Page 80 of Here's to Now

“Oh, no, you can,” she says, shaking her head and moving to where she’s level with me on the couch. “It’s just a little…unusual for guys to—in my experience, at least.”

“This is my first time,” I admit quietly. “My past…relationships haven’t been very…forthcoming.”

“That doesn’t surprise me.”

Instead of getting bristled at her words—because honestly, it shouldn’t surprise her—I let them slide and continue to push forward. “Are we dating?”

“Do you want to be dating?”

I sigh. “You’re exhausting.”

She laughs loudly and pushes my arm. “You know you love it.”

“Sometimes,” I reluctantly agree. “And no touching.”

“Seriously?”

“Yes. It’s hard to control myself around you.”

“So I can’t even do this…” She runs a single finger up my bicep, and I about keel over.

“No, you definitely cannotdo that.” Ignoring the shiver that races through me, I scoot farther away from her, rolling my eyes at her husky chuckle. “Come on, answer me here, Hales. What is this?”

“This is…complicated.”

“Can we uncomplicate it? We’re adults. We should be able to talk this through and find solid ground to stand on.”

Haley takes a moment to think about it while I sit beside her, trying not to shake an answer from her beautiful, pale pink lips. “Can I go back to my question before?” I lift a brow at her, telling her to keep going. “Doyouwant to be dating? Because if you’re game to label this, I am too.”

“Are you currently sleeping with anyone else?”

“Ass!” she yells, gnashing her teeth together.

“What?” I shout back, surprised at her outburst.

“Did youreallyask me that?”

“Y-yes?”

“Dick!”

“Dammit, woman. Tell me what’s so wrong with that question!” I glower at her from my perch on the couch, annoyed she’s not answering me.

She stares daggers back. “Do you honestlythinkI’m sleeping with other people?”

I shrug.

Wrong move.

She whacks me with a pillow and calls me an ass again. “I am definitelynotsleeping with anyone else! And I cannot believe you think I’d keep multiple men in my pocket at a time.”

I rub the spot where she hit me and mutter, “Sorry, I’m just trying to cover all the bases here.”

“Well you’re the only one hitting home, Gaige.”

“Good.”

“Are you?” she asks.

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