Page 75 of My Irresistible Enemy

I looked at him flatly.

“Okay, fine, you fucked me with a spatula too, or whatever. But none of that counts as sleeping with me. You didn’t even let me reciprocate.”

“I don’twantyou to reciprocate.” I pushed away from the door, walking farther into the room. It was the opposite of what I should have been doing, but at least it was away from him.

“And why is that?”

Aiden’s voice followed me, and when I turned, he was standing inches behind me, hands on hips, still not the least bit uncomfortable. How could he be so confident, so relaxed, acting like this was a perfectly normal conversation?

I crossed my arms. “I don’t know. Your age, for starters.”

That wasn’t the real reason, but it wasareason. Maybe it would work.

“I’m twenty-one.”

“And I’m twenty-eight. Don’t you see how weird that is?”

“That’s seven years.” Aiden made a face. “That’s nothing.”

“You were eleven when I graduated high school. You don’t think that’s fucked up?”

“I’m not eleven now, am I? Seriously, man. You’re not damaging me for life if we hook up.”

“You’re practically a fetus,” I muttered.

“That doesn’t even make sense,” he pressed. “If it were my age, you wouldn’t be willing to touch me at all, but you clearly don’t have a problem with that. You just won’t let me return the favor.”

“Maybe I regret doing what I did,” I said, backing up.

This time, it was the bed that stopped me. My knees buckled when I hit it, and I sat down heavily. Ididregret this. I should have walked away as soon as I opened the door.

“Yeah, I know. You’ve said as much. But what I don’t get iswhy?”

“Forget it,” I said. But Aiden didn’t want to.

“Is there something wrong with me?” He put his hands on his hips again.

I rolled my eyes and looked away, so, of course, Aiden put a finger under my chin and dragged it back until I was facing him. It was pushy, and demanding, and annoyed the hell out of me. But I didn’t stop him.

And despite myself, I looked him up and down. God, he was perfect. I actually had to close my eyes for a moment, just to catch my breath. When I opened them, I looked very carefully at his face and nowhere else.

“No. Obviously there’s nothing wrong with you.”

“Then why—”

“Look, it’s not you, okay? It’s me. Can’t we just leave it at that?” I blinked when Aiden burst out laughing. “What?”

“It’s just—” He shook his head. “The wholeit’s not you, it’s mething? That’s what people say when they’re dumping someone, but we were never even dating. It’s just kinda funny, don’t you think?”

Was it? Around Aiden, I got so mixed up, I couldn’t tell up from down. Time to change the subject.

“What’s the deal with the videos, then, if they’re not for a guy back home?” I nodded over at the dresser. Aiden flushed but didn’t say anything. “What,nowyou’re shy?”

“I’m not shy.” He glared at me. “I’m just trying to figure out how to phrase it so I get the least amount of lecturing from you.Notthat it’s any of your business what I do or don’t do in my free time, andnotthat I care if you think it is, but—”

“Aiden,” I interrupted. “You’ve seen me at my worst, and you took care of me when I didn’t deserve it. Trust me, I’m in no position to judge or lecture.”

“Fine. It’s for porn.”

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