Page 61 of Five Stolen Rings

She narrows her eyes, and it couldn’t be clearer that she doesn’t believe me. “Go to bed,” she says. “I’ll see myself out.”

I gesture tiredly to the front door, but she doesn’t budge.

“Go to bed first,” she says.

I sigh. “I know myself to be incapable of sleeping while you’re in my apartment,” I say, and it’s the truth. I would toss and turn and wonder what she was doing until it drove me so crazy I got out of bed again.

But Stella isn’t buying it. She points down the hallway toward my bedroom. “Go. Now,” she says in a stern voice.

“Not until you leave,” I say.

“No,” she says, folding her arms over her chest. “I’ll leave when you’re in bed.”

I find my eyes narrowing on her, because while she’s always stubborn, she’s being abnormally insistent. And as soon as she averts her gaze, I know I’m right; she’s up to something, and she doesn’t want me to see.

“What are you trying to do?” I say, my voice flat.

“Nothing,” she answers—far too quickly to be true.

“Stella,” I say.

“I—it’s not—fine.” The word bursts out of her as she throws her hands up in the air. “I just want to make you some food, okay? I want to make you some sandwiches to stick in the fridge. But it’s embarrassing to say that to yourface, so go”—she closes the distance between us in several long strides—“to”—now she grabs me by the shoulders and spins me around—“yourroom”—and down the hall she begins pushing me, step by step by step toward my bedroom—“so that I can?—”

She breaks off with anoomphas I whirl around, out of her grip, and then she stumbles forward. Her body collides with mine, and my arms close around her immediately without asking my permission.

Her sweater is soft, but her curves are softer. She’s warm, too, and even though the hallway is dark, I can see a flush rising rapidly up her neck as she catches her breath; it will find her cheeks soon.

“You should go,” I breathe, even as my arms tighten further around her. I can’t seem to find the oxygen I need, and electricity is dancing in my veins, vivid and bright andalive.And my heartbeat—it pounds in my earsas she tilts her face up toward me.

Her gaze when it clashes with mine is full of the same fire that’s burning in my chest, growing by the second. “You said I wasn’t handsome enough to tempt you,” she says as her hands find my upper arms, twisting into the fabric of my sleeves.

“I’m tempted.” It’s the only truth I can give her. Her lips part, drawing my eye, and I can’t quite look away as I go on, “So leave.” My voice is hoarse in a way that reveals far too much, but it’s the only sound I seem to be capable of making. “Go home,” I continue, “and don’t try to take care of me. Don’t try to make me food or monitor my sleep.”

“I wouldn’t have to do those things if you would just take care of yourself,” she retorts hotly, her fingersdigging into my biceps now. They dig further into my muscles when I snort with incredulous laughter.

“If anyone doesn’t take care of themselves, it’s you,” I say.

“I take care of myself?—”

“You fell out of a tree, Princess,” I scoff.

“And you didn’t catch me, I’d like to point out,” she says with an arched brow. “Thanks for that. So just let me make you a few sandwiches like a good little housewife,” she says sarcastically, “and stop being so stubbornlypigheaded.”

“I’mstubborn?” I say. “If I’m stubborn, youdefinitelyare.”

She tilts her chin up defiantly. “What—does that really bother you?”

And look. I will never begrudge anyone what they value in a relationship or a partner. But for me, personally…

“You know it doesn’t,” I say hoarsely.

And then…

Then I’m kissing her.

I don’t even know how it happens. But suddenly I’m kissing her, stealing her insults away, growling with desperate relief as she responds. She’simpossible,this woman—so stupidly stubborn, so stupidly adorable. My lips slant over hers, tasting her, devouring her as I pull her closer, closer—her hands in my hair and growing panic in my soul because Benny was right, Dr. Barb was right—I am completelyobsessedwith this woman, a fool for her, weak for her in a way I’ve never been for anyone else?—

“No,” I gasp, pushing her back as I break away. I point down the hallway, toward the door. “Go,” I say, my mind reeling. “Now.Go.”

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