Page 20 of The Circus

His smirk grows, playfulness dancing in his eyes.

“No, you didn’t.”

“Everyone is entitled to their own…secrets,” I hiss. “I never asked you why you’re at the circus, but we both know it has to do with blackmail.”

His gaze darkens to shades unknown, and I recoil slightly in fear. Just as quickly, it vanishes, and he seems annoyed but resigned. “Fine. I’ll earn your secrets then, Eden Clemm. That’s a threatanda promise.”

Ones I know he will eventually make good on, but my desperation is currently winning, so I don’t care.

“Great,” I say. “So I’ll ride the bus with you.”

“And go to prom with me.”

“No.”

“Then my dick isn’t going anywhere near what I am sure is a very pristine pussy.”

My jaw falls to the floor, and I gape at him in shock. He laughs, the sound so beautiful and rich that I don’t have it in me to tell him to be quiet. I seem to know that he doesn’t truly laugh like this very often, and I suddenly feel lucky to be witnessing it, his head tilting back, exposing the sturdy column of his throat, his Adam’s apple bobbing with the force of it.

“God, fine, okay! I’ll go to…prom with you.”

Eyes still twinkling in mischief, he grins at me. “Great. Don’t worry about a dress. I’ll be over on Saturday at three.”

“We work,” I hiss.

“No, we don’t. I’ll take care of that. You just pick where you’d like to have sex. Let me know so I can plan.”

My brow crinkles for a few different reasons, and I rub my forehead. How the fuck did I end up here, discussing this with Teddy?

“Plan? Plan what? And you don’t even know where I live.”

The bell rings, startling both of us, but the library remains quiet. After a beat, he returns his eyes to mine, all of my problems vanquished under his potent stare.

“Eden, if I’m going to take your virginity, then I’m going to make it memorable for you,” he says, a softness creeping into the corners of his eyes. In that instant, I melt, because there’s a sorrow hidden deep within him, a sorrow that makes him unfailingly kind, but one he hides behind his wit.

“Oh…umm…okay.”

“Are you on the pill?”

“What pill?”

His smile fades.

“Birth control?”

“Oh,” I blurt. “Umm…no.”

He nods while I flounder in a pool of clammy sweat. The doors to the library slam open, and voices waft to us, boisterous ones of students thankful the day is done. There are a few clubs that meet here, and we have to get to work soon. Teddy smiles gently at me.

“Let’s catch our bus.”

And for some reason, the thought of him next to me as we both descend into hell makes it a little easier to bear.

THIRTEEN

TEDDY

“Figure outwho you’re taking to prom yet?” I ask, frowning into the black depths of my locker, shuffling aside a few books as I search for my AP Chemistry tome.

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