Page 107 of So Not Meant To Be
I roll my eyes. “I was being sarcastic.”
“And I choose not to take it that way.” He smirks.
“Do you always have to be right?”
“Yes. Glad you’re finally seeing that.”
I open my water and say, “Does this place we’re going to have alcohol? Because I’ll need it if I’m sticking around with you for the rest of the night.”
“There’s alcohol. Trust me, I wouldn’t leave myself stranded and alone with you without it.”
My lips flatten and he chuckles. “You’re such an ass,” I grumble.
“I know, babe.” He winks. “But admit it, you like it.”
“I don’t.”
He tips my chin up with his finger and whispers, “Liar.”
Eh... he very well might be right about everything, because even though he does drive me nuts, I sort of like it. I fall in line with his teasing and... Oh God... am I starting to crave it?
No, that couldn’t possibly be true, right?
He dips his fork into the cake and takes another bite, his eyes on me the entire time.
Huh... maybe I am.
* * *
“What are you doing?”JP asks, tugging my arm.
“Sending my sister a pin location of where I am.”
“Why the hell would you do that?”
I stuff my phone in my purse and pause on the dark sidewalk. We ate half of the cake in the car and I honestly could’ve kept going. I didn’t think it would settle well in my belly if I ate more cake and then had alcohol right after. Not a good thing at all. So, I controlled myself and focused on my conversation with JP, telling him all about where I’d seen my business going when I first started.
He sat there and listened the entire time, occasionally brushing his hand against my leg. I couldn’t figure out if he was doing it on purpose or if it was because he was still sitting in the middle seat when we were done with the cake. Either way, every light pass, every small touch, was like an ember starting to flame and burn harder, stronger.
“Why would I send a pin to my sister? Uh, have you looked around us? I’m in a dark alleyway where there are no lights on, and I’m with a man.”
“A man you know.”
“But do I know you, JP?”
“Enough that you should be conscious of the fact that I’d protect you over... whatever the hell is playing in your head.”
Arms crossed, I jut out a hip and say, “Okay, if someone came up to us right now and said they were going to take me away to their lair, what would you do?”
“What kind of fucked-up fairy tale are you living in?”
“Just answer the question.”
“Jesus.” He drags a hand over his face. “I’d tell him to get the fuck away, and if he didn’t, I’d probably introduce him to the ten years of boxing lessons I’ve been taking.”
Dear heavens, he boxes? That’s hot.
My eyes go to his chest. Hmm, that would explain some of those ripped muscles.
