Page 39 of Needed You

“So yeah—thank you for, um, for getting me from the bar last night and . . . and for helping me clean up.” He blushes and then pulls his lip ring into his mouth, and my knees go weak. “And you know, for everything.” He gives me a goofy smile.

“Dare,” I say as I get closer to him, crowding his space. His eyes widen and he parts his beautiful lips. My hand grips his hip, and I lean in, softly connecting our mouths. He sighs as our lips rub together smoothly. I kiss him tenderly, and when I pull back after only a short time, I touch my forehead to his. My tongue licks his taste off my lips. It’s incredible. I want to know what he tastes like in other places too. I smile at the thought. Thank god his eyes are closed so he doesn’t see.

“Dare,” I say again, since my original thought was broken by our kiss.

“Hmmm?” He pulls his forehead away from me.

“Let me take you home. It’s the least I can do.” I release his hip and reach for the keys on the table beside my door.

He stops me, his hand on my chest. “It’s fine, Lev. I already called Ryan. I’ll be fine. I’ll text you later, okay?” He leans in and catches me off guard with another peck to the lips before grabbing the door handle and stepping outside into the crisp air.

I watch as a red Hellcat pulls up and Dare climbs in. A chill runs up my spine. I don’t like that it’s not me taking him home and that he’s now in the hands of someone else. Although that someone else is his straight best friend, I can’t deny the completely irrational and ridiculous spike of jealousy that stabs my chest.

He’s not yours, Lev.

I shake my head. “Not yet,” I say out loud.

***

I busy myself with chores around the apartment to help the day pass. When I finally go back into my bedroom later in the day I notice something on the floor by the bed and bend over to pick it up. It’s the pair of fishnet gloves and sleeves that Dare was wearing last night. I bring them to my nose and inhale to see if they smell like him. They carry his scent, and I sniff deeper.

I’m so gone for this man.

I shake my head and put the sleeves on the dresser to give to him when I see him again.

As I settle into bed, my phone alert goes off to let me know I have a message, and I jump, immediately picking up my phone. I hope it’s something from Dare; he said he was going to text me, but he hasn’t yet. A deep disappointment weighs on me, however, when I only see a notification from my uncle, his text confirming that he’s going to meet me at the shop tomorrow morning to go over a few things and finalize a decision on a new, more efficient billing system. I send him a reply and then sink back down under the covers.

The later it gets, the more I realize that I’m probably not going to hear from Dare tonight. Then I scold myself for being so ridiculous. I take a shower and crawl back into bed, opening my social media app to see if Dare posted anything about his night. However, there’s nothing new, and I can’t shake this feeling of jealousy. What the hell is wrong with me? I’m not a jealous guy, and that’s twice today that I’ve felt like this! I groan and put my phone back on the nightstand before I roll over.

I’m just starting to drift off to sleep when I hear a notification come through my cell. I turn to my other side and reach for my phone, my heart rate picking up.

Lycan: I hope you’re not asleep.

Me: I’m not sleeping. How was your night?

Lycan: It was cool. Ryan just left.

I can’t pretend that I’m not relieved it sounds like they just hung out at his house.

Me: Cool. I hope you had fun.

Lycan: We did. I’m tired. And high.

I chuckle and shake my head.

Me: Will you sleep?

The three bubbles fold and open, fold and open, fold and open, and then stop. I wait. They go through the same pattern three more times before I get a reply.

Lycan: I should. I think I’d sleep better if I was with you.

I’m beaming.

Me: Hopefully soon Little Lycan.

Lycan: bed emoji

That’s all I get the rest of the night, but I can’t stop smiling. I lie back and blow out a breath as I settle under the covers, thinking about how this man is going to destroy me.