Page 66 of Playing With Danger

Valentine’s fingers dug in and he stepped closer.

“Hey, Khloe. Nice to meet you, too.”

The woman smiled.

Then it became awkward.

This wasn’t the first time I’d met one of Hayden’s dates. Some were nicer than others. Some gave me the side-eye because I was female and the roommate. Others didn’t pay me any attention. A few I’d even watched a movie and scarfed down pizza with before I absented myself to my bedroom to give them privacy. It was rare but occasionally I’d walked into my kitchen in the morning and found a woman I didn’t know helping herself to the fridge.

But that wasn’t the reason it was awkward now. Khloe was staring at me with daggers in her eyes.

“Hayden. Khloe, it was good to meet you. If you’ll excuse us.”

Hayden, being none the wiser to his date’s death rays, tagged her around the waist and pulled her into the living room.

“I’m making breakfast. Hungry?” Hayden asked.

I was starving but I was afraid if I said yes, the woman might spit in my food.

“No thanks.”

“I’m good, brother,” Valentine answered and propelled me forward, not letting me go until we rounded the corner into the hall. And I meant, we. It was like we were one as he shuffled us past Khloe.

The moment Valentine closed the door behind us I gave him big eyes and whispered, “You saw that, right?”

“Not gonna lie, Soph. I might’ve sized up Hayden if you brought me home and I didn’t know him. But, yeah, I saw it. That chick was sending over-the-top death rays in your direction.”

Wait.

“Hayden’s just a friend. Nothing’s ever happened. The closest he’s ever come to touching me is giving me a foot rub.”

Valentine’s eyes narrowed.

“My socks were on.”

He said nothing so I went on.

“It only?—”

“Sophie.”

“Yeah?”

“I don’t share.”

Well, that was good news.

“I don’t either.”

“Right. I’ll explain.” He stalked across the small room and pulled me to his chest. “I don’t share. Not even your feet.”

I stared up at him and pinched my lips to stop myself from smiling.

“Are we clear?”

“Sure, we’re clear, as long as we’re also clear I’m answering in the affirmative assuming this is you being possessive and not condescending.”

“And feral,” he reminded me.

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