His gaze meets mine.
And I have absolutely no idea how I’m going to survive this.
Chapter 30
I can feel her looking at me, and my pulse quickens. There it is—that fucking sign that I am alive, that she can affect me with one glance. I break eye contact to focus on the road, but I can’t shake the silence that’s suffocating us both.
I don’t normally care about awkward silences. I don’t normally feel anything. I’m always numb. Yet here I am with words clawing at the tip of my tongue, demanding to be said even though I know they’ll probably make everything worse.
“I’m sorry,” I say, and it takes everything in me not to drive the car off the road out of pure embarrassment. Slater Castellano doesn’t apologize. Ever.
Before I can veer off, she says immediately, “Slater, don’t be sorry. What are you sorry for?”
“For the kiss… after you made it clear we’re just friends.” I swallow, checking my mirrors as I drive.
“That’s why you’re apologizing?”
“I’m apologizing because I would do just about anything to fuck you, Sage, and I don’t think you appreciate that.”
“That’s it?”
“What?” I ask because her tone is sharp.
“You just want to fuck? Then what, Slater?” she glares at me.
“I fuck you again… and again.” I look at her. “And again.”
She shakes her head. “Is that what pretty privilege gets me?” She mocks the hell out of that and huffs looking out the window and then her eyes dart to mine. “You know, this sounds awfully a lot like a fucking marriage than a friendship.”
“Already thinking of marriage?”
I can’t contain my smile at that. Even when she’s cutting me down with that glare, she’s fucking cute. She has a way with me I can’t explain. “You would probably cry hearing all the dirty shit I want to do to you, Sage, but I’m trying to win you over first. Marriage can come later.”
She blushes, and something in my chest loosens. “So, what you’re saying is that... you... arrogant puck boy... are interested in me beyond just fucking?”
“I play to win.”
She finally relaxes. “Lies. All lies.”
“I’m not lying. My dick’s already hard.”
She scoffs, rolling her eyes. “You’re lying about the long-term fucking, Slater. You’ll get over it eventually.”
“Wanna bet?” I say, cocking my head at her.
Her eyes flutter at the expression I’m giving her.
I smirk, pressing my lips together.
And she blushes. “You’re just trying to get in my pants.”
“Do you want to make the bet?” I ask.
She stares out the window. “I bet that you would go stir crazy fucking the same girl over and over again.”
“You don’t want me to fuck other women, is that it?” I raise an eyebrow, looking at her. “Friend?”
She smiles at that last word.Friend. “You can fuck whoever you want,” she dismisses it like it’s no problem, but I can hear the slight edge in her voice.