Page 53 of The Rules

“And I’m not breaking any of them.”

Dani scoffed. “You’re not sleeping with her?”

“Not at the moment.”

“What does that mean?”

Dylan shoved a hand in his hair and growled. This was infuriating. How was she going to stand there and throw one rule in his face when they’d broken all of the rest? Besides, he had no intention of sleeping with Cass, and he was already trying to deal with that realization himself.

“It means, Dani, you could find your soulmate tomorrow, so yeah, I’m keeping some options available.”

“That’s so romantic, Dylan. She’s a lucky gal.”

“Why do you care? You’re being a jerk to her.”

“I’m not trying to be, but she’s making it difficult. Does she even speak in full sentences?”

The cut in her tone was enough to make him take a step back. “Wow, Dans.”

Crimson slashed across her cheeks. Dani wasn’t a Mean Girl. A comment like that was completely out of character, and he was starting to understand the real reason she was spitting verbal darts at him. Dani wasn’t mad about some stupid rule. She was jealous.

Of all the hypocritical B.S.

He stepped in front of her, trapping her against the sink. “She’s pretty though, right?”

Dani’s jaw clenched.

“I mean, who knows, maybe she’s my soulmate.”

She clucked her tongue. “Please.”

“Hey, you never know when you’re going to meet the one. Cass could be it.”

“She’s not.”

He took a step closer. “How do you know?”

“She’s too sweet for you. You’ll walk all over her.”

Another dart. He mentally plucked it from his skin and tossed it aside. “That’s what you think of me?”

“You’re a shark, Dylan. And you’re swimming with a minnow.”

“What does that make you?” He tilted his head and dragged his eyes over her face, stopping on her mouth. “Huh, Dani-pie?”

Dani tilted too, her lips parting, but no answer came out. “I…”

His pulse ticked up and the back of his neck went hot. Flustered. Speechless. If he thought he liked Firecracker Dani, this was a whole new kink.Fuck.He was half hard.

She licked her bottom lip and tipped her chin, but instead of taking that pretty mouth like he wanted to, and he really fucking wanted to, he pressed his thumb onto her bottom lip and dragged it down.

“I’m not going to kiss you when I’m here with someone else,” he said, letting his breath tickle her ear. “I do have some morals.”

Dani snapped her mouth closed and swallowed. The lingering pink in her cheeks deepened. “Good,” she said, her voice raspy. He watched her let out a slow and steady breath, then square her shoulders. “I think we need another rule.”

“Oh yeah?”

“Events like this, don’t bring someone.”

---