Page 151 of Gloves Off

“Okay,” I say instead, like some besotted dumbass. “Fine.”

“Fine.”

His mouth quirks and he drops another quick kiss on my mouth before straightening up, sitting on the edge of my desk, and folding his arms over his chest.

Again, my gaze drops to his T-shirt. If I stole it, would he notice? I bet it smells like him.

“What’s that look?”

“Your shirt.” I swallow. Get a hold of yourself, Georgia. “It’s soft.”

“You like my T-shirt?” He arches an eyebrow, amused at whatever he sees on my face.

I’m trying to think of something cool and witty to say when my eyes drop to the keys he set on my desk when he walked in. There’s a tiny pink crystal on his keychain.

“What is that?”

He glances at it, unfazed. “That’s a keychain, Hellfire.”

Acrystal? He said they were stupid. He made fun of me for mine. “What, do you think it gives you powers or something?”

The corner of his mouth tips up at me throwing his words back at him. “I saw it and thought of you.”

Oh god. No. Nonono. He can’t just say things like that.

“You saw this crystal and thought of me?”

He nods.

Damn it. I can’t deal with sweet Alexei. I can’t.

I suck in a tight breath. “I have something terrible to tell you. You’re not going to like it.”

His eyebrow arches.

“I bought that crystal just to annoy you.”

He huffs. “It worked.”

“I know. I’m very, very good at getting on your nerves.”

His mouth tips again, eyes warm, and my stomach dips. I don’t understand this game. I don’t know the rules.

He looks away first, shifting on the desk. “Are you free Saturday?”

I squint, thinking. “Yes. Why?”

“We should have everyone over for dinner.”

I stare at him. He stares back. “Youwant to have people over.”

“Sure.”

“I’ve lived with you for two and a half months, and you haven’t had company over once. And your parents don’t count.”

He narrows his eyes at me, but the corner of his mouth ticks up. I love when he gives me this look, like he wants to be annoyed but he’s entertained and amused.

“How many people are you thinking?”

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