Page 49 of Strictly the Worst

“You were going to leave without saying goodbye?” He sounds annoyed.

“I was going to text you.”

“You were supposed to stay with me. You promised,” he reminds me. “You said you’d protect me from Maya.”

I finally stop walking and look up at him. The moon is almost at full splendor, and the light reflects against his face.

He looks angry at me. Good. I prefer that I think.

I know angry. I know how to deal with him when he’s pissed with me.

The problem is, I don’t know how to deal with my feelings for him.

And yes, I have feelings. Way too many of them. And every single one is confusing. I like him. He makes me laugh. And of course he’s stupidly attractive. But I also know that he’s way above my league. Younger, richer, and definitely not long-term material.

But he makes me feel like a woman again. Something I haven’t felt in a long time.

Ange’s words echo in my head. And I realize that I’m not scared of being with Linc. I’m scared of what happens after.

“You don’t need me to protect you from anyone,” I say softly, the thoughts still rushing around my mind.

His eyes narrow. “Are you annoyed with me?” he asks, looking confused.

“No, not at you. At me,” I say honestly. “I’m sorry. I shouldn’t have said that.”

“Said what?” he asks. We slow our walking to a normal pace. There’s a breeze wafting in from the ocean. It rustles against the trees.

“Asked you if you were…” I trail off. “You know.”

“If I was hard.”

“Yeah.”

“You were having fun, Carmichael. So was I. We’re allowed to have fun. We’re allowed to dirty talk if we want. We’re grown adults.”

“We work together,” I remind him.

“And?”

“And it’s not a good idea.”

He stops walking. And I stop too. He reaches for my shoulders and turns me so we’re looking at each other.

“What are you afraid of?” he asks.

“I’m not afraid of anything,” I lie.

“You’re scared of me.”

Oh, he knows. And it makes me feel more vulnerable than ever. I’m supposed to be a grown up. In charge of my emotions. But right now I feel like I’m lost at sea.

I let out a long breath. “I just know this isn’t a good idea.” I’m not sure if I’m trying to persuade him or me.

“What isn’t? Tell me.” He leans in closer. I can feel the warmth of his hands against my shoulders. “Are you wet right now, Carmichael?”

My heart rate speeds up. “Yes.”

“Good.”

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