ME: Bring tequila or don’t come.
FAITH: I like bossy V. She’s sexy.
I roll my eyes. Faith thinks she wants to be an explorer when it comes to her sexuality, but I don’t know if she really does. Shecan’t possibly understand the dark, complex world that follows—I’d love to protect her from it if at all possible.
I know more than enough for the both of us.
Instead of responding, I strip out of my jeans, throwing on a pair of work out shorts and a tank top. Skipping the bra feels good—until I run into Santos as I exit my room, bumping into him chest first. I scramble backward, crossing my arms across my electrically charged nipples, as if that’ll protect me from the current zipping between us like static.
“Uh, where you headed?” He smirks, rubbing the back of his neck. The action causes his arm to bulge, the veins beneath the skin popping out in the sluttiest way. I want to sneer at him, tell him to mind his own damn business.
Or sink my teeth into his bicep hard enough to draw blood.
I shake my head—that’s certainly not productive thinking. He left me standing like a lonely fool at the Halloween party, and then, he had the audacity to demand I suck his cock without so much as an apology.
I can’t tell if we’re on talking terms or not.I can’t tell if I hate him or not.
What I do know is my body’s very sure how it feels about this beautiful man, and it’s certainly not disgust or disdain.
I rub my thighs together slightly, not even thinking about it until his eyes drop, drawn to the motion.What the fuck am I doing?
“Why’s that matter?” I snap.
His eyes narrow, but his grin grows into an expression befitting a heathen.He’s winning, and he knows it.“So I know where I should be going.”
I roll my eyes.Is he flirting with me?“Why’d you leave the other night?” The question slips out, and I instantly regret it. I hate that I sound as pathetic as I feel. Still, I can’t take it back, and secretly, I don’t want to.
Surprised, Santos’ smile falters. “Yeah, sorry about that.”
It’s the shittiest apology, and it’s certainly not enough. I wait.
He sighs, blowing a raspberry with his lips before looking down the hall in a clear desire to escape. “It wasn’t about you—I thought, er, everything after made that clear. I just saw, well—” He doesn’t look back at me.
Santos is full of secrets, that much is becoming more and more obvious. Normally, I’d run from someone with so much hidden, but with him,I don’t know.I’m not afraid—I’m curious. He seems capable of mischief, not destruction.
I pat his chest, flicking my hair over my shoulder before turning in the direction of the kitchen. “Your apology sucks. Try harder.”
I can hear his steps heavy behind me, but before he says anything else, the front door opens, and in sweeps the whirlwind that is Faith. “It’s windy out there!” She shucks her jacket into the corner, her shoes following—always making herself at home.
I love it.
For a split second, I contemplate bringing up McCrae, but the truth is, I don’t care enough. A kiss is harmless.I think.
Besides, what if I bring it up, and she gets defensive? I don’t want to lose her. Not for any reason.
“I’ll get the glasses.” She follows me into the kitchen, jumping up onto the counter to watch me. After a pointed silence, I face her. “What?”
“Are we going to talk about it?”
“Uh—”
“Are you ever going to fix things with Mateo and Dale?”
I stare at her, completely lost for words. “You’re not serious.”
Her thin brows draw together. “Extremely. I’d like to get drunk with all my friends at once.”
My heart stutters at her words.All her friends—she considers me one of them, regardless of what I’ve done and how I’ve acted.I try to swallow around the lump forming like a boulder in my throat. It feels impossible, and I turn away.
