“You didn’t show it last night. Especially in the bathroom.” I turn in my seat, bringing my leg up so I can face him better. If I’m going to throw him off the scent of my secret self, I need to rely heavier on the public act. “Oh, and from what I heard—and felt—while we were dancing, you sure didn’t seem shy. More like a man who had a pretty damn good idea of how to get what he wanted.”
I watch the red creep up his neck as he looks out his window, trying to avoid looking at me. He’s blushing so hard right now, and all I can do is giggle. Not only does he make noise, he blushes. Fuck. He could be fun in bed. The guys who blush like this are usually the ones who will bend over backwards to please a woman. Sometimes literally. I should wear shorts next time I’m in his Jeep—or, as crazy as it sounds, maybe a skirt. I wonder what he’d do to me right now if I let him.
“So, what’s your excuse for not being shy last night, huh?” I let the last word drip off my lips in a whine, giving it a hint of sexual tone.
His laugh is nervous, and his grip on the wheel tightens again. He shifts in his seat, and I’m pretty sure that little noise I made worked and has him turned on. He takes deep a breath, trying to collect himself, and that’s when I catch it. He’s a mess. This isn’t an act for him. He is a nervous wreck. The more I come on to him, the deeper into his own head he goes. Interesting.
“I didn’t mean to?—”
“I was distracted,” he blurts out, his knuckles still white as he stares holes into the car in front of us. “Last night, I was…distracted.”
“I thought you said you weren’t into the bubbly blond with big tits.” I smirk, remembering Kennedy wrapped around him. I guess I’m still jealous about that. I mean, she got to kiss him before I did.
“I’m not,” he laughs and shakes his head. He’s struggling to find an excuse, and I’m worried I’m tanking this conversation. “It was… blonde is so… boring.”
“Boring? I should tell her that when I see her again. Blonde is boring.”
“When there’s a spell-binding woman I’m desperate to impress instead, blonde is, well, overdone. I’ve never really been into the blonde craze. Pretty sure I’m screwingthisup, though. Again. Anyhow, I like pink hair. And brown eyes. Tattoos.”
I feel the warmth of my skin, and I’m pretty sure my red face matches his. That wasn’t what I was expecting.
“I have trouble keeping my mouth shut, so something stupid eventually falls out of it—like it’s doing right now. You can tell me to shut the fuck up. It won’t be the first time a woman has when I’m trying to compliment her.”
“At least you’re self-aware.” My voice is soft and strange-sounding to me.
He laughs. I was right; he has a charming smile that sends my butterflies fluttering.
“Not sure if Sam warned you, but I’m not really a people person. Dani’s been trying to get me to go out with the group for a while now. I’d just rather stay home and, uhm, work.”
“Work?That didn’t sound very convincing.”
“I work, a bit.” He chuckles. “I do the editing and developing at home when I get gigs. When I can’t get gigs, I get so stoned I don’t have to think about it. It’s easier.”
“I get that. I like the solitude and being able to hide in the back of the office.”
“See?” He grins. “Shy can spot shy.”
“Yeah, but that’s just work! I can’t be shy. I like going out and partying with Dani and some other people. I got you to dance with me. I’m pretty sure I was leading the charge to the bathroom last night, no less. How isthatshy?”
He glares at me over the top of his sunglasses, and I have to look away. Is it possible to have eyes that are too pretty? This isn’t happening. Is it?
“When you go out, do you spend the next three days trying like hell to avoid all human contact? Is today’s huge conference full of people making anxiety creep around the edges of your well-trained facade? Wouldn’t you rather be anywhere today but stuck with all those people in that building?”
My jaw drops, and I laugh a little louder than I mean to. “Oh, whatever, fine, I’m an occasional introvert, but I don’t think I mind today at all. I’ve got the right company for it.”
“So we’re both going to be a hot mess today, huh?” He laughs deeply, and his eyes wrinkle a little. “I’ll make sure to keep the next few days as people free as possible—for both of us.”
“It’s fine, I’m prepared.” I dig through my bag and pull out a small pouch of edibles. “I’m also kind enough to share with a guy who prefers to stay home alone and get baked.”
“Fuck, you’re also brilliant.”
CHAPTER13
I’M NOT OKAY
MY CHEMICAL ROMANCE
“I’mgonna make you work for it, though.” I giggle, taking a peanut butter cup out of the baggie and hold it between my teeth.
