Page 49 of A Dangerous Kind of Love

Michael extends his hand. Sarah hesitates for a split second before shaking it. Luca offers his next.

“You work at the bar with Katie,” Michael says.

Sarah nods.

“Alright,” I say, clapping my hands together once. “Let’s go inside.”

I loop my arm through Sarah’s and steer her toward the house. There are a thousand questions currently forming on her face. Michael and Luca follow us. By the time we reach the porch, I’m already digging through my purse for my keys, my fingers shoving past lip gloss, my wallet, and a crumpled receipt from Target.

“Right here, Doll,” Michael says.

He’s holding my house keys on his index finger, casually swinging them through the air. Sarah’s head turns toward him. Then toward me. Then back toward him again. You’ve go to be shitting me.

“You had me lock up this morning,” he adds, looking smug as hell.

For one second I seriously consider punching him directly in his stupidly attractive face. Preferably somewhere near that ridiculous mustache.

Chapter 18

Katie

“You have so much explaining to do,” Sarah hisses the second I shut my bedroom door.

Out in the living room, Michael and Luca are sitting on my couch. For fifteen minutes, we were trapped in painfully awkward small talk while Michael watched me like he’s was deciding whether to kiss me or strangle me. Every few seconds his hands clenched and unclenched against the thighs of his ridiculously expensive pants.

Sarah folds her arms and waits. I start changing since that’s the reason I told Michael and Luca we were coming in here.

I explain how my car refused to start two nights ago, Michael giving me a ride home, waking up yesterday morning to find it fixed, the date last night, and the part where he stayed. I skip several details for the sake of my dignity. Her expression shifts through disbelief, concern, and finally impressed horror.

“How old is he?” she asks.

I exhale and don’t make eye contact. “Thirty-six.”

She gets up and smacks my arm.

“Bitch, I can’t believe you didn’t text me,” she says.

“I was a little preoccupied.”

Her eyebrows climb higher and higher.

“Wait,” she says. “Does that mean there are no more virgins in this room?”

“Still a virgin,” I say, and then I give her a pointed look. “I’m just not sure for how much longer.”

“Oh my god. This is the best thing that’s happened to you in like, well, ever.” She falls back on my bed.

“He’s kind of an ass,” I say, falling down next to her.

“But a really hot one.”

We look at each other and lose it laughing.

“I was this close.” I hold up my thumb and index finger super close to one another. “To having sex with him last night.”

“You slut,” she says, laughing.

I roll over onto my stomach. “I like him.”