Page 105 of Resist Me

“I’m running the fucking ball, Linc.”

“I don’t…” I trailed off, unable to resist getting lost in his kiss. Shitty vodka or not, I wanted every bit of his sweet taste on my tongue.

He pulled back enough to look at me. “I really like you and I haven’t been open enough about it.”

My eyes widened and I had to blink a few times before I remembered how to speak. When I actually processed it, I smiled and tightened my grip on him.

“Yeah, I know.”

He scoffed. “Fuck off, asshole. I’m trying this stupid thing Sen told me to do. Some scam he called ‘not pushing people away.’”

“Oh, is that right? What about this other thing called ‘letting people in?’”

He scrunched his nose. “Ew. Are you trying to kill me?”

“Obviously.” I ran my fingers through his hair slowly. “So, where’s Sen?”

“Being codependent. He went to find Kai.”

“And you didn’t want to go with him?”

He shook his head. “I wanted to see you.”

Leaning my forehead against his, I closed my eyes. That was completely unexpected and everything I needed to hear right now.

“So, you like me a little bit, huh?” I wanted to hear it again. Plus, in two minutes he might go back to headbutting me and claiming to hate my face.

“I guess.”

Pulling back, I narrowed my eyes, which made him laugh. The smile brightened his eyes and eliminated most of the sadness in his expression. There was some left and I knew there was only one thing that would help.

“Come on. Willow is worried too. She feels really bad.”

It looked like he might argue, but then he nodded. When we were both standing, I grabbed the back of his neck and pulled him into me.

“For the record,” I said. “I really like you too, but I have been open about it. Now, you’re gonna get your drunk ass on my motorcycle and hold onto me tightly because if you somehow manage to hurt yourself, I’ll be really angry.”

“Are you gonna punish me?”

Moving my hands further down, I gripped his ass and pulled him flush against me. “Absolutely. Maybe you deserve to be spanked for every time you’ve pissed me off over the past seven months.”

“Well, this sounds like an all night thing.”

Breathing a laugh, I took his hand and headed toward the parking lot. I held onto him extra tightly, which he didn’t seem to mind. His other arm swung freely back and forth like he didn’t have a care in the world. A couple of months ago, I might have believed that.

When we reached the bike, I grabbed the second helmet I’d bought and passed it to him. His mouth dropped open. Looking from it to me and back again, his brow furrowed.

“What’s this?”

“A helmet,” I replied.

He turned it over, then ran his fingers over the picture of our mascot on the side. The helmet itself was made to resemble a football helmet, which I figured he would get a kick out of. Rendering West speechless may have been the equivalent of a normal person jumping up and down with glee.

“Tell me you had this as a spare sitting in your closet,” he said quietly.

“Nope.”

I swung my leg over the motorcycle, then situated my own red helmet. It took him another minute to put his on and settle behind me. His arms came around me more tightly than usual and he perched his chin on my shoulder. I tilted my head to rest on his for a moment before I started the engine.

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