Page 85 of Cold as Ice

“Yes,” he finally said.

Jane snorted. “I see you really want to share this.”

He knew he should say more, but thesayingwas never his strong suit, and it was especially not now.

“I . . .it’s really great. It’s perfect, actually, he’s kind of perfect.” Mal stopped abruptly before he could rhapsodize even further.

“I thought he drove you crazy,” Jane joked, nudging him.

Mal sighed. “He does. And somehowthat’seven perfect now. I know it isn’t real. It’s just the closeness. The intimacy.”The orgasms. “It’s all lying to me.”

“Is it though?”

Mal shrugged. “I don’t know.” That was the kicker, wasn’t it? He didn’t know. And healwaysknew.

“You must really hate that,” Jane said. She turned back to the mirror, fluffing her hair, but her eyes were intent on his in the reflection.

“It’s different,” Mal allowed begrudgingly. “Are you ready to go yet? I thought we were done getting ready.”

Jane stuck one of those sharp elbows into his side. “I saidyouwere done getting ready.” She fluffed her hair again and leaned in, checking her face more carefully.

“I still can’t believe you talked me into this,” Mal muttered.

“A Halloween party or the costume?”

Mal snorted. “Either one.”

The costume was barely a costume—Jane had found a plain white T-shirt in one of his drawers and had thrown it at him, even though it was probably at least a size too small. When Mal had complained about this, Jane had told him it was okay, he looked really,reallyhot.

After she’d affixed the glittery halo to his head and insisted on smearing more glitter across his cheekbones and above his eyes, he’d asked if that was still true, and from her eye roll, Mal supposed the opposite was probably true.

“I guess it’s not really so appropriate now,” Jane said, grinning at him in the mirror. “But it’s still hot. I suppose he’ll be there, tonight, right? Elliott?”

“At the party?” Mal shrugged. “If there’s a party, especially one as big as the big Gamma Sigma Halloween party? I’m sure he’ll be there.”

“You didn’t ask? He didn’t tell you?” Jane finally turned away from the mirror. Pulled on a bright red peacoat that covered her short, tight red dress.

Mal breathed out a silent sigh of relief. They were finally leaving. Which meant he was one step closer to being able to leave the party and come back here. And even better, one step closer to being able to wash all this shit off his face. It itched, kind of, but when he’d pointed this out, Jane had only gone into a long litany of all the crap she was wearing onherface.

Mal knew better than to ask why.

“No?” Why would Elliott have shared his no-doubt-very-full party schedule? That had nothing to do with Malcolm.

“Huh. I thought—”

“We’re not dating. We’re just . . .” Whatwerethey doing? Studying and “studying” together nearly every night? “I’m helping him out. And he’s . . .uh . . .helping me out, too. I guess.”

Jane snorted as they climbed down the stairs to the street, slowly in deference to her sky-high shiny black boots. “Yeah, that’s it. Just a couple of mutual orgasms between bros. You’re delusional if you don’t think he’s crazy about you, Mal. Scratch that—you’re both delusional. But probably just you.”

“Thanks,” Mal said dryly. “Your faith in me is heartening.”

“You’re welcome,” Jane said with her typical brightness. “Well, thank God it stopped raining.”

“I said I’d drive us.”

“And then you couldn’t have anything to drink,” Jane retorted. “It’s a party, Mal. Try to unclench a fraction.”

“I’m plenty unclenched,” Mal ground out, fully aware of just how fucking clenched he sounded.

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