Page 121 of Please Hate Me

“The gym. Sophia took her to that prenatal couples’ yoga class they like.”

The lights on the tree illuminated Cameron’s face with a carrot-colored glow, casting shadows across his strong features. I watched him for a moment, trying to convince myself to find this behemoth of a man attractive.

Honestly, it’d be easier if he wasn’t so fucking stupid.

“The gym, huh? That’s new,” I mused, reaching out to help him with the lights.

Cameron’s gaze hardened, and he stopped decorating to look at me.

“It ain’t new. You’d know if you paid attention to anything Mason tells you.”

He snatched the strand of lights from my hand.

“I pay attention toeverythingshe tells me.” How could he say I didn’t? I knew Mason’s blood type, her favorite food, every address she’d ever lived at. Everything there was to know about Mason, I knew it.

“Listen. I really want to like you, because Mason does. But you ain’t makin’ yourself very likable,” Cameron groused. “You only pay attention to whatyouthink is useful. Unfortunately, it’s something I’ve noticed about you.”

My eyes widened from shock before anger could take over. Who washeto talk tomelike that? I was the detective, and he was the suspect. If anyone was going to make accusations, it should have been me.

“If you have me all figured out, why don’t you tell me more?” I challenged, placing my hands on his.

The heat from his bear-like mitts immediately soaked into my palms. My breath hitched as I realized... I wasn’t entirely opposed to the feeling.

“Because you ain’t worth my time.” Cameron’s grumble reverberated through my chest. There was a strange flutter in my stomach, a feeling I couldn’t place. Even if I didn’t like Cameron, the thrill of the chase was too strong to resist. I didn’t wanthim, but I wanted to toy with him. So, I closed the already narrow gap between us.

My hands launched an expedition across his impossibly broad chest as I allowed the heat emanating from him to envelop me. The silent challenge in his gaze sent a shiver down my spine.

“You say I’m not worth your time...” I trailed a finger from his chest up to his jaw, running it over the copper stubble decorating his neck. Gross, he needed to shave. “... But I think you’re just afraid of what I might uncover.”

I closed in, pressing my lips to his ear. “Tell me what you’re hiding, Cameron.”

“Sebastian...” He whispered my name like a secret. “You’re playing with fire.”

I pulled away at the implication of his words: ‘playing with fire’. Was his choice of words intentional, or just a coincidence? Either way, I had to keep up this momentum.

“I’m not afraid to get burned.”

His eyes bore into mine, and my lips curled into a smirk.

“I wish you’d stop playing with me,” he relented. “This would be easier if you just interrogated me and got it over with.”

“You think this is a game?” I feigned a gasp. “Cameron, I can assure you, my feelings for you are as real as that tree.”

He rolled his honey-brown eyes before grumbling “feelings” under his breath. I wasn’t sure if he meant for me to hear it, but I did.

“If you like me, I’m gonna need you to prove it. It’s been almost a month of you pussyfootin’ around, and I’m gettin’ sick of it.”

My breath caught. “And how would you like me to do that?”

“Kiss me.” His lips struggled into a smile. “If you have a crush on me, that shouldn’t be a problem.”

I fought a grimace at the idea of his five o’clock shadow scratching my chin. A kiss was too personal, too raw. But another brilliant thought struck me: one-night stands happened all the time, and they were often with someone you didn’t know. My virginity was already gone, so it wouldn’t hurt anyone if I let Cameron fuck me instead.

“Kiss me,” he repeated.

My mouth went dry, and my chest warmed.

Here goes nothing.

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