Page 51 of Sweet Addiction
Thankfully, Rome is nowhere to be found when I get back to the house and make my way upstairs to shower. He gives me the space I need, shockingly, and I take my time washing and drying my hair before I sneak back out in my pajamas and stop dead in my tracks because this man is so unnervingly annoying.
He’s lying on top of the blankets, tonight’s pajama pants are black and gray plaid. His chest is bare, and my book is in his hands. And when he sees me walk into the room, he gives me his full attention and smiles. Damn that smile. I can feel it like a caress over my skin.
“You came back?” Hope and arrogance melt together in his voice. It shouldn’t sound good, but it does.
So I do the only mature thing I can do, which is ignore him as I walk around the bed and yank two pillows out from behind him for our pillow wall. “I didn’t have much choice. You’re blackmailing me. If I want to keep my secret, I have to help you keep yours.”
“I don’t have a secret, Dillan. I didn’t do it.”
“I know. I’m sorry. I didn’t mean it like that. The secret is us. Our fake relationship. I’ll keep up my end of the bargain. But only until your fight is over. Then I’m gone, and you’re going to take the blame. And you’re never going to threaten to out me again or I will learn exactly how chemical castration works, Rome. I swear to God. I’m an author. I’m great at creativity.” I climb onto the bed and shove my legs under the blankets.
“That’s the first time you admitted it.” He closes the book and places it on his nightstand, then turns my way. “Why are you hiding it, Dillan? The book is great. Even if you’re making your dudes way deeper than guys really are.”
“You wouldn’t understand,” I groan and attempt to ignore him as I plug my phone into the charger and grab my Kindle. I’m not reading my own book. Fuck that. I’ve got a great shifter romance queued up and waiting for me.
“Yeah,” he sighs and turns away, clearly angry. “I wouldn’t understand. Dumb fucking fighters don’t get it.”
“I never said you were dumb, just emotionally stunted.” I regret the words the minute they’re out of my mouth, but I’ve been clinging to anger for so damn long, a single conversationisn’t going to get me to let go. “I’ll do what I have to do, Rome. So just tell me what I have to do.”
“Go on a date with me tomorrow night. Somewhere popular. Somewhere we can be photographed.” Every line of his face is pulled as tight as his voice.
“Fine,” I agree. “Tomorrow night.”
“Fine.”
Badass Book Club
Jamie
Okay seriously, you all said this wasn’t porn, but this shit is better than porn.
Lilah
OMG. Have you ever wondered why you’re still single?
Jamie
Nope. Not once.
Ryker
You got to chapter ten.
Jamie
I got to chapter ten.
Lucky
Don’t tell me. I haven’t gotten through nine yet.
Ryker
Why the hell not?
Lucky
Some of us have an actual woman we can play with instead of just reading about it.
