my cheek with a quick peck. “Friends?”
I nodded as he walked back to his car.
I spun to punch the code into my building and nearly walked right into Tate, standing there staring at us.
Chapter Thirty-Five
SHELBY
Crap. How long had he been there watching? Not that it mattered. He raised an eyebrow, and I shoved past him, opening the door. I kind of wanted to slam it on his fingers, but resisted the urge, mostly because it would have been a felony. Okay, maybe not a felony, but at least a misdemeanor.
“What are you doing here?”
He shrugged. “What? Am I not allowed to come home to my own apartment?”
I hissed an annoyed sigh. “Were you following us?”
He snorted at that, hitting the call button for the elevator. “Don’t flatter yourself.”
I hesitated. Maybe I should wait for the next elevator. Tate rolled his eyes, stepping in and kicking a foot in front of the doors. “Don’t be ridiculous. Get on the elevator, Shelby.”
I narrowed my eyes to slits, glaring at him.
“What?” He raised an eyebrow. “Are you afraid I’ll bite? Or are you afraid I’ll give you a lamer kiss than the one you just got?”
Anger seethed in my chest. “You’re such an ass.” I rushed inside with the accusation and Tate pulled his foot from the door, letting it close.
His smirk lifted even more, and I puffed a breath causing my bangs to blow past my forehead. “Congratulations,” I sneered. “You got me alone in an elevator. What are you going to do with these thirty seconds?”
Tate snorted. “I wouldn’t waste it with a passionless kiss, that’s for sure. Tell me something—” He spun, leaning into me, heat radiating off his body. He wore a fitted T-shirt and jeans, and goddamn, did he make that look good. “Does he like it when you grab his elbows?” Tate snorted, shaking his head.
For all of a second I thought it was going to be a serious question. “Having trouble with your own sex life, Tate? Is it so dry that you have to watch mine to get your kicks?”
“My sex life,” he growled, all humor gone, “is nonexistent since we broke up.”
It was my turn to snort, and I rolled my eyes. “Yeah, okay.”
“It’s true,” he said quietly, moving so that he was no longer looking at me. “I don’t waste my time with crappy kisses.”
“Our kiss was not crappy…” But I couldn’t even finish the sentence, because it was a total shit kiss. And I didn’t even think it was Ryan’s fault. There was nothing wrong with his lips or hands or anything. It was all me. I was the dunce.
“No? You’re telling me that was a good kiss? That one I just saw out there?”
“Yes,” I lied.
“Then what would you call this one?” Tate scooped his hands into my hair and tugged me against his body. I fell into his kiss as his lips wrapped around mine and his tongue delved inside my mouth. Oh God, was that good. Excitement exploded in my belly and swirled into my throat. I don’t know what came over me, but my hands dove into his hair, yanking the strands between my fingers. His back slammed into the mirrored wall behind him, and my pelvis pressed against his, circling his hips. His hand tucked into my back pocket, and he squeezed my ass.
Both of his hands scraped up my back until he was cupping my face with tender fingers. He pushed me away, ending the kiss, and I was left with stars blinding my eyes as the elevator dinged, opening on my floor.
“That,” he said, “is a good fucking kiss, Shelby. No matter what happens between us, don’t forget the difference.”
I stood there, panting, unsure of what to do next. Did I get off the elevator? Go home? Ignore that amazing kiss that sent spirals of molten heat curling to my toes? My hesitation answered for me, and as the elevator doors shut, I jumped for the button to open them again. Tate’s chuckle rumbled through my body. “Shit,” I whispered.
His chest pressed against my back, and as badly as I wanted to turn and be enveloped in his arms, I couldn’t bring myself to do that. Not again. He was right to end things with us. I had to keep telling myself that. He was right that we were a terrible match. Only…if I truly believed that, why couldn’t I step away?
His lips were moist on my ear, and his hot breath trickled down my