Page 118 of Soul Mates: Hercules Valentine and I
I close my eyes to stomach the dread that races through me. “I like you too.”
“And I don’t want to stop what we’re doing. How about you?”
I whisper, “No.”
In the silence, I can hear my heartbeats and feel the air on my face. My apartment has a different aura from Hercules’s. His place feels better. And it’s more than the price and scale of it that makes it so good—it’s him. Where he is, so is home.
“So, why did you skip out on me so soon?” he asks.
My eyes expand. “I have plans for the day that have to get started.”
“Oh yeah? Like what?”
What in the world? He’s being more persistent than usual.“Dinner with my…” I massage my throbbing temple.
“Who are you having dinner with?”
“Old friends. They’re visiting.”
“Any of them an old boyfriend?”
I picture him grinning. He sounds like he’s having fun with me.
“I only have one ex-boyfriend, and I caught him in the library banging my roommate, so no. He and I will never lay eyes on each other if I can help it.”
“Is that a true story?”
“Sadly, yes.”
“I’m sorry to hear that.”
I walk over to my sofa and plop down on the cushions. “You don’t need to apologize for him being an asshole.”
“Was it before or after our interaction?”
“Which one?”
“Yes, that’s right—we had two interactions.”
I chuckle. I love these easy conversations with Hercules. “Boyles and I were technically still boyfriend and girlfriend when you ran into me on the sidewalk.”
He chuckles softly. “That’s your story, and you’re sticking to it?”
“It’s the truth.”
“Then so be it, sexy.”
My breath catches at the back of my throat as a fluttering feeling streaks through my lady parts. “How about we call it even?” I say breathlessly.
“I like that.”
I swallow, quelling my lust as we fall silent again. I’m certain that, like me, he’d rather have me in his bed than talk to me over the phone.
“So, what are you eating for breakfast?” he asks.
Good question. “I’m having cereal. What about you?”
“I was planning to eat you when I got back and then have my cook make us eggs, bacon, pancakes—all the greats.”
