Page 54 of Eye Candy

Oh, this was going to piss my dad and Tessa off so much. I couldn’t wait.

I practically skipped out of the bathroom, hurrying to return to Mike. We’d have to stop by a drugstore on the way home and pick up some contact solution; the instructions said I could sleep in these, but I’d rather not.

By the time I reached Mike in the front vestibule, I was grinning like an idiot. I gazed up at him, waiting.

His brown brows lifted, and it was a while before he muttered, “That’s… a choice.”

“You don’t like them?” I asked, my smile wavering. It shouldn’t matter if he liked them or not; I’d chosen them. It was all me. If I wanted them and was happy with them, that’s all that should matter.

“I think they suit you” was what he said. “They distract from your devious side.” He turned away from me, car keys in his hand, and walked out the front door.

“Awe, you think I’m devious? Thank you. That’s so sweet.” When he tossed me a look, I giggled. I couldn’t help it. I didn’t think I was that devious, but, I supposed, when you took into account what I’d done to myself to try to frame the narrative around my escape, I could probably be considered a little devious.

As I got into the front seat of Mike’s car, I wondered if Fang was going to approve. My bet was an emphatichell yeah.

Mike didn’t need the address. He must’ve remembered where he lived. I searched for some good music on the radio, but all I found were boring commercials. So I gave up and leaned back in my seat, watching the scenery pass by. It still amazed me how quickly you went from a rich neighborhood to downtown, and then to the bad neighborhood. This city really did have a bit of everything.

“Fang really liked my hair,” I spoke, trying to make Mike jealous. “I think he’s going to love the contacts.” I twirled some hair around a finger, acting coy.

“My devious statement still stands.”

I turned my head to look at him. “I’m not trying to be devious. I’m just saying, he’ll probably ask me to marry him.” Itried to deadpan it, but I couldn’t; I started to laugh—and I laughed even harder when Mike scowled.

For someone who’d done his best lately to avoid being physically close to me, the look on his face told me he wouldnotbe okay with Fang popping the question.

It was kind of cute, really, his scowl.

Regardless of whether Fang popped any questions my way or not, I’d see shortly.

Fang’s building was just as run-down as I remembered it being, and I pulled out my phone and texted the number I had for him, telling him,This is Laina Hawkins. I’m here. Do you have some time to see me?

Mike parked his car in the same place as before, pulling right up to the entrance of the alley. He shut the car off and turned his hazel stare my way, his jaw tight. “You need to be careful with Fang. He’s not like the kind of people you’re used to dealing with.”

“I think I can handle myself around Fang just fine, thanks.” I unbuckled my seatbelt. “At least Fang isn’t afraid to give me some compliments. You act like I disgust you now.”

Okay, so I might harbor some resentment toward the fact that he was pretending nothing happened between us.

I started to get out of the car, but Mike’s hand shot out, grabbing me by the wrist. The feeling of his rough hand curling around my wrist gave me goosebumps because it forced me to remember that night. My gaze was measured in meeting his.

“You know that’s not it,” he told me, gruff. “It’s—”

“Yeah, yeah. I remember everything you said. I also remember the look on your face when you had me spread eagle beneath you,so…”

Mike yanked me closer to him, pulling me over the center console until our faces were inches apart and I could feel his hot breath blooming across my face. “You are so aggravating,” he murmured, his tone taking on the same huskiness it did that night. “You know perfectly well I don’t think you’re disgusting.”

“Then why pretend I am? Why act like it was a mistake?”

His gaze fell to my lips, and he sluggishly released me, turning his face away. “Because it was. It shouldn’t happen again.” He unclicked his seatbelt and got out of the car.

I could’ve said a few choice words to him there, but right then, my phone buzzed. Fang had responded, telling me he’d be over to let me in. So, I kept whatever else I might’ve told Mike to myself as we wandered to the lone door in the alleyway.

Fang was seconds slower than us, unlocking and opening the door, flashing me a silver-toothed grin the moment he saw me. His skin was covered in dirt and sweat, like he’d been working until he’d seen that I’d texted. He didn’t wear an apron or gloves this time, though I could tell based on how clean his hands were to the rest of his arms he had been.

“My, my,” Fang said, unable to take his eyes off me—which I was very grateful for, especially since Mike and I had gotten into a little argument about us, “look at you. You’re like a cotton candy daydream. I really could eat you up.”

Mike let out a sound that was reminiscent of a growl, but then the man coughed, trying to play it off.

Fang heard it as what it was, though, because he finally tore his gaze off me and looked at Mike. “Only one guard this time, I see, and it looks like Big Mike is acting a little more protectiveof you than he was before. Something happen between you two that I should know about?”

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