you swear too much, baby,” he teases with a wink. “How come I didn’t know about this filthy mouth of yours back in middle school?”
“There’s a lot I can do with this filthy mouth of mine,” I purr, sashaying forward until I’m directly in front of him. I press onto my tiptoes and stare him in the eyes. “But you’re never going to find out what.”
“Damn, woman.” He pantomimes fanning himself before lowering his hand and repeating the process with his crotch. “You’re making me hot.”
“At least it’s ‘woman’ and not ‘baby’ now,” I retort, attempting to pass him, but before I can take more than a step, he grabs my wrist, forcing me to a halt.
“Joking aside, Peony, I would very much like to explain.”
I twist my head so his striking face fills my vision. Currently, his brows are pinched, but that doesn’t make his features any less statuesque, like a marble relic. Heat sizzles through my veins as I stare into his muddy eyes, and he offers me a tremulous smile.
“Okay. Talk. I’m listening.”
He releases me then, nodding for me to take a seat. He distractedly scratches the back of his neck, avoiding eye contact with me once more.
“You’re probably so fucking sick of hearing this already, but I’m sorry. About everything.”
“Actually,” I interrupt, “it’s pretty damn satisfying to hear those words. But I prefer it when you’re on your hands and knees, with your head pressed to the floor in a bow.” The words are meant as a joke, as a way to lighten the mood, so you can imagine my surprise when Cassian drops to the floor like he’s on fire and fucking bows at my feet.
“Is this better?” The tiles muffle his voice from where he’s pressed against them, but I can hear the underlying amusement. I can actually feel my body’s internal temperature increase by a billion and one degrees as my entire body burns.
“You’re such an asshole,” I hiss, reaching down to pull at his shoulders. He finally lifts his head, his smile growing when he sees my red face. “Stop laughing.”
“You wanted me to bow at your altar,” he points out with a wry smirk. “And what my girl wants, my girl gets.”
“I’m not your girl,” I protest automatically. The words are entirely instinctive now, though I’m not even sure if they’re the truth anymore. At least, not the full truth.
His smile fades as he ambles back to his feet, returning to his incessant pacing.
“And that was my biggest problem,” he confesses, and I can barely hold in my snort.
“Because I wasn’t your girl, you decided to bully me? That really doesn’t make me feel better, Cass,” I snap, feeling the familiar wisps of anger slither around in my stomach.
“No, that’s not what I meant.” He once more runs a hand over his buzzed head, his movements jerky with agitation. “Fuck! This is coming out all wrong.”
“Well, you’re not making any sense,” I huff, crossing my arms over my chest. “You’re acting as if liking me is what made you bully me. Is that what this is? You pull a girl’s hair because you have a crush on her and want her attention?”
“That’s Lucas’s style, not mine,” Cassian says automatically. “And no, that’s not what I meant.”
“So you were mad that I wasn’t dating you?” I’m really not understanding where he’s going with this, and every word he says only exacerbates my rage.
“No, I was mad that I liked you,” Cassian snaps, but this time, I don’t know if his irritation is directed at me or himself.
“That doesn’t make any—”
“I was mad that I liked girls,” he stresses, finally whirling on me. His chest heaves, and for once, he doesn’t look as meticulously groomed as he usually does. He has never been as put together as Lucas—though I don’t think anyone alive is. But I’ve never seen him this…disheveled before. I don’t know how else to describe it. His eyes look wild and unhinged, his dark shirt is untucked and still stained with chili, and there’s a hole in his jeans that I swear hadn’t been there earlier.
It takes a few moments for those words to click in my brain, and I can’t help but drop my mouth open in shock. I quickly try to hide my completely instinctive reaction by snapping it closed.
“What do you mean?” I manage to ask, and he rubs a huge hand down his face.
“It means exactly what it sounds like, baby.”
“You like…guys?” I try to connect