Page 10 of Distant Heart

Rexton’s lip sneered. “Don’t. You’re trying to pacify me.”

“I’m not,” he disagreed. “What reason would I have for it? Maybe you’ve been too distracted with your self-doubts to realize, but I’ve got you right where I want you. No one else is going to touch you tonight. Just me.”

It was hard to tell how Rexton felt about that statement, because in a rare show of awareness, he closed off his expression, look turning enigmatic like a switch had been flicked.

“You still haven’t answered my question. Are you planning on cheating?” Rexton said.

“I like your eyes,” Illya divulged. He planted his palms against the table, staring at him from across it. Soon, he’d capture the distance between them, but for now, he’d allow Rexthe illusion of safety. “They’re so expressive. They were the first thing I noticed about you.”

He wasn’t impressed. “That it?”

“I like your hair too,” Illya continued. If his prey needed compliments to ease him into things, he would give them. “It reminds me of frozen snow under the bright morning sun. You can see the east quad from my bedroom window. Just after sunrise, when most of the campus is still asleep, the ground remains untouched and seemingly stretches on forever. It’s peaceful.”

And so few things in Illya’s life could be called that.

“You smell good as well,” he added, but that had Rexton grunting.

“You could smell me all the way from the top of the stairs in the foyer, could you,” Rex drawled sarcastically.

“I was operating on instinct when I chose you,” Illya said. “That’s what the night is all about, really. An excuse for us all to act out on our natural inclinations. See, even though we like to pretend we as a society are above it all, our roots are still drenched in primal urges. Hundreds of years ago, I wouldn’t even have to have this conversation with you. I could have claimed you in the foyer, in front of everyone, without a second’s hesitation, and that would have been my right as one of the planet's future leaders.”

“That makes it sound like you think conversing with me is a waste of time.”

Illya shook his head. “Don’t put words in my mouth.”

“Or what?”

“Or I’ll put something of mine in your mouth.”

“Sure, if you don’t mind me biting it off.”

This was getting them off track. Illya glanced down at the table. “We’re changing the rules.”

“You can’t do that,” Rexton stated.

“I can do whatever I like.” Soon, he’d be doingwhoeverhe liked, but he kept that thought to himself. “Whoever makes the next shot gets to decide our next move. Since I’m feeling generous and the night is young, I’ll let you go first. If you make it, you can choose what comes next. But if you miss, it’s my turn to try my luck.”

“I’m not agreeing to that.”

“Then,” he tilted his head toward the open doorway, “should I just overpower you and fuck you on the table like I want to?”

Rexton made a strangled sound that had Illya’s groin twitching.

“Aren’t you moving kind of fast?” Rexton’s pink tongue darted past his lips to wet them, and he noticeably shivered when Illya’s gaze tracked the motion. “You just said we have all night.”

“I said the night was young,” he corrected. “But I’m growing impatient.” And hard. Another thought he’d keep to himself. For now.

“We don’t even know each other.”

“Isn’t that what you wanted?” Illya waved a hand. “Enough stalling. I gave you a way out, baby. Hurry up and choose. We playing or—”

“All right, all right.” Rexton bent over the edge of the table and prepared to take another shot. If he was trying to hide the way his hands were shaking slightly though, he was doing a poor job of it. Nerves were shining through his façade, giving Illya another glimpse behind the curtain.

That was better. That was the Rexton he liked most. Not the stoic version that struggled to hide his emotions.

“Don’t miss,” Illya couldn’t help but tease just before Rexton took the shot. Of course, that caused the other manto, the cue ball twirling around a few inches before bumping uselessly up against the nearest ball. “How unfortunate.”

“Hey!” Rexton glared. “You did that on purpose!”

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