Page 34 of Hooking Up

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Chapter Seven

Walker

Iris blinks twice.

Her blue eyes fill with surprise.

A blush spreads over her cheeks.

She wraps her fingers around her cup, brings it to her lips, sucks coffee from the straw until she's slurping ice.

"You want another?" I take my last sip.

"I have to study."

"I have a one o'clock. I'm not gonna take up your afternoon." I push my empty cup aside. "I don't bullshit. Or play games. If you're not interested, say no. It won't hurt my feelings."

"Not at all?" Her lips curl into a smile. "That doesn't make me feel special."

"I'll be devastated. Spend the entire week wondering if I'm a lousy fuck."

"You're not."

"Yeah?" I lean back.

"Yeah." She copies my posture, leaning back, spreading her legs.

"I know you're mocking me, but you're gonna make me hard if you keep copying poses from last night."

She presses her knees together. "Okay. I'll take another coffee. The same one. Thanks." Her gaze goes to her new ink. She's transfixed.

You are not your mistakes.

I've done a lot of tattoos the last five years. Thousands. Plenty of them were similar sentiments.

But I've never wanted to pry one apart before.

I've never been hungry for the story behind the words.

I don't dig into this kind of shit.

I don't do late-night conversations or heartfelt promises or teary confessions.

I don't let anyone that close.

Anyone but Bree.

And Bree's the only person who hurts me.

Math has never been my strong suit, but it doesn't take a genius to add that up.

I move to the counter. Order another round of coffees. The guy at the register gives me a look.Really, more already?

I hand him a ten and stuff the change in the tip jar. He's an asshole yeah, but I know working shit jobs. I moved out of my parents' house the second I could and I refused to take a dime. Pride or self-reliance, I don't know. Or care.

It was what I wanted.

So I did it.

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