Page 83 of Play With Me

“What?”

“I don’t. Fuck her all you want. It’s not my problem.”

Oh shit. This was not Sad Louisa. This was my fucking dragon.

“Just don’t come up here all, ‘I’m sorry you had to see that,’” she said in a bratty voice.

She’s really here.

“Is that supposed to be me, Louisa?”

“You sound exactly like that,” she said. Arms crossed. Nose in the air.

“I haven’t slept with Nathalie since you moved here.”

She looked surprised, but then her eyes narrowed into slits.

“Eating her pussy is the same thing, Will!” She poked my chest.

Oh my god, yes!

I held out my hands like I wanted to touch her, recalling her doing the same when she was apologizing to me about the Blowjob Incident. God, was that not even two months ago? It felt like years.

She slapped my hands away. I love her.

“I only see Nathalie in class. I thought you were upset about Has being with someone else. I ju⁠—‘’

“Goddamnit, Will! Don’t do that!’’ she groaned. “Don’t kiss me like that and then act like you’re comforting me!” Her fingers threaded through her hair, gripping the sides of her head.

Aye, ye really fucked that, then, eh?

She yanked her hands away, hair flying out haphazardly. “Seriously, what woman wants to hear that the best kiss of her fucking life was just her friend trying to make her feel better?!” She wasn’t looking at me. Best kiss of her life?

Lord knows it’s the Ó hEacháin lips. Yer grandad was wicked on the horn, he was.

Wait a second. She had to be kidding. I felt my chest heat as she glared at me.

“Are you fucking with me?” I asked, getting angry now. “I’ve wanted you for—‘’ I almost said years… “months, Louisa. I’ve never been shy about that. You don’t get to rewrite this script.”

“I’m not rewriting anything, Will.”

“Oh yeah? I seem to remember you kissing me to make me feel better the last time we were at a club,” I hissed. “I guess, I thought maybe that was something we do.” I was getting shitty. I needed to tone it down.

“Don’t you fucking dare!” Louisa responded like copper in reduction. “It’s not the same thing and you know it. You say you’ve wanted me all this time but never enough to take me as I am. Not without asking Has for permission like I’m some⁠—‘’

“You never chose me!” I yelled, hand on my heart. “And Christ, Louisa, but you don’t even want to be taken! Isn’t that the crux of it all?”

She deflated, “You let some misguided bullshit masculinity pact⁠—‘’

“No, you’re not the type, remember?” I spat. “My cards were on the table. You’re a grown-ass woman, Louisa. If something changed for you along the way, all you had to do is say it. I’d have let it all burn if I thought this was real for you.” Her whole argument here is bullshit. I’ve been there all along. “I’m not sorry for wanting to preserve a friendship with a guy who I really fucking liked and respected until tonight. You told me we didn’t want the same things, and I listened,” I said.

That got her. She heard me. Maybe too well. She looked singed.

There’s a dragon in every one of us, boy. Best learn when to leash it.

When Has appeared from around the corner looking sheepish as hell, I’d had enough.

“I’m out, guys,” I said, lifting a hand in a wave to the group. “I’m going to stay at my mom’s until I leave since I already moved my shit out of the dorms, but I’ll text you to find a time to say ‘bye’ before I go.”