Page 576 of Rock Me All Night

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I bring the phone back to my ear. "Looks great. And you can barely see my face. I doubt anyone recognizes me."

"It's only a matter of time."

I switch my phone to the other hand. I shift my weight between my legs. "I know what I signed up for."

"With all due respect, you don't know till it happens."

"I've been chased out of my apartment. I think I know."

"I didn't mean—"

"If you don't want a girlfriend, that's fine. Stop letting me in then pushing me away. I've got the point. You don't want intimacy with me. Right?"

He says nothing.

My chest heaves. How can he be so casual about this? Not my problem. My problem is school.

I do nothing to fight the frustration in my voice. "I should go. I need to figure out how to get these books home."

"Jess."

"Are you getting at something?" I ask.

"Don't play dumb. You can't pull off dumb."

"I know that youcanpick me up, Pete. It's just that I don't want to put myself through another round of you opening up to me then locking me out again."

"I'll be there in twenty." His voice softens. "If you need anything, call."

"Were you listening to me?"

"You don't have to talk to me."

"But, I—"

"Tell me to go fuck myself and I will."

I trip over my tongue. "You don't mean that you'd go touch yourself."

"Yeah. Sure. You want pictures?"

"Yes." My cheeks flush. I want a million pictures but he's not distracting me with sex. "But not right now."

"You want me to come or not?"

"Don't say it like that."

"You want me to pick you up or not?"

"Okay. You can pick me up. If you're going to stop jerking me around."

"Deal. See you soon."

I slide my phone into my pocket and offer the nosy asshole guy a weak smile.

My heart is still heavy. My stomach is still in knots. Okay, I can admit it. This is more than sexual frustration.

I have full blown feelings for him.

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