Page 258 of Worthy

“Yeah, but he’s doing it for a reason.”

Christie shakes her head, not bothering to try to understand me. “It’s fine. The reason is so we can be together.”

Her arms snake up and around my shoulders, her fingers playing with the hair at the back of my neck.

I touch her arms and then step away. “No, it’s for another reason. Like, who does he think he is?”

She sighs. “Aiden, don’t worry about it. I think you’re overreacting.”

“I’m not. He knows what he’s doing,” I say, pointing at the door.

“You know what, I’m gonna go. You’re obviously not in the right mood, and I wanna catch my friends before they’re too far.”

She grabs her phone and starts texting. When I don’t try to stop her, she gives me a scathing look and yanks open the door, huffing on her way out.

I drop to my bed, my legs bouncing as I hold my head in my hands. A few minutes later, the floor creaks outside my door. My head pops up and he’s standing there.

“That was quick.”

“Shut up. This is your fault!” I say, jumping to my feet.

He steps inside my room. “Mason’s asleep, so keep your voice down.”

“Don’t tell me what to do, Oliver,” I seethe, not lowering my voice at all.

After another step inside, he closes my door. “I didn’t make your friend leave. In fact, I gave you the opportunity to do whatever you wanted with her. What happened in here was out of my control.”

“No, because you got in my fucking head. I didn’t want—I wanted you to—ugh, just forget it.”

“What did you want, Aiden?” he asks calmly.

“Well, I didn’t want you to make it so easy to hookup with her.”

“Why not?”

“Because I…because you just told me how you felt about me and then you’re like pushing us together. It doesn’t make sense.”

“You don’t owe me anything. You’re free to do whatever you want.”

“I don’t know what I want!” I explode. My shoulders drop as I exhale. “I don’t know what I want.”

Oliver cautiously approaches me, his hands on my biceps. “Be honest with me.”

I meet his gaze and I’m overcome with attraction and desire. I’m beyond interested in what it would be like to be with him. I’m tired of fighting it.

“I’m attracted to you,” I admit. “I’m curious, nervous, and afraid. I…” I trail off and sigh.

“What do you want to do, Aiden? What are you curious about?”

“Everything.”

Oliver’s lips curl up on one end. “That’s quite a lot.”

I let out a nervous laugh and dip my chin. He drops his hands from my arms and I instantly want the contact back.

“Can I kiss you again?”

“Oh, now you’re asking? Last time you attacked me,” he teases.

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