Page 205 of Hide and Keep

“I’ll keep that in mind next time.”

A shiver races up my spine. Next time. One of these days—soon—there won’t be a next time, but today, there is. And that makes me so…happy. I’m pretty sure the last time I was happy was at Hide and Keep.

Biting my bottom lip, I keep my growing smile to myself.

“So you’re going with me then?”

“Where?”

“To get that tattoo.”

“The butterfly?”

He nods.

Or course I’m going with him to watch my art get inked onto his body.

Not wanting him to see how excited that makes me, I blow out a long sigh and grab my chai latte before spinning around to face him, whining, “It’s not like I can go anywhere else.”

Crue broadcasts his smile openly. “You know I’m on to you now.”

Oh. Shit.

“About what?” I ask with a steady voice despite the dizziness threatening to overtake me.

“When you’re faking it.”

The laugh that leaves my numb lips is as artificial as it gets, yet somehow Crue doesn’t notice, proving him wrong. Thank Goddess.

“Would a scarf work?” he offers.

“For what?”

He points at my jaw.

I look my bodyguard over, asking skeptically, “Do you have one on you?”

“No, but you could use my shirt as one.”

“And what? Let you walk around shirtless?”

“Letme? I’m—”

“Mine. More now than ever. Just because you turn into a marshmallow after sex doesn’t mean I do. The only one that gets to ogle you is me.”

Crue has the audacity to laugh.

“You’re really fucking cute when you’re possessive, you know that?”

“No,” I answer honestly. It doesn’t feel cute. It feels natural, like a knee-jerk reaction. Someone eye-fucks my bodyguard and I immediately want to cause harm to them in the worst possible way. Very simple. Very reasonable.

“Well, you are.”

“I doubt Johanna Flemming shares that opinion.”

The expression he pins me with is pure confusion. “Who?”

“My professor.”

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