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“Did you grow up here?” he asks, turning to face me in his seat and focusing his full attention on me. It’s unnerving.

“No.”

When I glance over at him again, he smirks. “Where are you from?”

“Why are you so interested in where I grew up?”

I pull up to a red light just a block from the parking garage and look across the car, locking eyes with him. His gaze holds me prisoner and I can’t pull away. There’s just something so intriguing about him. Maybe it’s the way his eyes hold this fierce intensity and seem to shimmer with amusement at the same time—like he would ride into the depths of hell with a grin on his face and laugh as he went head-to-head with the devil. Or the fact that he has no qualms about openly staring at me like a stalker. And yet, it doesn’t come off as threatening.

“Just want to get to know you,” he says, shrugging his shoulders like he sees nothing wrong with that. Perhaps in his world, there’s nothing wrong with it but it’ll be a cold day in that hell he’s riding into before I let someone get close again.

“There isn’t anything to know,” I retort just as horns blare behind me. My head whips forward and I press down on the gas.

“Now that, I very much doubt.”

“Why?”

“Let’s call it a hunch. You’re far too gorgeous and intriguing for that to be true.”

“That shit will not work on me,” I snap, hoping that he can’t see the deception in my eyes. Normally, it wouldn’t work. With any other guy, I would roll my eyes and move on, but something about the way he says it hits me right in the chest.

He laughs out loud, throwing his head back and warmth seeps through my body as I sneak another peek at him. “Damn, you’re refreshing, but who exactly are you trying to convince?”

I say nothing, turning into the parking garage with a huff and focusing on the winding ramp as I drive up to Ali’s car. When I slip into the spot next to her, I let out a breath and put the car in park.

“That’s her car there,” I say, pointing next to me as I reach for my bag. After I turn the car off, I toss the keys across the seat and he catches them.

“Hey, wait,” he calls as I open the door and climb out. Spinning around, I shut the door and glance over the top of the car at him.

“What?”

“I should get your number.”

I shake my head. “No.”

“What if I need to get in touch with you?” he asks.

“Why would you need to call me?”

He shrugs. “What if there’s an emergency?”

“Call nine-one-one,” I retort and spin around, walking away from him. I only get a few steps away when I hear his boots slapping against the pavement, then he’s grabbing my arm and spinning me to face him.

“What if something happens with Ali?”

“Ali has my number.”

He sighs, but he doesn’t seem even the least bit frustrated by my resistance.

“What if you need help?”

“Then I’ll call nine-one-one,” I shoot back, tiring of this back and forth.

“I promise you, I can get to you a lot quicker than the cops can. I only want to keep you safe.” He places his hand over his heart like it will somehow convince me he’s sincere and I roll my eyes.

“You’re not going to leave until I give it to you, are you?”

He grins. “No.”

“Give me your phone,” I growl, against my better judgment, and he grabs his phone out of his pocket before handing it over. My desperation to leave this situation is stronger than my desire for him to not have my number. Besides, I can always block him later. After programming my number in his contacts, I hand it back to him and turn away.

“Goodbye, Chance,” I call over my shoulder and his chuckle echoes through the garage as my phone beeps.

555-011-3346:

See you around, Darlin’