"Wait," I said for the second time.
Once again, he stopped and turned around, looking even less enthused than he had the first time.
I cleared my throat. "Listen, about last night, I'm sorry, okay? I didn't mean to be rude."
"Forget it," he said. "Anything else?"
The question was way too tempting. Against my better judgment, I said, "Well, since you asked…"
In the back of my mind, IknewI should stop.But I didn't. I couldn’t.Bracing myself, I said, "Iamstill a little curious. How'd you get that book?" I forced a laugh. "Did you find it on the sidewalk or something?"
His mouth tightened. "No."
So much for that theory.
"Uh, yeah," I stammered. "I didn't think so."
His gaze hardened. "So whatdidyou think?"
At his sharp tone, I almost flinched. "Nothing."
"Wrong answer."
"What, why?"
"Because you're lying."
"You don't know that."
"I do," he said. "So go ahead. Just say it."
I wasn't following. "Say what?"
"What you're thinking."
Yeah, right."You're not serious."
"Wrong again." He made a forwarding motion with his hand. "So go on. Tell me your theory."
"You mean about the book? And how you got it back?" My stomach knotted, and my spine grew twitchy. Isodidn't want to say. But hehadasked, so I took a deep breath and just tossed it out there. "Well, if I had to guess, I'd say that you probably, um, charmed her out of it."
His gaze darkened, and the knot in my stomach grew. From the look on his face, he wouldn't know charm if it bit him on the ass.
In a tight voice, he replied, "Yeah? How?"
"What do you mean how?"
"Do you mean I said pretty words and made her blush?" His gaze dipped to my lips, and something in his expression changed. "Like you."
Absently, I reached up to touch my face. It felt warm.Too warm.Suddenly distracted, I murmured, "I'm not sure Darbie's the blushing type."
"So, you wanna know if I fucked her? Is that it?"
I drew back.Talk about cutting to the chase.I wasn't sure what was more shocking – his language or his bluntness.
I stammered, "Well, I wouldn’t have put it that way, but yes, itwouldmake sense. At the book-signing, she, uh, made it pretty clear that she was yours for the taking."
"Yeah? And how about me?"
