Page 71 of The Front Runner
She tossed out a joking, ‘Well, you know what they say: love is blind!’ and then dropped the topic altogether. She probably needs to sleep on it. The conversation moved on easily after that, though I didn’t miss the curious smiles Violet was shooting my way or the way Nadia chuckled and shook her head when she hugged me goodbye.
Everyone had something to say, but no one said a thing.
And now I’m back in my apartment. Alone and all amped up. Positively fixated on how badly I want to see Stefan.
Before I talk myself out of it, I pull my phone out and fire off a text to him. I’m tired of holding myself back.
Mira:What are you doing?
Text dots roll across the screen almost instantly.
Stefan:Plotting evil ways to ruin your friends’ lives. You?
I snort.
Mira:Dork. Come visit me.
Stefan:At your place?
I scan the small space. Cat’s out of the bag where my friends are concerned, so why the hell not?
Mira:Yes.
Stefan:Why?
Why?That’s not exactly the response I was going for. Now I feel uncertain. Out of my depth.
Mira:Okay, don’t. I’ll be there to check on Loki tomorrow.
I toss my phone down on my bed, feeling a tad huffy. I’m terrible at asserting myself with Stefan. I’m too inexperienced. I take things too personally. I want him to pick up on all my innuendo so I don’t have to admit out loud I want him more than I care to admit. Like a total sucker, I pick up my phone to check if he’s said anything.
Stefan:Do you miss me, Dr. Thorne?
Groaning, I scrub a hand across my face.Do I miss him?It’s been about twelve hours since I saw him. Missing him already would be so fucking lame.
My eyes spring open.
I am so fucking lame.
I reel with the realization. I’ve spent so much time at his farm, working with him, going on fake dates with him, he’s become a staple in my day without me even realizing it. A nervous breath shudders through me as I type back my response.
Mira:Yes.
And then I sit and stare at the screen. The blank screen. No dots roll. No messages come through. My throat burns, and I squeeze my hand on it to stem the flow of embarrassment. I shouldn’t have been so straight with him. He must think I’m fucking nuts.
I get up and walk across the hall to the small bathroom where I aggressively brush my teeth.
Yes.Why did I have to say yes? I’m officially that girl who had sex with a guy once and is acting like a clingy psycho. No wonder he didn’t respond.
As I wash my face, I realize I wouldn’t respond to me either. If a guy told me that after one night, I would run in the opposite direction with my career and independence clutched in my fists. So, I can’t blame him.
A loud banging on the door startles me, and I instantly dread the thought that Billie is here to tell me off for hooking up with the enemy. I’ll have to tell her she was right. That I’m nuts and he was a bad idea.
But when I swing the door open, the person standing there is Stefan.
“Hi—”
The crash of his lips against mine cuts off anything I was about to say. He steals my breath and commands my body. His muscular arms wrap around me the exact way I wanted them to, his day-old stubble scratching against my face as he devours me.
