Page 51 of No More Bad Boys
The two of them disappear down the hall to the foyer, where I hear low whispers then the opening and closing of the front door. Blake comes back into the kitchen and stops.
His eyes flick over me as I sit on a barstool at the counter.
He’s cataloguing my body in his oversized t-shirt, my bare legs, my bare toes resting on the lower rungs of the stool.
When his gaze comes back to my face, he looks a little dazed, like he can’t quite believe I’m here. The side of his mouth lifts as he approaches.
Flutters.
Yep, there they are. Only now they’re multiplied exponentially because we’re actually alone together. In his house.
“Hungry?” he asks softly when he reaches me.
“Starving, actually.” I am. But not just for dinner.
As I watch him plate our food, I take a moment to analyze myself. I must not bethatterrified of trying the sex thing with him, because I came here tonight, knowing the subject was bound to arise.
Whenever and wherever we’re together, the issue is front and center.
And I semi-willingly put on his t-shirt when I knew his sister would be leaving us alone.
Maybe I’m just tired of fighting it, and I’m ready to get it over with one way or the other.
But I also know this—I won’t let thiswhateverbetween us go any further—definitely not into that bedroom down the hall—until I feel like he’s being honest with me.
I want to know what he’s been hiding.
TWELVE
Honesty
We sit at the small round table in his dining area, and I’m trying to think of how to bring up the topic.
That is until I take the first bite. Then I’m not thinking of anything but the ecstasy being experienced by my taste buds.
“Wow. This is amazing. Whitney wasn’t kidding—you really can cook.”
A gratified smile spreads across his face. “I told you. And you picked the mallard picnic over this,” he chides.
“Well,thatwas a huge mistake.” I take another bite.
As I’m chewing, he’s the one who actually gets the conversation started. “So—your date tonight—I take it things didn’t go too well? I mean—I guess if it had… you probably wouldn’t be here with me.”
I swallow and consider how to respond. If I want honesty from him, I need to offer honesty first.
“I went out with Troy, a guy from one of my classes at school. We’re really just friends. Mostly. I mean, he tried to kiss me tonight… but I didn’t let him.”
Blake’s expression brightens. He likes that answer.
“Okay. Good to know. At leastthatone’s not much competition.”
The flutters are going double-time now. It’s amazing how open he is about some things, like his interest in me, while being so closed-mouthed about others.
I decide to up the honesty ante.
“You keep saying things like that, but truthfully, there really aren’t any others. I don’t date much.”
Blake swallows the bite he was chewing and shakes his head. “That’s hard to believe. I would think guys ask you out all the time.”
