“Smaller than I expected.”
I peeked into the hallway, and saw James holding up my bra with his index finger.
“Is that what they tell you every time you pull your pants down?” I asked. I jumped to try to grab it, but he was faster.
“Does it look like you’re in a position to take shots at someone, Snow White?” He laughed, looking at me from head to toe.
“Maybe you didn’t understand, I’m not afraid of you.”
“I’ll throw this in the backyard if you don’t cut it out,” he said, moving, toward the window.
“Give it to me.”
“Get it yourself.”
James lifted his hand up, making it impossible for me to grab it.
“God, you have the brain of a child! I hate you, James!” I exclaimed, exhausted.
Then he dropped it at his feet like I’d done with the gelato just before.
Before I could bend down, James grabbed my shoulders, trapping me against the wall.
I covered myself with the T-shirt the best I could, but the impact had thrown me off so much that I didn’t know how to react.
“Look, let’s make something clear,” he snarled, an inch away from my cheek. “If I wanted to fuck you, I would have by now. So don’t provoke me.”
He loomed over me, forcing me to shrink against the cold wall behind me.
“Of course. Because who needs consent in your imaginary caveman world, Hunter?”
“Consent? You’re the one who wants me. I’ll never fuck you, White,” he said unenthusiastically.
“You should be ashamed of yourself,” I whispered.
My gaze glided to the ground then looked back up at his face, and James seemed to guess what I was referring to.
“You too,” he countered quickly.
“We shouldn’t have,” I murmured.
James took a slight breath. “I was just drunk.”
“Me too,” I retorted.
Sensing my resentment, he couldn’t help but provoke me. “But you liked it.”
“No I didn’t. I faked it,” I lied through my teeth. I knew it, he knew it, everyone knew it.
I felt my ears itch.
“Faked it? You faked all that—”
“You don’t have to believe it, but it’s true.” I talked over him to hide my embarrassment.
“There’s only one thing that’s true.” His warm, enveloping voice reached my ear like a prohibited caress capable of startling me. “You got off thinking about me.”
I bowed my head and shook it. I didn’t have the guts to look him in the eye anymore.
