Page 280 of Flirting with Darkness

“Hooray, I’m cured.” Nova rolled her eyes and put another piece of mutilated pizza in her mouth. “A lifetime of looking in the mirror suddenly wiped away as if it didn’t exist, thanks to a boy.”

Dex gritted his teeth and grabbed his beer just for an excuse to look away from her.

He’d felt the truth of that statement like a slap to the face.

How many times had he stared in the mirror and thought how fucking monstrous he looked? How many times had he punched the glass just so he didn’t have to see the reflection of what he truly was?

“Well, regardless of what you think, it’s still beautiful.” Dex didn’t look at her when he said it.

How many times had he wished for someone to see what he truly was and say those words to him?

Nova dropped the pizza onto the plate and drained the rest of her beer. “I have to go.”

She was up and out of the booth before he’d even set his drink down.

Fuck, she was fast.

But Dex was faster.

He dropped money on the table and then followed her outside.

Why?

He knew what she was now. There was no reason to keep talking to her.

And yet, he couldn’t stop himself even if he tried.

“Please don’t follow me. It’s creepy.” She pulled the black cap over her hair and walked across the street without stopping to look both ways. The jacket went on next and she pulled up the collar, so it covered the bottom half of her face once more.

He jogged to catch up with her. “Why are you running away from me?”

“Because you’re a stalker.”

Dex chuckled. “Maybe a little, but we were having a meal and then you bounced without even a goodbye.”

“It’s getting late,” she told him, heading toward the pier. “I should get some sleep.”

Dex stopped then, realizing she was right. It was well past midnight and he hadn’t made it back to the bar yet.

He needed to get there before it closed.

Fuck.

Hopefully, nothing had happened, but his absence would no doubt be reported by someone who couldn’t mind their fucking business.

Nova stopped in the middle of the empty street to look back at him. She quirked her right eyebrow up. “Really? That’s what worked?”

He grinned at her and slid his hands into his pockets. “We don’t know each other well enough for me to keep you up all night.”

That blush across her cheeks would ruin him one day, he just knew it.

Nova considered him, the darkness tightening around her. Dex enjoyed the way it slid across her clothes like water.

She really was beautiful.

“Okay then,” she finally said.

He watched her turn and go, knowing this was what had to be done.

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