Page 45 of Crown of Thorns
“Oh, come on, don’t do that to me. I will tell Arthur if you keep me out of your little secrets.”
“Secrets, secrets.” I smile at the words. That’s what got us here in the first place.
“Yeah, you don’t want any of those, do you? Come on, man.”
“Soon, cous.” I hang up before my nosy cousin can get too much information out of me, then toss my phone on the bed with a sigh.
That’s when I see it, on the table by the window, perfectly arranged: a croissant and a bowl of blackberries. My stomach swoops. Noah left them for me.
I filled the mini fridge in his dorm, sure, but I didn’t actually expect him to use any of it. Thought he’d be too stubborn. Too proud.
Grinning, I grab a handful of berries and text him.
Little Devil: Thank you for the berries
Little Devil: Next time, I’ll have you hand feed me
I erase the last message. Careful, I don’t want to scare him off. But part of me wants to test him, to see how far I can go before he either snaps or gives in.
He reads my message immediately. I wait for his reply while stuffing my mouth full.
Noah: You’re welcome
Okayyy…? That’s it? No other message? Fuck, I want more. I want to know where he is, what he’s doing, and when he’ll be back. I want him in my space all the fucking time.
Little Devil: I ordered a coffee machine. It will arrive today.
He reads my message but doesn’t reply.
Little Devil: Do you also drink tea? I noticed you don’t have a kettle.
The fucker still doesn’t reply.
Little Devil: I ordered a kettle. And a box with a thousand tea bags.
No reply.
He might not take the bait, but he’s got me all pent-up. So I step into his shower, grab his fucking expensive shower gel, citrus and something darker, and give my aching dick the treatment it deserves. I make sure to take a picture when I come, slick and flushed, and send it to Noah.
He still doesn’t reply.
I’m getting dressed when my phone finally buzzes. Making a run for it back to the bathroom, I’m disappointed to see it’s not him. It’s my asshole twin.
Arthur: Where the fuck are you?
Arthur: Answer me.
Arthur: I’m worried sick
Arthur: Do I need to call the police?
Typical Arthur. He doesn’t type one message with multiple questions. He bombards the world with his single-syllable orders.
What would he do if I actually disappeared?
Louis: There in five.
I check Noah’s messages one more time. Fuck me, my dick looks perfect from up close. Wet and hard and ready to pop. Why doesn’t he reply? Was I not clear last night about my intentions? Ignoring me.Me. No one ignores me.
