Page 36 of Wild Card

Me: Why would you think that?

I felt guilty, and I hated feeling guilty. I owed him the chance to explain his side of the story…about a rumor I’d heard that might not even be close to true.

Decker: I never heard from you…I drove by your place a few times just to make sure you didn’t move away.

Me, not Taylor. My heart did this little fluttery thing.

Me: I’m sorry about that, it was just a crazy week. But if you’re available right now, I have her tame and in a good mood. By the way, she thinks you hate her, just roll with that.

My stomach was all nerves and knots waiting for him to finally text back.

But he didn’t, and I made it through almost two episodes ofSchitt’s Creekbefore a knock sounded at the door.

I crawled out of the little nest of blankets I’d gathered and headed for the entrance. Taylor glanced at me cautiously, like a nervous animal.

Swinging open the door, I smiled at my guest and shoved down the part of me that appreciated how good Decker looked in a tight, navy blue tee, or how he looked with that matching Devils baseball hat on his dark, mussed hair. I definitely pushed down how badly I wanted him to show me his hand so I could run my finger down the length of his scar…or explain the rumors he didn’t know I’d learned.

His eyes roamed, taking a slow route from my hair down to my toes. I hated when he looked at me like that because it made me feel like an electric current was running between us, like he was ready to eat me alive, all while his desired conquest was just feet from us.

“Hey, you made it,” I chirped, shutting us in.

“Yeah…figured I would bring some chips.” He stepped closer, handing me a bag of my favorite lime-flavored chips, and I almost launched myself at him. Taylor, however, scrunched her nose.How did he know they’re my favorite?

“Boo. No alcohol?” Her pink, recently glossed lips pouted as she moved out of the chair.

“Decker, this is my stepsister, Taylor. Taylor, this is Decker, my friend.” I watched him carefully, for some reason hoping he’d refute the friend thing and tell her I had somehow become the love of his life. Yeah, I knew I had a problem, and that thought just totally confirmed that I needed help.

“Nice to meet you, Taylor.” Decker’s lips quirked to the side like he had a secret. Her eyes lit up like she was already in on it. Was this flirting? It had been so long since anyone had done this with me, it was hard to actually recognize when it was happening.

“You’re a pitcher for the Devils, right?” she asked, quirking a brow.

Decker’s jaw twitched, his nostrils flaring before he gave her the slightest nod.

Taylor’s cold demeanor snapped back into place as her gaze went to her phone, effectively ignoring us.

Decker watched her with his eyebrows caving, like he’d never gotten the brushoff once in his gorgeous life.

I cleared my throat.

“Decker and I were going to watch a movie…do you want to join us, Taylor?”

Her blue eyes flicked once to me, then to Decker. They weighed him, seeming to take in every detail: the corded muscle along his forearms, the dark swirls peeking out from the sleeves of his t-shirt, and probably the way his eyes seemed to glitter under the expensive recessed lighting my dad had put in. Was she seeing how beautiful he was? Did she catch the small wince that clouded his features when he flexed his left hand? My mind raced, panicked at the idea that she’d fall for Decker right here, right now…and then game over. I’d be out of a story source and well…no more Decker.

“I have homework, but I can watch whatever you decide. It won’t bother me if you turn it on in here.”

Then her gaze was back on her phone. I withheld a sigh. I had internally bet myself money on Taylor declining the movie and going back to her room, which would have totally messed this entire thing up for us.

Grabbing the bag of chips, I headed to the kitchen in search of a bowl. Decker followed on my heels, whispering under his breath as we both crouched down to dig through the lower cabinets.

“Is she always this closed off and cold?”

I nearly laughed. “Yes…unless of course you’re famous or have a large bank account—then she’s as warm as asphalt on a sunny day.” I shouldn’t have said that. What was wrong with me?

I looked up in time to see a line form between his eyebrows.

“I’m sorry, that was really rude of me. She does take some getting used to, but Taylor is used to hookups. As long as I have known her, she’s never had a relationship. Maybe she wants you to work for it or something?”

“She probably knows about me.” Those eyebrows stayed caved in, his lips thin and his jaw locked.

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