“But I wasn’t hidin’,” Archer added. “I was tryin’—”
Spencer waited for him to finish that sentence, but he didn’t. “Tryin’ to what?”
“Be respectful.”
“Okay, then.” Spencer shook his head, not sure what to think of the guy. “I guess that’s my cue.”
He was fully dressed, thank God, so all he had to do was put on his shoes, which he did while standing up.
“Thanks for … um … for lettin’ me crash.”
“Anytime.”
Spencer frowned. “Really? Because you sure seem like you’re freaked out by my presence.”
“Not freaked out.” His tone matched his words, so that was a good thing.
“Is it because of what I told you?” Spencer asked, praying that Archer would look at him confused, not knowing what he was talking about. He still wasn’t positive he’d blurted out the words, but he had to think he did since the giant in the room looked like he wanted to wrap him in cotton and put him in a drawer for safekeeping.
“That you were raped?”
Well, there was his answer.
“Yeah,” Spencer countered.
“You can say it.”
Spencer frowned. “I’m not scared of the word.”
“No?”
Defensive and well on his way to getting pissed, he said, “No. I just don’t think it’s anyone’s business.”
Archer nodded as he stood. “Yet, you made it my business.”
“That wasn’t my intention,” he said as he found himself looking up at the man, something that didn’t happen often. “It was ten years ago. I’ve made my peace with it.”Mostly.
Archer took a step toward him.
Spencer held his ground. “I’m not scared of you if that’s what you’re thinkin’.”
And he wasn’t. Not even a little. Turned on? Yeah. Like a fucking faucet. But not scared.
Another few inches were eliminated when Archer moved again.
Spencer didn’t move, taking a deep breath.
Archer stopped when they were almost toe-to-toe. “Do you know what I wanted to do last night when I saw you?”
“Smack that bitch around? Because I did.” It was a joke because he was a bit nervous. Not from fear but from this insane attraction he had to this man.
“That came after.”
Spencer held his stare and felt as though those turquoise eyes were piercing straight through him. “What came before?”
Suddenly, Archer’s thumb was brushing across his bottom lip. “I wanted to feel these lips.”
Swallowing was a problem since he was seconds from detonating.
