Page 275 of Filthy Elites

I stop short of hugging him, but I do take his hand. “Keep quiet,” I say softly, easing the door open so we can slip inside.

“Is your mom a light sleeper?” he asks.

“Not really. I just have a guilty conscience and I don’t want to explain you being here.”

He chuckles at my honesty. “Got it.”

“Do you want a drink or anything?” I whisper.

He shakes his head. “I’m good.”

I nod and haul him down the hall toward my bedroom. The light is off, so I switch it on and back up against the door so he can squeeze past. He does, pausing when he gets in front of me to look me in the eye. My heart drops as he lingers way too close to me.

I wasn’t sure how long he would be here, so I decided to go ahead and change into my pajamas so I’d be ready for bed when he leaves. I’m wearing sleep shorts and a tank top with no bra underneath. His gaze rakes over me slowly, letting me know he’s noticing.

I’m embarrassed when my nipples harden just because he’s looking at them.

Mercifully, he moves into the room without mentioning it.

I close the door quickly, then linger there as he walks around my bedroom, wordlessly surveying the space. He looks at the pictures and bottles of nail polish on my dresser. Glances at the small, square table crammed in the corner and the bookshelf hanging over it.

It’s not a big room, so there’s not a ton of stuff to look at.

Finally, he walks over and sits on my bed.

His attention returns to me and he pats the mattress beside him. “Come sit.”

“I’m okay,” I say, my voice a little more high-pitched than I’d like it to be.

Dare smirks. “Are you afraid I’ll bite?”

I smile faintly. “Won’t you?”

“Possibly. You can try asking me nicely not to, maybe that’ll work.”

“I like how I have to ask younicelynot to do something you shouldn’t do to begin with.”

He shrugs, leaning back on my bed and gazing at me. “Hey, I don’t make the rules.”

I cock an eyebrow. “No? Then who does?”

He pretends to consider for a moment, then he says, “Actually, I guess I do.”

“What if I ask, but not nicely?” I ask, taking a step closer, but still keeping my distance.

“Then your chances of success drop dramatically.”

“I see how it is. You don’t play fair.”

“That is correct.”

I’m still cautious about joining him on the bed, but I guess I can’t stand here all night. When I sit down, I make sure there’s a little space between us. “I haven’t had a boy in my room since I was 14,” I tell him. “I might be a little rusty.”

His eyebrows rise. “Really? Damn, that’s a while.”

I shrug, criss-crossing my legs on the bed. “Mom’s illness kind of swallowed up all our lives. It was really scary when she was diagnosed. Before that, it never occurred to me I might lose her anytime soon. She’s so young, you know? There’s so much of my life she should still be here for, and now…” I look down, shaking my head. “I don’t know if she will be. Spending all the time I can with her has to take priority. I haven’t really had the time to adequately nurture other relationships.”

“That must be rough.”

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