Page 303 of Filthy Elites

“If you want me to.”

“What are you making for dinner tonight?”

“I don’t know. I have to see what I have the groceries for. I’ve been a hermit the past couple of days. We need a lot of stuff.”

“Send me a list,” he says. “I’ll take care of it. Include whatever you need for whatever you want to teach me to make. I’m coming over for dinner tonight. We can cook together and I’ll meet your mom.”

My heart stalls. “Oh. Um…” I clear my throat. “I don’t really… I don’t really have people over.”

His eyebrows rise and he indicates us, right now, in my bed.

“You came in through the window and are only in my room. You’ll probably think I’m crazy, but as soon as I get home from school or work, I go straight to the shower. I’m extremely careful. I don’t even want to risk bringing germs in on the clothes I’ve worn out in the world all day.”

“All right, so I’ll bring a spare change of clothes. We can shower together,” he teases.

I grin. “We are not showering together.”

“Fine, I’ll shower alone and think about you. It’s not a big deal. I can do your little cleanliness routine, then I can help you make dinner.”

“That would be really nice.”

“It’s settled, then.”

I stay under the covers as he pushes his back and climbs off the bed. My gaze travels, pausing so I can admire his muscular back and perfectly rounded butt.

Just looking at him, I get another hit of yearning like I had last night, but there’s no time for that now. As much as I’d love to stay in this bubble with him, I have to get ready for school, and he needs to get out of here.

While he gets dressed, I slip my pajamas back on and creep out of my bedroom to see if Mom is awake.

She’s not in the living room, so when I see the coast is clear, I go to retrieve Dare, hauling him down the hall and practically pushing him out the door.

He laughs at my paranoia about getting caught, but clearly our parental situations are not the same. Maybe his dad wouldn’t care if he got caught sneaking a girl out of the house early in the morning, but my mom definitely would.

He gives me a kiss before he goes, and I lean in the open doorway, watching him walk to his car.

I hate to see him go.

I wish last night would have lasted forever.

It may not have been deeply reassuring, but this morning was.

I’m afraid that going to school today could ruin all of it.

I tell myself only an illusion can be ruined by reality, so I shouldn’t be afraid.

But I am.

Illusion or not, I like what I have with him. I like how he makes me feel, and I love how I made him feel last night.

I don’t want to risk reality shining a light on us and blowing it all away.

I don’t want to see him with her.

I swallow, giving him a little wave as he backs out of my driveway, then takes off down the road.

I tell myself he’ll be back later this evening. We made plans. He’ll help me cook and meet my mom. Everything will be fine.

I just wish it felt more like the truth.

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