Page 109 of A Little Broken

He chuckles softly. “Yeah. If you wanna shower, you can borrow my clothes. I don’t mind.”

“You want me to wear your clothes?”

Mirth dances in his brown eyes as a smile tugs at the corner of his mouth, and this time, it’s more genuine. Hell, it even reaches his eyes. “As long as you don’t dye them green.”

Grabbing hold of the lightness in his words, I reply, “I make no promises.”

“Then I’ll let you walk home naked.”

I laugh. “Don’t tempt me.”

With a slow shake of his head, he studies me. “You’d do it, too.”

“One hundred percent.” I hold his gaze, refusing to back down, though there’s no need. He’s already caved.

“All right, fine.” He tosses his hands in the air, then disappears into the closet, returning with a worn, white T-shirt and gray sweats. “You can dye my clothes whatever color you want as long as you let me give you a ride home when the time comes.”

I take the offered clothes and bring them to my chest, feeling lighter than I have in a long time. “When the time comes? What does that mean?”

“Nothing, unless you want it to.” He rocks back on his heels, looking sexier than any man has the right to. “I was just thinking, what if we give Rory some breathing room for a few hours—give her a chance to calm down and maybe cut you some slack—before I drop you off?”

“And what would we do in the meantime?”

He shrugs. “I dunno? You hungry?”

My stomach grumbles, but I ignore it, tossing my legs over the side of the bed until the plush white rug tickles my bare toes. “Depends.”

“On?”

“On if eating food together categorizes this”—I wiggle my finger between us—“as a date or not.”

He steps forward, stealing the space between us. “And if it does?”

Staying quiet, I will my heart to slow the eff down.

“Tatum, I like you,” he murmurs. “I like your spunk. I like your face”—he nudges my head up, forcing me to look at him—“and your hair.” His hand trails down my length. “I like your smile and your tenacity.” He lets the ends of my hair go. “I like you drunk. I like you sober.” Squatting down, he kneels in frontof me, wedging himself between my thighs as I sit on the edge of the bed. “I like you, and I think you might like me, too.” A shy smile plays at the edge of his mouth, and I swear it’s directly connected to the stupid organ in my chest. “Hang out with me today. Or this evening or tomorrow or…whenever. I’ll take whatever time you’re willing to give.”

He would, too. I can see it. Taste it. Feel it. His desire. And not only on a physical level, but an emotional one.

“Sounds needy,” I tease, hoping to lighten the mood.

“Only for you.” He brushes his lips against mine in the softest of kisses, surprising the hell out of me. But I don’t pull away. I don’t smack him or call him a horn dog. I simply sit there. Feeling his lips move against mine before lifting my head a bit more and returning it. The kiss. Still soft. Still gentle. Hell, it’s fragile, almost. But I’m pretty sure I’ve never felt anything like it, and I can’t help but crave it more until he pulls away, stands to his full height, and steps back.

“You can think about it while you shower, yeah?” he offers.

We’ve never talked like this. We’ve never said what we feel or broached subjects that make me squirm. Okay, that’s a lie. Paxton has. A few times. And I’ve always shied away from it. Hell, shied away from it is putting my response lightly. More like shoved it away and ran in the opposite direction until my lungs gave out. But I don’t want to anymore. Or at least, not right now. Not after I told him about Arch and he opened up about his mom. And the kiss? I can still feel it.

Lost in the ghost of his touch still lingering on my mouth, I force myself to nod. “Yeah. Yeah, okay.”

32

PAXTON

Iswallow the bite of bagel in my mouth as the cool water laps at our bare feet. I’m still surprised Tatum said yes when she met me in the kitchen after her shower. That she agreed to let me buy her breakfast at the little bakery down the street from my place. That she didn’t demand to be taken straight home after spilling her life story and the real reason behind every shady action since we first met. To be fair, she said she’d let me buy her breakfast because Rory hadn’t responded to her message yet, and she didn’t want to get stabbed by entering her apartment before her best friend was ready to see her, but I’m not complaining.

“This is good.” Tatum lifts her bagel into the air and takes another bite.

“I know it’s no lobster roll, but I’m glad it’ll suffice.”

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