“What are you going to do about it?”she whispered.“About the problem?”
“I can’t do fucking anything about it.”
“Why not?”
“Because you don’t want me to, Astrid,” I said.
Why would she want someone like me?Calix or Cairo was probably the best choice between all the guys in The Crew.Besides, I didn’t want to get caught up in a relationship and end up becoming just like my fucking father.
She sucked in a breath.“You think I don’t want you?”
I leaned in, my nose brushing against hers.Fuck.
“Astrid,” I warned, “don’t start something you can’t stop.”
She curled her fingers around my shoulders.“What if I don’t want you to stop this time?”
CHAPTERSIXTY-FIVE
ASTRID
I wantedArch to say it.
I wanted him to break.To snap.
He had been so close to admitting that he wanted me—that he loved me—this morning when we were alone in my bedroom.I had been so desperately craving his words all day, to hear them roll off his lips, like they had with Frasier and Calix …
My fingers curled around his shoulders, and I pulled him closer,desperate.
“Hmm?”I murmured, brushing my nose against his.“Because I don’t want you to stop.”
When his breathing hitched, I thought for sure that he’d let it all out, let it go, tell me what I had beencravingfor him to tell me.But I knew … somewhere deep down … that I wasn’t going to get it.Not from him.Not now.
He grabbed me tighter, pressing his body against mine, his breathing coming out uneven.I licked my lips, my heart pounding inside my chest as I watched his gaze flick down to my mouth before snapping back up to my eyes.
“Say it,” I mumbled.“Come on, Arch.Tell me.”
Another silent moment passed.
Then he let out a humorless laugh and shook his head.“You’re delusional if you think I’m going to say that to you.You know I don’t do that shit with anyone.I’m not like Frasier or Calix, Hellcat.You’re going to have to do better than that.”
“Better than what?”I whispered.“What do you want to say to me?”
“You know what.”
I pushed my body just enough against him.“No, I don’t think that I do.”
He clenched his jaw, his eyes flickering with hunger.
God, he’s so close to saying it, so close to admitting it to me.
But before he could break, before I could push him just a little further, the door slammed open.Arch immediately stepped back and snapped his head toward the door, his entire body tensing, as if he was uncomfortable.
And Arch wasneveruncomfortable.
Rush leaned against the doorframe and crossed his arms over his chest, looking from Arch to me, then back to Arch.Out of all of The Crew, Arch and Rush were probably the closest, and by the look on Rush’s face …
I couldn’t tell if it was a knowing expression or something darker.
