Page 33 of Force Play
“That makes sense,” I state awkwardly. “I guess I just don’t know that much about you.”
“Who’s fault is that, Spitfire?” he laughs.
I take a sip from my mug, enjoying the peppermint flavor, before looking at him curiously. “Why do you call me that?”
Ari pulls himself up to sit on the counter across from me, and I mentally curse him out for looking as good as he does. Since he came back from Korea, he appears to now be allergic to his shirts since he never wears one, so combine that with the glasses he’s wearing and the ink I see scrawled over his ribcage, and I have to begrudgingly admit what I’ve always known.
Ari Morgan might be a total playboy, but he’s hot as hell.
He answers my question before he realizes I’m basically gawking at him. “Because you’re a spitfire. I’ve always known you to be feisty and quick-tempered.”
I nod in agreement. “Yeah, I’ve pretty much always been that way.”
“There’s nothing wrong with that,” he shrugs. “You don’t put up with anyone’s shit, and that’s not a bad thing.” Ari sets his mug down beside him and leans back on his hands, and I will myself to not get distracted by the cut of his muscles. “My turn. Why do you call me Casanova?”
I can’t help but laugh. “I thought that was self-explanatory.”
“I guess I’m just not familiar with it then.”
“Well then, a Casanova is a man who seduces a lot of women. So, you know… literally you.”
“So it’s just a nicer way of calling me a fuckboy,” he laughs.
I shrug. “I guess so.”
“I haven’t fucked anyone in over a month,” he blurts before visibly cringing. “I’m not sure why I just told you that.”
“So not since Taylor?”
Ari looks at me in surprise. “You remember that?”
“Well, I did tell you she sounded pretty,” I smirk.
I can’t quite place the look on Ari’s face right now. He almost seems… uncomfortable.
“Yeah,” he finally says. “I haven’t actually hooked up with anyone since Taylor.”
“Must be a record for you.”
He rolls his eyes in annoyance. “I can go without sex, you know.”
“Maybe you’ll be less annoying if you get laid, though.”
I don’t miss the way Ari’s eyes darken, the way his tongue wets his bottom lip. “You offering, Torres?”
I about choke on my coffee. “I’m not fucking you, Ari.”
He throws his head back and howls with laughter. “Man, it’s going to be fun to mess with you, isn’t it?”
“You’re insufferable,” I huff as Ari’s phone starts vibrating next to him. He quickly grabs it before groaning when he looks at the screen.
“Can’t ignore this one,” he sighs, sliding off the counter and padding off to his room.
I don’t know who called him right now, but thank God they did.
What thehellwas that all about?
I don’t know much about Ari, but we have the same group of friends. We’ve been out together more times than I can count, and I haveneverseen that look on him before.
