boldly. “I would love to.”
I try, I really do, but his words get to me. I look down at our hands. “I’ve never been on one.”
“Why am I not surprised? You have sex with me before we go on a date? That’s a little backwards. We should have waited.”
For some reason his words amuse me. “Is Kent Nicholson regretting sex?”
“Kent Nicholson is regretting giving you a reason to fear me.”
“I don’t regret having sex with you. I regret that I wanted it. Wanting it is what’s going to hurt me later.”
“You’re allowed to want things in life. You’re allowed to take risks that might not pan out. That’s what makes it beautiful. You don’t always have to do things because it corresponds with what you think life should be.”
I look away and extract my hands from his. “That’s easy for you to say. Your outlook wasn’t driven home since birth.”
He reaches over and grabs my hands. “Stop taking your hands away,” he warns icily. “These are my hands now.”
Kent is forcing me out of my comfort zone. “Then these are mine.” I tighten my hold.
He smiles.
I watch that smile. His lips stretch over his teeth and his eyes gleam in the restaurant’s warm lighting. My breath hitches and I want him right now. Sore or not. I am losing it. Or I already lost it. Either way I’m looking for the pieces.
My phone chimes in my purse, freeing me. I find an unsettling text from Becca.
Becca: I hope Kent doesn’t mind another roommate.
My spirits lift as I text her back, asking if she’s coming home.
Becca: U R going 2 get it.
I frown and quickly scroll through our messages. Sure enough, there are a plethora of texts from her in varying degrees of anger and concern. I smirk at the last message.
Becca: Get Kent’s dick out of UR mouth & answer me.
Before I can help myself, I wonder what it would be like to have him in my mouth.
My phone rings, sucking me out of my thoughts.
“Answer your phone. We’re in a restaurant. “Womanizer” by Britney Spears isn’t an appropriate theme song. Man hater,” he tacks on, giving me a playful smirk.
“Woman hater,” I tease back.
We’re honestly developing a sick sense of humor.
I quickly answer it. “Becca, relax.”
“Relax?” She is the opposite of relaxed. “You want me to relax? I’ve been texting my baby sister for almost two days with no response. Where have you been? You’d better not say with Kent or I’m going to kill his nasty ass for touching you.”
I shrink at her big sister tone. She’s in parent mode. “Are you really coming home?”
“Yes!” she shrieks.
Even Kent flinches. He’s looking at me worriedly amid sips of his coffee. He’s even cute drinking coffee. I drift off, watching the way he licks his lips as he sets the cup down. I know that tongue. I want that tongue…
“Rain!” Becca shouts.
I nearly drop my phone. “I’m sorry—”
“Save it, you inconsiderate brat. Pick me up from the airport tomorrow at noon. I’ll text you the information. You are able to text, right?”
“Yes.”
She doesn’t even say goodbye. I stare at the phone fearfully.
“What was that about? Your sister sounded pissed.”
“She is pissed. She’s been trying to get a hold of me but I’ve been kind of preoccupied with a certain blond-haired black-eyed hottie. You ever meet him?”
He rubs his chin in thought. “No, can’t say I have. But he sounds dapper.”
“Dapper?” I smirk, setting my phone down and taking a sip of tea. “What decade are we in?”
“Tell me more about this dapper bastard.” He grins at me over the top of his mug. “Does he turn you on?”
“Does he want to know a secret?”
“He’d love to finally know what goes on your head.”
“No man has ever turned me on the way he does.”
“How does he do that? Because from what I hear he’s getting mixed signals from you. He may’ve done his best to keep you right where you were, but you were so addictive. He had to see you. He had to hear your voice. A little birdy told me the only time this dapper bastard can stand himself is when he’s around you, Rain. So he’d like to know how he turns you on so he can keep doing it. Then maybe he can keep you.”
My heart hammers and tightens. It’s a sudden struggle to remain seated. “He’s doing it right now.”
His eyes gleam. “Interesting. Anything else you want to tell him?”
I have to break the buzzing attraction