Page 58 of Pick Me

That we were hot for each other.

“A game?” Thea crossed her arms and sank farther into the recliner, watching me suspiciously. “I don’t like games.”

“So, would you rather we sit here and I list out all the things I like about you? Your hair. Your deep eyes. Your sassy mouth; I could go on, but I’m not sure you’d believe me.”

Her brows creased, her face scrunching in this cute way. “Are those my only two options tonight? Watch a terrible TV show or listen to you spout lies? If so, I seriously need to rethink my life choices.”

“Who hurt you, Pyro?”

“What do you mean?”

“Who made you think so poorly of yourself?”

“No one.”

“Then what happened in high school?” The question was always at the tip of my tongue even if I’d had no intention of asking it before. Now, though, things had changed between us, and I needed Thea to know that.

“Nothing.” She huffed out a breath, pushed out of the recliner, and made her way to the kitchen. She popped open a bottle of wine and poured herself a generous glass. “What?” she said when she noticed my glare. “If talking to you is the only option I have for the night, I’m going to need at least two more of these.” She raised her glass, heading back to the recliner.

“I can think of a few other things we can do.”

She plopped down onto the recliner and sighed. My gaze swept over her face, taking in her rounded cheeks and the faint dusting of freckles across them. So unassumingly beautiful.

“Stop it,” she said.

“Stop what.”

She flapped her hand in front of her face. “All these mind games. I don’t know what I did to make you want to fuck with me like this, but I’m tired, and I just want to relax tonight. I don’t want you over there plotting my downfall.”

Mind games? Did she really think that’s what I was doing?

“I’m not smart enough for mind games.” It wasn’t hard for me to admit that since it was the truth. We all had our limits in life. I knew mine.

“Wow. The first honest statement to ever leave your lips.”

My gaze dropped lower, trailing to her exposed legs. Those shorts… That jersey… They were doing things to me they shouldn’t. Thea snatched the Covey U blanket from behind her and yanked it over her legs as if she could hear my thoughts.

“Come on, Pyro. Aren’t you bored with these shows?”

“Not bored enough to play a game with you.” I tilted my head, unable to take my eyes off her. “Will you please stop looking at me like that?”

I rolled my eyes. “How about this? If you win, I’ll leave the apartment until Tanner returns?”

That perked her up. Little did she know, I had no intention of losing.

“The entire time?” I nodded. “Why would you do that?”

“Well, you’re clearly annoyed by my presence. You didn’t pee for nearly a day to avoid me.”

“Where would you go?”

I shrugged. “Britt and Matty’s.”

“Are you sure they want you there?”

“Doesn’t matter. They owe me.”

“For?”

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