Page 423 of Dark Love

Tonight, you’re going to eat dinner and read a book. Then you’ll go outside and work until you collapse.

Don’t think about Vex.

Or maybe I’ll sleep tonight, and not need to bother anyone. This book is really good. I’ll just read in bed until I pass out.

While munching on the leftover popcorn that Vex brought over. I could skip the salad altogether and just have popcorn for dinner in bed.

Alone.

You’re never alone when you have a good book.

That’s a plan. It’s a terrible plan, but all I’ve got.

Why did I buy so many groceries? There’s no way I’m going to eat half of these. Though the bread will not go to waste…it will go to my waist.

Don’t start getting punny.

A knock sounds at the door.

Who could that be? I didn’t invite anyone, and Max doesn’t usually show up until after eleven and only when the back light is on.

It must be Hope with some sort of drama. I set my milk on the counter and walk to the door.

What is Vex doing here?

He fills the doorway. On any other man, the custom suit would look debonair. On Vex, it does nothing to hide the lethal power that radiates off his massive body. I could stare at him all day.

“Evening, Dahl.”

“What are you doing here?” I mentally slap a hand over my mouth. You were literally complaining about not seeing him two seconds ago.

“We made plans for tonight.”

“But I canceled them.”

“Then you spent the night in my arms, which means it’s back on.”

A fiery blush spreads up my face.

“So right now, your only choice is where you want to spend the night. In my bed or yours.”

My mouth falls open, and I gape at him for a long while. “I…Um…We can’t…I’m not…No matter how sexy—” Can I just die now?

The naughty smirk that spreads across his face makes him even sexier.

All possibility of speech is lost.

“You don’t need to worry. Even if you ask me to kiss you today, I won’t.”

What? Why? “You won’t?”

“No, Dahl, I won’t. Tonight is all about getting to know each other. Now you can relax and let me in before the ice cream melts.”

“Ice cream?”

Vex lifts his hands that are filled with grocery bags. “We’re having sundaes for dessert.”

Why doesn’t he want to kiss me? I mean, it’s one thing for me to tell him that I don’t want to kiss him, but why is he here if he doesn’t want to kiss me? “We are?”

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