Page 40 of Unwritten Rules

“Me? Out for an evening stroll. You?” His tone was so casual. How was he so nonchalant with everything? He probably wouldn’t flinch at a dead body with how at ease he was all the time.

“I’m bringing your stupid jacket back.” My voice was a mix of irritation and exhaustion.

He crossed his arms and smiled. In the low light, I saw where the tattoos crept up his neck and ended at his jawline. His hair was short enough in a buzz cut that everyone could see the tattoos kept going up the sides of his head. Brent was tatted to the max and his face always saidtry me. “Yikes. Lots of attitude tonight, babe.”

This guy is ridiculous. I fully stepped outside and closed the door, standing as tall as possible. There was no way I’d let him see me shrink away from him even though he looked down at me from his height. He was a tower of a man. I held his jacket in one hand with the other on my hip. “Here.” I held it out while looking him in the eyes.

The jacket jutted out into the empty space between us, and he looked at it like it was a foreign object and cocked his head. “Took you long enough.”

I grunted in frustration. “You could have just taken it with you the other night.”

He pushed the jacket back at me. “Where’s the fun in that?” He took a step closer, and I could smell him. He smelled like trouble—-fresh and warm with a cigarette edge. Why he looked and smelledthisgood was a crime if you considered his reputation. “Seems like I have been running through your mind for a while.”

“Yes. Like a petulant child.” I flared my nostrils in an angry huff, shoving the jacket back out at him again.

Unmoved, he looked me up and down, his gaze lingering longer than necessary. “So...dressed like that,” he paused, clearly staring, “you decided to come to my house and return my jacket?”

I glanced down at my pajamas——skimpy and consisting of a spaghetti strap crop top that could easily pass for a bra and too short satin shorts. I clicked my tongue and realized I must have looked ridiculous.

He was testing me. Trying to force my hand somehow.What was his angle? I found it hard to believe that the moment I decided to return his jacket to him he just so happened to be waiting for me on my porch. It was a littletoostrange to be an innocent coincidence.

Did this guy read minds?

We locked eyes and the tension held between us felt thick. Palpable. For some reason he made my heart race and adrenaline course through my veins. “Yes,” I said, shaking those thoughts away. I tried to cover myself in a feeble attempt to reclaim some semblance of modesty. It ended up in a weird attempt to cross my arms over my chest.

He mimicked my stance and folded his arms. An eyebrow raised, he played a teasing smile. “I like it when you dress like this all for me. Do you dress like this for that boyfriend of yours?”

I ignored that. “Last chance,” I snapped, holding the jacket back out. “Take it back this time or I’m turning around and going back inside.”

He chuckled and leaned himself onto the porch railing. That deviant smile still played on his lips. His demeanor was nonchalant as usual and it annoyed me. What kind of guy was always playing these types of games? A fuckboy, that’s who. One of his fingers found his chin and he gave a faux pondering expression. “Dealer’s choice, then. The first option is getting my favorite riding jacket back. The second option is getting to watch you walk away from me in those skimpy little shorts of yours.”

Anger rose through my bones at his disrespect. My face reddened in a mix of embarrassment and rage. He really thought he could do and say whatever he wanted. “You’re a disgusting asshole. Take your shit and get lost.”

I threw the jacket at him with all the force I could muster.

He caught it easily. Instead of leaving me in peace, he stepped closer, our bodies barely a foot apart. I looked up at him as he towered over me and his face had that annoying smirk on it again.If he wasn’t as hot as he was, I would probably stab him. “Careful, babe. You’re going to hurt my feelings.” One of his hands came up to his chest in a mocking fashion.

“Unlikely.” I moved my foot to take a step back but realized I was backed up to the door. There was nowhere for me to go unless I opened it and slammed it in his face. “You have your favorite, and probably overused, jacket back. Now, shoo.” My hands flicked away from my body as if that would make him leave.

He wouldn’t leave. Even if I thought he would, I had a feeling that he’d just be back again anyway. It was like he had to finish his conquest before moving on to the next girl, but he didn’t realize I wouldn’t give it up for him that easily. Garrett didn’t even get an answer from me on if I wanted to go exclusive with him or not.

In a move that felt typical for his type, he leaned in and placed a hand on the door behind me. His voice dropped into a low whisper that sent electricity through my spine and down to my toes. “You know what? I have a better idea: you come with me.”

Breath didn’t come easily to me when he was this close. I tried anyway. “I’m...not going anywhere with you.”Lie.

His eyes darkened, his playful tone turning serious. “You sure? Because I’m not really asking.” The space between us became almost nonexistent and his face was inches from mine. Just like the first time we had this rodeo. And there went my breathing again. “Go change, Blondie. Otherwise, I’m taking you just like that.” Hungrily, his gaze traveled down my body and lingered on my barely there pajamas. “Not that I mind. You look so damn good in these.” He snapped the strap of my top.

My heart pounded so loudly in my chest that I was sure he could hear it. I could hear it. Maybe the neighbors too. There wasno wayhe was going to drag me away in basically my underwear! “You’re off your rocker,” I hissed.

Bad idea. He seemed to like it.

“Maybe,” he whispered. Those lips were dangerously close to my face. He moved his eyes from my lips up until he met my gaze; his expression was unreadable. “But I’m dead serious, Fallon. You should get dressed, or I’ll haul you off in your irresistible little shorts. Your choice.”

In the same moment he went to snap the waistband of my shorts, I turned to open and run through the door, hoping to get through and slam it in his face. Before it could latch closed, his hand shot out and stopped my attempt at locking him out. The door halted in place, and I met his eyes with a challenge to try me.

He really thought he was going to cart me off like some prize. “Do you want to play this game?” His voice was low—-daring me to try him.

Giving him my best angry glare, I tightened my grip on the door.As if I could overpower him.“I am not going anywhere with you,” I groaned, struggling to push at the door.

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