much healthier entrée of salmon and vegetables. Yes, he was right. I wasn’t regretting my decision to follow his advice. But there was no reason to admit that aloud. He was getting enough validation by the way I was attacking my food.
“Do you want to talk about what happened between you and Tristin?”
I froze with a fry halfway to my mouth. Had I heard him correctly? He wanted to talk about my relationship—or lack of one—with his brother?
Maybe I should take this as confirmation that his “I guess you chose Tristin” comment didn’t mean he wanted me like I’d originally assumed. Or, at least, it meant that he didn’t want me anymore.
Could I handle any more rejection today? I wasn’t sure I could.
I dropped my fry on my plate. “There’s not much to say.”
“Somehow, I doubt that’s true.”
“Even if you’re right, why would you want to talk about it?”
He pushed his half-empty plate aside and planted his elbows on the table to lean into me. “Because I need to know if I still have a chance with you.”
Oh.
A flutter started in my belly that had nothing to do with the meal I’d been devouring. “You want a chance with me?”
After the day I’d had, I needed to hear him say it. Just one more time.
His lips quirked and eyes brightened. “Yeah, Thea. I want a chance with you. I thought I’d made that obvious.”
I forced myself to think back. We’d had one non-date at the boxing gym. We’d made out in Jude’s bathroom and kissed in front of Violet’s house. Other than his somewhat obnoxious flirting, that was it.
Where was the obvious part? I was certainly missing it.
Instead of saying that, I shook my head.
“Okay, then, let me make this as clear as possible. I want you, Thea. I want to see you sitting on the front row at every one of my football games, wearing my jersey. I want to walk through campus holding your hand. I want to accompany you to parties and teach you how to have fun.” He lowered his voice. “I want to take you up against my bedroom door and make you fall apart in my bed all night long.”
My breath caught in my throat. Oh, god. I’d had no idea Leo could affect me so much with nothing but words.
“What I don’t want is to steal my brother’s girl. I’ve taken enough from him already.”
“I’m not Tristin’s girl,” I croaked. Whether the break in my voice was because of what I’d said, or what he had, I didn’t know.
“Are you sure? Did you two ever have the talk?”
“What talk?”
He chuckled softly. “I haven’t had a girlfriend since eighth grade, and even I know about the talk.”
I raised an eyebrow. “I’m guessing I don’t want to know how many one-night stands and fuck buddies you’ve had, if you spent all these years single?”
If I wasn’t mistaken, his cheeks flushed pink. “Don’t change the subject. We’re talking about you and Tristin.”
Knowing there was nothing to be done about Leo’s past conquests now, I decided to let it go. “We never defined our relationship, if that’s what you’re asking. We just...”
“Had sex?”
Watching his luscious lips form the word “sex” was nothing less than erotic, and I squeezed my legs together, even as guilt rushed through me. I’d slept with Tristin without taking the time to think through the consequences, and now I was paying for it.
“Yeah,” I muttered. “We had sex.”
“Are you hung up on him?”
I shook my head at him. “Fuck, Leo. Get right to the point, why don’t you?”
“Sorry if that was too blunt. It’s not like I’ve ever done this before.”
“Done what? Asked a girl your brother was screwing about her relationship with said brother?” Not waiting for him to respond, I said, “He’s hurting me by blowing me off. If that means I’m hung up on him...” I shrugged, though there was nothing nonchalant about the movement.
Leo’s striking eyes slid over every centimeter of my face before eventually settling on my eyes. “Okay.”
Okay? That was it?
I attempted to follow his lead and return to my food, but I couldn’t do it. Things with Tristin were already too disorienting. I couldn’t handle adding uncertainty with Leo to the mix.
So, I sucked it up and asked exactly what I was thinking. “What now?”
He smiled, finally transforming into the Leo I’d come to know so well. “I’ve never had to work for a girl in my life. It’s about time that changed, don’t you think?”
Chapter