…”
“What?” I prompted when she fell silent.
“I’m kind of… a lot.”
“A lot?”
“Hmm. Not much scares me. I’m the type to get in your face rather than… I’m not shy is what I’m trying to say.”
“So, they underestimate your fear?”
“I guess it’s a testament to my superpowers.”
“Everyone has weaknesses. I’m sure they know that.”
“Even you?” Her fingers tightened around mine. “I know who you are, Stan.Whatyou are.”
“As you should.” I kept my tone impassive. “We exist in the same world,gattaredda.”
“What does that mean? All these words are adding up. I’ll need a dictionary.”
This time, I told her, “Kitten.”
Her cheeks puckered with performative distaste—she fuckingloved the nickname. “You might be the only person I’ll let call me that.”
“As it should be.” That had her eyes widening. I lifted my free hand and showed her my knuckles. “And,se, we have weaknesses. Here are mine.”
Her thumb rubbed over the letters for the second time today, sending showers of pleasure through my nervous system. “You love hard.”
Anyone else, I’d have preferred to bite my tongue off than answer.
With her, it was easy to nod. Easy because my angel would learn that for herself soon enough.
Her phone buzzed again, earning a growl from her. “For God’s sake. Sisters. Why couldn’t my mother keep her legs crossed?!” She glanced over her shoulder and noticed that the line had greatly lessened, then peeped at me. “We should go.”
“We should. No hunks, Kitty, hmm?”
She blushed. “No hunks.”
Satisfied by the sight of that pink on her cheeks, I left the warning there. “What’s your number?”
I knew it already. But she didn’t have to be aware of that.
“I’ll type it in yours.”
“Will you give me the wrong number?” I leaned into her, watching her eyelids flutter in response.
God, she was reactive! With barely any stimulation either.
“Will you hunt me down if I do?”
“Sempri.”
She didn’t ask me to translate, just breathed, “Good.”
I passed her my cell. “You might regret saying that.”
Kitty shook her head as she typed in her number and then, before I could ask her to, called it. When her phone rang, I used the same words that made her flip out earlier. “Good girl.”
