Page 91 of Reckless Dare

She nodded, once again feeling torn and excited at the same time.

She knew she had to tell him that their date was a one-time thing. And that she couldn’t risk hurting her father. But she couldn’t say any of that.

“Thanks for dinner,” she whispered instead and a strange separation anxiety gripped her at the thought of him leaving.

Then suddenly she was reminded of something. “Give me minute,” she said.

She hurried into her closet and came out with the jacket she had borrowed from him during their date.

“Your jacket,” she said.

He took it. “Thanks.”

She stared at him as he shrugged it on.

“You sent the guy to pick me up from the beach. You even gave him this jacket.”

She saw something flash in her tormentor’s eyes but he did not say anything.

“You hated me and wanted me gone. But didn’t intend to harm me.”

He remained quiet for a long moment.

“No, I didn’t intend you harm you,” he replied.

A rush of relief passed through her that she wasn’t hanging out with a guy who could harm her.

As though reading her mind, the intensity in his eyes grew stronger. Her heart began to thud when he took a step closer. Holding her face in both his hands, he bent his head and kissed her.

Her toes curled and her legs nearly collapsed.

But he pulled away a few moments later. Breathing heavily, they stared at each other.

“I better go,” he said huskily.

Don’t go.

She didn’t say that aloud, but his eyes flashed reading her face. He shook his head briefly as though to ward off her spell and took a step back.

“See you tomorrow, Harvard. Sleep well.” With those words and a small smile, he turned and disappeared into the balcony.

Ava sucked in a deep breath before touching her lips where he had just kissed her.

Why can’t I resist him? Am I am falling for my tormentor?

*****

The rest of the week passed by the same way. She couldn’t resist her tormentor.

During the classes and around the campus, she and her tormentor didn’t speak to each other. He simply stared, making her heart race.

Each evening she would prepare her mind to tell him they shouldn’t be seeing each other because of their fathers. But each evening, when he continued to break into her bedroom with dinner, the words got stuck in her throat. They ate dinner together. And before he left, he kissed her passionately.

“How did you end up in my drama session?” she asked. “I didn’t see you when they were auditioning for the male lead roles.”

She was seated next to him on the floor, leaning against her bed while facing the balcony. They were having noodles with chopsticks for dinner. The air always crackled when he was around. Even right then, she could feel the sparks where their arms lightly brushed against each other.

“I guess the lead dropped out,” he replied.

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