Page 41 of Texting My Valentine

“Still, he’s waiting for you.” Rowan nods over at Alex.

Grabbing my bag with his gift inside, I walk over to his booth. Alex stands, his chest rising and falling gently now. Before, he was the equivalent of a human volcano.

“I’m giving you a ride, Tori,” he says.

“Is that an order?”

“It’s a statement of fact. You’re not risking public transport or walking these streets alone. Come on.”

He puts his hand on my lower back, his touch making my body feel all warm and tingly.

He leads me onto the street, his gaze scanning up and down to make sure Damien isn’t hidden amid the growing crowds. I can put up all the defenses I want, but I’d be lying if I said I didn’t like this.

And all that stuff about him maybe making up a nephew. If he was lying to me because he wanted to get into my pants, would he stare down a bullet for me? Isn’t that just silly?

It’s only a short ride to my apartment.

“Thanks for the book,” I murmur, taking it out to look at it again.

“You’re welcome. I hope you fill it with beautiful poetry, Tori. I still want to see you perform…”

“AndIstill think that would make me melt into a heap on the floor.”

He seems disappointed the ride is so short, his strong jaw tensing as we pull up to my apartment.

“So, I’ll see you?” I say.

“I have a feeling you will,” he replies.

“Why did you sound so mysterious when you said that?”

His eyes glimmer savagely. “I can’t shake the idea of that bastard returning.”

“Okay…”

I feel like I’m missing something. “Have a good night,” he says stiffly.

I don’t want to leave things like that. Even though I’m the one who pushed him away before, I touch the front of his shirt and pull him in for a kiss. His smile is pure and relieved, as if he thought I might not feel the same way.

I don’t, I assure myself, as we kiss. I can’t feelthe sameas he does. He’s looking for his one and only, and I’m not sure what I want anymore.

Our mouths open, our tongues hungrily find each other. I can feel his body blazing with desire. His hand rests on my leg; then he squeezes like he can’t simply hold it there. When he glides it up, I put my hand on his wrist.

“Not now,” I say. “Nothere.”

“You’re right.” His voice shudders. “I’m…”

I think he’s going to saysorry, but he stops himself. Maybe he can’t say it because it’d be a lie. He’s not sorry for kissing and touching me. Do I even want him to be?

As I walk across the street, I feel him watching me. The truth? I freaking like it. I could get used to being his obsession if I could just let go of all this messy baggage Mom has left me with.

“Oh, my gosh,” Lily says when I tell the girls what happened a while later in a group call. “That’s just awful. Are you okay?”

“I’m pretty shaken up,” I murmur, idly making notes in the notebook Alex gave me.

“That absolute piece of shit,” Cleo says angrily. “If I could get my hands on him… Seriously, I’d break his face. And the cops haven’t even put a car outside your place or anything?”

“No, but Alex has been sitting outside ever since he dropped me off.”

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