wrap-job I did. He is larger than life. His body takes up all the space in this small bathroom, making it hard to breathe. I shake my head.
“No, it’s fine. I’m just looking for a Band-Aid or something.”
“Selene.”
The way he says my name gives me pause. Slowly, I glance up at him through the curtain of my hair, and our eyes connect. A moment passes between us, and I hate the way my stomach flips at all in his presence. It’s not like he feels the same way. Maybe if I was Holly, he might, but I’m not. I’m me—plain ole Selene. Nothing special, and the likelihood is, I never will be.
His jaw is dusted lightly with stubble, and I have to fight the urge to caress his handsome face. He reaches his hand out between us, clearly telling me to place mine in his, so he can have a look. Blowing out a resigned breath, I do as he says, and he unwraps the bloody toilet paper from my finger, taking a look. The second his skin is on mine, a tingle travels through my body. It’s an awareness I wish wasn’t there. One I wish I could ignore. One I should not be feeling at all. His touch is gentle and soft, and I can’t help but admire everything about him at this moment. I’m sure he can feel my gaze on him, but I can’t seem to bring myself to look away.
“You all right?” he asks as he cleans the wound.
I wince a little at the sting but try to shrug it off as nothing major. “It’s just a small cut. I’ll be fine.”
“I wasn’t talking about the cut, Selene.”
My brows pull together in a frown, and I pause. “What were you talking about then?”
He sighs. “She was talking to me. Not the other way around, if that’s what you’re thinking.”
I don’t respond, mainly because I’m unsure how to. He doesn’t have to explain. He owes me nothing while I owe him everything.
“You don’t owe me anything,” I mumble.
“You’re right. I don’t.” My eyes slam shut, an ache ricocheting through my chest. That one hurt. “But that doesn’t mean I want you to think there’s anything between Holly and me because there isn’t.”
I nod slowly, trying to process the torment in my chest with the reality of his words, and make sense of what I heard Holly say. I hate that his words invoke any kind of hope in my chest.
“She said you asked her out.” I clear my throat, despising how weak I sound. Because as much as it pains me to admit, I hate that he’s moved on from me so quickly. Not long ago, he was chasing after me, trying to court me, and now he’s all but ready to fall back into old habits with her. “Look, I know you hate me. I get it. It’s fine, you know, if you want to. Just as long as Luna isn’t involved.”
“I don’t hate you,” he murmurs gruffly.
I scoff. “Really? I’d like to see how you treat people you do hate.”
Endymion heaves a deep sigh. “I’m upset with you, sure, and as much as I’d like to, I don’t hate you.”
I sneak a glance up at him, and he’s searching my gaze, something akin to heat brewing in his colored eyes, but I know that can’t be right. My mind must be playing tricks on me.
“Well,” I clear my throat. “Whatever your feelings are, just know it’s okay. You can date whoever you want.”
“And what if I don’t want her? What would you say to that?”
“Want who?” I ask, my heart pounding in my chest.
“Holly. What if I don’t want Holly?”
My heart is a steel drum in my chest as it pounds recklessly. I swallow past the golf ball-sized lump in my throat. “Who would you want then, if not her?”
I wait with bated breath for his answer. He searches my gaze, and I don’t know if I imagine it, but I swear he steps closer. His grip on my hand gets a little tighter. The heat in his eyes kicks up a few notches.
“Everything okay over here?”
A surprised squeak tumbles past my lips at the sound of Aurora’s voice. I jerk away from Endymion as if we were caught kissing. Heat settles in my cheeks, and my chest heaves violently as it works to accommodate my breathing.
“Fine. We’re fine,” I pant out in a panic. “I was just about done in here. I can