Page 54 of Getting Over You

“You could’ve asked me to walk in here,” I remind him. “I have—”

“Princess, I need you to understand something,” he warns. He places a hand gently over my mouth as he leans over me and balances on his forearm.Holy shit.“Shut up. Listen. Okay?”

I nod. Oh, my god. Oh, dear Lord. Cade Deans is gonna take me right here and just… This iswaybetter than I thought.

He bends down, his lips at my ear. My spine tingles. “I can’t have you say things like that to me. Because, trust me, I very much want tomake youdo a lot of things. But I won’t. If you say that to me again, I can’t promise that I won’t listen to you. That’ll make things very awkward for Rory and EJ. And I really, really don’t want to do that.”

He uncovers my mouth.

My lips tingle with the feeling of him. I reach up, running careful fingers over my lip, ensuring he’s not still there.

I want him to be. I miss him already.

“Gigi,” he says softly as he sits up. “Princess. You’re making things very hard for me.”

“Stop calling me that.”

“I think we both know you don’t mind,” Cade growls. “I’ll stop calling you that when you stop fucking with my head.”

“What are you talking about?” I sit up, remaining seated on Cade’s bed as he towers over me.

“You don’t know? You. You’re a walkingfuck me!billboard. And I’m the only guy in the world who shouldn’t pay attention.” He runs a hand through his hair, not looking at me. “But I can’t stop.”

“Well, I’ve got a boyfriend,” I say. “And your attitude toward dating isn’t my… cup of coffee.”

Cade guffaws, loud. “Why don’t you invite the artist to the party? It’ll be a nice distraction for me to have you busy with someone else.” I blink, my brain registering his words. I frown. “Every time I look at you, I want you. And that’s dangerous.”

“Dangerous for you or for me?” My hand is poised on the door handle, ready to pull it open.

“I think you know the answer, princess,” Cade says.

“I do,” I say. “You’re fighting a jealousy bug, aren’t you?”

I pull the door open.

There’s no doubt now—we’re both feeling the heat. And we’re both in trouble.

Chapter nineteen

“How does this apply?” I ask Gigi. She’s leading the way as we snake through Saturday night crowds at the boardwalk. After our oh-so painful moment at the apartment, I knew I needed to switch gears. I can’t fuck Gigi, but I want to spend time with her, anyway.

And that’s weird.

I decided to bring up the deal we made—since I helped her gather enough nerve that night at the bar, and she ultimately found her summer fling that she’s calling her boyfriend now, she can help me become a gentleman. Like she promised.

“Girls love carnival dates,” she says.

“Doyoulove carnival dates?”

“My wants are irrelevant.”

“But do you?”

“I’ve never had one.”

That upsets me. I’ve never taken a girl on a carnival date, but I would if she asked. Shit, I’d probably win her a stuffed animal on an overpriced game, maybe hold her hair if she pukes from the Tilt-A-Whirl. I’m not a commitment guy, but I can have a good time with the right person.

“You were here on that date,” I remember. “With the artist.”

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