The Moth and the Flame (When Rivals Play #2) - B.B. Reid Page 0,8
mutter before he lay back down on the pallet.
Flushing from my greasy hairline to my still frozen toes, I lay perfectly still until his breathing deepened before it evened out. I scooted from the bed, careful not to make a sound, and shed my backpack before peeling the clothes from my body. I refrained from tossing them across the room like I would if I were alone. Keeping them close meant easy access. I could put them back on undetected before Wren woke up in the morning.
With my dirty clothes safely crumpled in a pile next to the bed, I slid under the cool, clean sheets and snuggled deep. It had been a week since I slept in a bed and even longer since I slept in one this comfortable. Regardless of the circumstances and the company that came with it, I planned to savor it. Who knew how long I’d be on the streets this time. I’d been caught enough times to know it was inevitable.
“Hey, kid?”
At the heart-dropping sound of Wren’s voice so perfectly lucid, I yanked the sheets to my chin, clutching them tight and swallowing my squeal.
That asshole had been pretending to sleep! Had he watched me undress? Against my will, my toes curled at the possibility. I decided to ignore them and focused on my outrage. Realizing he’d called me ‘kid’ again helped out a lot.
“Yes?” I snapped.
He hesitated and silly me, I held my breath. However, it was nothing compared to my reaction to what he said next. “I owe you one.”
My heart, no longer content to canter, sped into a full gallop until it felt like I was soaring. “Is that a thank you?”
“It’s whatever you want it to be,” he muttered evasively. I had a feeling he wouldn’t have given me even that much if he knew how far my imagination reached. When he didn’t say more, I assumed he was pretending to sleep again, but then he said, “If we’re going to be friends, I’ll need to know what to call you.”
Smiling in the dark, I retorted, “Who says I want to be your friend?”
“It’s like you said,” he drawled, and I could hear the smile in his tone. “I haven’t returned the favor and saved your life. You’re stuck with me.”
Despite feeling like I was flying, I debated giving him my name. He had warned me not to trust Shane…did that mean I shouldn’t trust him, either? After a few uncomfortable seconds ticked by, I gave him a name that wasn’t mine. “Lucy.”
My heart began to pound so hard I feared he might hear and know I’d lied. The worst part was that I wouldn’t even be able to explain why.
“Lucy,” he echoed, and my stomach twisted brutally with regret. “I like it, Lou.”
Hearing that name, I glared at the ceiling, forgetting all about my guilt. I must have been the only person in the world who detested it. Even my parents had called me Lou. I swallowed down all the abandonment issues bubbling up and sternly repeated, “Lucy.”
Of course, he didn’t respond, and a minute later, I knew why when I heard snoring coming from the foot of the bed.
Giggling softly, I hugged my pillow, and even though he was probably faking again, I let my eyes slowly drift shut.
“Wake up.”
I jolted awake at the command, and my eyes slowly cracked open. The first thing I noticed, however, was the freshly laundered scent of the pillow my face was shoved into. Panic speared my empty stomach as I wondered where I ended up last night. Groaning, I flipped onto my back and blinked a couple of times to clear my cloudy vision before searching the room for the source of the voice I knew I hadn’t dreamed.
Across the room, I found Wren leaning against the closed door, fully dressed and looking better rested than I felt. He was watching me, and the moment our eyes connected, it all came flooding back. “Is the house on fire?” I grumbled and then inwardly cringed at the raspy croak of my voice.
“No.”
Relaxing again after stretching, I closed my eyes. “Then do me a favor. Find the nearest cliff and walk off it for me, will ya? I’m sleeping here.”
“I guess you’re not a morning person,” he remarked, amused.
“I’m not a people person.”
“What if I told you we’re going shopping?” he asked, switching tactics. “Would you like me then?”
My eyes popped open, but I couldn’t meet his gaze. “Um…no thanks.”