Page 24 of A Little Tempting

“I’m serious,” Ev pushes. “I know girls love a good bad boy and shit, but with his rap sheet?—”

“Rap sheet?” I jerk back. “As in…literal rap sheet?”

Scrubbing his hand over his face, he lets his hand fall to his side and drops his voice low. “Let’s just say he’s been in and out of cuffs since he was a freshman in high school.”

“Seriously?”

“Yeah. And even if he had a good reason for some of those, you need to remember he’ll always look out for himself. Growing up in the kind of home he did, he had no choice, so I get it. But I don’t want you hurt.”

“You say it like you know from personal experience. How he always looks out for himself,” I clarify.

Darkness swallows his blue irises, and I almost take a step back. Not out of fear but surprise. Everett might be bossy, controlling, and stubborn, but this? This is new. There’s history here. I don’t know how I know, but I do.

“What happened, Ev?” I ask.

“Not the point, Dylan. Reeves is…” He pauses, his molars grinding. “He’s bad news. Especially for someone as trusting as you.”

“I’m sorry. Should I be offended?”

“All I’m saying is, he loves the chase, casual hookups, and being paid to take women on dates, all right? A girl like you…he’ll only hurt you, Dyl.”

My brows raise toward my hairline. “Did you say Reeves gets paid to take women out?”

Seriously, did I enter an alternate dimension? Because I’m pretty sure Everett is speaking gibberish.

Everett’s lips push to one side, and I know he’s said more than he wanted to.

“Are you saying Reeves is an escort or something?” I push.

“Just…” He runs his hand over his face again. “Stay away from him, all right? You deserve better.”

It’s weird. Seeing Everett so worked up over something so inconsequential. It’s Reeves we’re talking about. The guy could have any girl he wants, and even though he’s been nothing but friendly with me, all I’ve seen so far is him being nothing but friendly witheveryone. I have absolutely zero reasons to believe he’s interested, let alone the guy who kissed me, so, I’m not sure why Everett’s freaking out over nothing.

Bumping my shoulder against his in an attempt to lighten the darkness in his eyes, I say, “Don’t worry, Ev. Even if you’re right, and by some miracle, a guy likehim”—I tilt my head toward his teammate—“is interested in a girl like me, which I don’t think he is, we both know I have zero interest in the opposite sex, either, so…”

“Not even after the steamy kiss with your masked man?” he challenges.

My muscles lock. “Who said it was steamy?”

“You said you were smitten.”

“Technically, Finley said it, and even if it was true, me being smitten doesn’t mean it was steamy.”

“So youaresmitten.”

“I didn’t say I am.”

“Sure you didn’t.” He lifts a shoulder and starts walking backward toward the rest of his friends. “Get to class. You’re gonna be late.”

He turns and walks away, his swagger both attractive and confusing on so many levels. When he reaches his teammates, Griffin says something to him, then waves at me from across the grass. I return it with one of my own. Reeves notices and makes a comment to Everett, though I don’t hear what’s said. It must piss Ev off, though, because the guy looks furious. And like an out-of-body experience, I watch Reeves grab his T-shirt from the waistband of his sweats and start jogging toward me.Me.

Why me?

My heart rate kicks up a notch as I take in his steady strides before turning on my heel and rushing into the nearest building like a monster’s on my tail while refusing to acknowledge the slight twinge of disappointment when I realize he didn’t follow me inside.

6

DYLAN

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