Shack up.My aunt had used the exact same term, but on Joel's lips, it sounded different, like something dangerous, and not in a good way.
I was still mulling that over when Joel said, "Your aunt's full of it. You know that, right?"
I pulled back to look at him. "You're not angry I asked, are you?"
"At you?" He shook his head. "No. But your aunt, she's gotta stop pulling that shit."
I frowned. "What shit?"
Joel's voice hardened. "She doesn't even know me."
"So?"
"So she's telling you to move me in?" His gaze darkened. "I could be anyone. A fucking ax-murderer, for all she knows."
"Except you're not."
"Yeah. But she doesn't know that." He gave a slow shake of his head. "This world? It's full of monsters, who'd like nothing better than to get their claws into something as sweet as you."
At the image, I almost laughed. "Butyou'renot a monster."
"No." His voice grew quiet. "But I could be."
"But you're not," I repeated. "And besides, my aunt will totally love you."
His mouth lifted at the corners. "I'm not sure that's a mark in her favor."
"Well, I'm sure enough for both of us." I paused. "And about the whole living-together thing?" I gave a shaky laugh. "Forget I mentioned it, okay?"
"I will. And you wanna know why?"
"Why?"
Once again, he pulled me into his arms. "Because that's not your style." His voice softened into something sweet. "And I love you for it."
Chapter 65
Those three little words hung in the air. My stomach fluttered, and my breath caught. "What?"
"You heard me."
I pulled back to gaze up at him. Was he saying what I thought he was saying? The look in his eyes told me all I needed to know. I felt myself smile. Unable to resist, I teased, "But wait. You told me you'd never say such a thing."
"Me?" He gave me a sheepish smile. "Nah.Ididn't say that."
I gave him a playful shove. "You did, too."
But Joel shook his head. "That was Cigar talking. Not me."
It took me a moment to realize that he was referring to that dreadful nickname, the one that had been inspired by a phrase I'd come to hate.Close, but no cigar.
The way it looked, those days were over. And finally, Joel was accepting the fact that good things could happen for him –reallygood things, judging from his current prospects.
I smiled up at him. "So, no more cigar, huh?"
"Forget the cigar," he said, pulling me close once again. "Now, tell me what I wanna hear."
Feeling suddenly shy, I said, "What?"
