Page 10 of Crossed Lines

But he’s already looking at me. “What?”

“You’ve dated people before.”

He huffs around the mouth of his beer. “Dating is for people with nothing to lose. I don’t do that love shit.”

“What do you mean?”

“My mom spent her whole life looking for ‘the one’.” Spencer’s gaze turns distant, and a shadow passes over his eyes. “He left when I was ten after she got pregnant with Rachel. Said it cost too much to love us, or something.”

I knew he’d grown up in a trailer with his mom and his sister, but he’d never told me what happened to his dad. Same way I don’t talk much about my mom passing, I guess. We don’t press each other to share, because we understand that some things are too personal.

“That sucks, man.” I grip his bicep and turn to face him fully, taking in the slight part of his lips and the bags under his eyes. “I’m sorry.”

“Love’s more trouble than it’s worth.”

“Having someone accept you for all your flaws would be nice.”

Spencer leans forward, and the intensity of his attention roots me in place. “Listen to me, Luke. Anyone would be lucky to have you.”

Heat floods my cheeks, and I have to look away or risk doing something insane like telling him he’s the real catch.

“That can’t be true.”

“Are you kidding me? People should be lining up to get a piece of you.”

“My ex-girlfriends would disagree.”

This is familiar territory, the ribbing and light-hearted bickering. Spencer is the only one I talk to seriously, more than with my dad even, but I love the way his face lights up when we’re going back and forth.

After a moment, he sinks into one of the porch chairs. I follow, drawn to him like a moth to a flame.

“Do you only last five seconds or something?” He lounges back, limbs sprawled haphazardly. It’s the sexiest thing I’ve ever seen. “Is that why you’re a virgin?”

“No, asshole. I could last longer than you.”

Spencer licks his lips and my world narrows down to his mouth, and that skilled pink tongue. The memory of the kiss blazes in my mind, seared behind my eyelids like a brand. I think it’ll be the first thing I dream about tonight.

“Wanna bet?”

My heart stutters like a skipped record, and I blink at him stupidly for a second, trying to make sense of the words. “Excuse me?”

“If you’re so sure of yourself, let’s prove it right now.”

“You’re joking. You want us to get off in front of each other and see who lasts the longest?”

The bastard shrugs like he didn’t suggest the craziest thing I’ve ever heard.

“I could make it good for you.”

He’s unbelievable. Deranged, insane, totally unhinged. Frowning, I stare into the depths of my bottle, trying to parse through my racing thoughts. It’s a stupid joke, nothing more. Something about the kiss must have messed with his head.

Except now that he’s said it, the idea won’t leave me alone. I could last longer than him, no problem.

“How good?”

His smile is wolfish, the edges sharp and dangerous. Distantly, I hear the sound of traps snapping shut.

“The best you’ve ever had.”

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