This time, I snort loudly at his latest message.
Me
To a meal and talking. I’ll book my own accommodations.
Will
Where are you staying?
Me
With your parents.
Will
Banging while my parents sleep next door. I like your style. Bad girl.
Me
I’m not staying with your parents. Stupidly, I thought that would be a line even you wouldn’t cross. Actually speechless right now.
Will
Baby, the aim is to make you speechless. But I haven’t even laid a finger on you yet. Let’s take things nice and steady to begin with, yeah?
Me
Will you ever stop?
Will
There are only two circumstances where I’d back off.
Me
Let’s hear them.
When a voice note lands next, I bend down and scrabble through my bag for my AirPods so I can listen in private.
Popping the case, I slide them into my ears and hit Play.
“If you’re listening to this on loudspeaker, I’d advise that you don’t.”
A few seconds later, Will begins speaking again. I haven’t heard his deep voice in over a week, and it surprises me how much I’ve missed it.
“Anyway,” he continues, “you asked me under what circumstances I’d back off from you. Number one: if you asked me to. As irresistible as I am, I’m not into forcing anyone to want me.” He breathes out a long exhale. “And second …” He pauses, and, shit, what the hell is he going to say next? “Second … I’d back off if you ordered me cheesecake without my prior consent again.”
I’m out of my chair and heading for the restrooms in record time, hitting the Record button as soon as the door closes behind me.
“I think I might actually hate you.” Standing in front of one of the mirrors, I place a hand in the center of my chest and feel the fast thump of my heart. “I genuinely wondered what you were going to say next. I think it’s best if I lead all conversations when we meet with Repeet.”
It’s all of ten seconds after I sent the voice note that a kissing-face emoji and a slice of cake—which I assume is supposed to be cheesecake—pops up, followed by a final message from the boy who drives me mad every hour, yet I’m still left wondering when I’ll next hear from him.
Will
You can talk all you want in that meeting, so long as I get you all to myself afterward.
19
