Page 13 of Charming Cruel Boys

Remi searches my face, for what I don’t know. Her brows draw together and it makes my chest tighten. “Why? You’re never kind to me. Why would you help me now?”

I swallow down the truth that once again rears its ugly head. Now isn’t the time, and Remi Williams is the last person I would tell anyway. So I offer all that I can without lowering my defenses. “I can’t let a girl sit out here alone all night, can I? Don’t sweat it. We’ll go back to hating each other in the morning,” I tell her with my go-to asshole smirk. Standing to my full height, I offer her my hand. She stares at it like it’s a rattlesnake ready to bite.Wary and a little afraid.

“Jesus, Remi, let’s go. I’m freezing my balls off and my dick is seconds away from retreating inside my body.” That earns a small burst of surprised laughter from her. The sound curls around me like warm honey, making me want to lap up every drop.

Fuck, she’s dangerous.

I don’t want her, I don’t want her, I don’t want her…

I drop my hand right as Remi finally reaches for me. Without waiting for her, I turn on my heels and get back into the car. Remi jumps into the back seat, muttering, “Asshole,” under her breath.

I turn back and wink at her. “Never claimed to be anything else, baby girl.” Looking at Andrew, I say, “My house, let’s go.”

The three of us sit in awkward silence as Andrew drives across town, only the soft hum of music filling the space. Internally, I’m screaming at myself. This was stupid. I can’t give Remi any reason to think we’re friends. We’re not. Far from it, and she needs to remember that before things get all confused. We’re moving into her house in the morning. If the lines between us are even a little bit blurred, it’ll make things so much worse. I have half a mind to tell Andrew to pull over and make her walk the rest of the way, but the soft sniffles floating from the back seat make me bite my tongue.She’s still crying back there, dick.Not that I care. Nope. Not at all. She can cry all she wants.

Thankfully, my house comes into view, and in a matter of minutes, I’ve pulled Remi inside. Opening my bedroom door, I drag her in and start rifling through my drawers.

“What are you doing?” she asks, carefully taking a seat on the edge of my bed like she thinks the sheets are filthy.

I throw her a plain white T-shirt that’s been stuffed way in the back of the drawer. “Thought you’d rather sleep in something a little more comfortable.” I shrug, feeling all kinds of fucking awkward. I’m usually taking a girl’s clothes off, not giving them something to put on. “But if you prefer naked, that’s fine by me.” I flash her my panty-dropping smile that always works.Always. “And the sheets are clean, Remi. I haven’t fucked a girl in here in weeks. Unless you’re game?”

“You’re a pig,” Remi snaps, and my smile falls right off my face. Girls don’t usually call me out on my shit.Fuck, it’s kind of hot.“I’m not sleeping naked in your bed and you are fucking dreaming if you think I’m having sex with you.”

Stalking toward her, I place my hands on the mattress on either side of her legs, forcing her to lean back as I inhale her floral scent. It’s like roses and sunshine in a bottle. With my face inches from hers, I lick my lips and make a deliberate show of ogling her chest. “It’d be the hottest dream of my life.”

Remi pushes my shoulders back and stands, our chests brushing together. The feeling of her tits on me makes my ditch twitch.I can totally hate-fuck her without ruining my plans, right?

“Screw you, Knight. Thank you for picking me up, but I don’t owe you a damn thing. I’mnotsleeping with you. Turn around and keep your pervy eyes off me so I can change.”

I lift my hands up in surrender, gently brushing her bare arms on the way. She shivers at the contact and I wink. “If you change your mind, I can show you a great time. Just say the word,” I tell her softly before turning my back to her.

The sound of rustling fabric fills the quiet room and I peek over my shoulder, not having any fucking restraint whatsoever. Remi Williams is hot. Sexy curves, gorgeous face. I know exactly what Duke saw in her. How could I not? And right now, I’m getting the perfect view of her round ass in nothing but a black lace thong. I bite my knuckle to keep from groaning and turn back before she catches me.

“Okay,” Remi whispers a few seconds later.

I swivel around and find her tucked into my bed, the black cotton sheets a stark contrast to her creamy skin. I let out a low whistle. “Damn, the sight of you in my bed—“

“Knock it off, Knight,” she sighs. Scrubbing her hand over her face, she turns away from me to face the wall and pulls the comforter up to her neck, hiding all her glorious skin.

I turn the lights off before tearing off my clothes, leaving them in a pile on the floor. Then I climb into my queen-sized bed behind her with only boxers on.

“What are you doing?!” Remi shouts, shooting daggers at me over her shoulder.

Laying flat on my back, I chuckle, folding my hands together behind my head. “I’m not sleeping on the fucking floor. This is my room. Either deal with it or go sleep in Duke’s bed... Actually, I’m sure he would love that. Get another go at you while he’s too drunk to care.”

Remi tenses beside me before she sniffles again. “Trust me, he got plenty at the party tonight,” she whispers.

I arch a brow and look over at her, but she’s facing the wall again.This is news.Duke doesn’t do really random hook-ups at parties. That’s more my scene. He likes to play the gentleman, taking girls out to dinner and then screwing them in the backseat of the truck.

“What do you mean?” I ask her, even though my mind is telling me to shut up. I don’t want her thinking we’re friendly or some bullshit just because I rescued her from the side of the road and engaged in some conversation. Remi ignores me, though.

I lay quietly beside her until her breathing slows down and she’s asleep. Then I turn on my side, scoot closer, and watch her shoulder rise and fall with deep breaths.

Not so long ago, I would have given anything to have Remi in my bed. To have her look at me the way she used to look at Duke. I never bothered pursuing her — no way in hell could Remi fall for me — but I quietly pined for her for years. Tonight would be a wet dream if only I didn’t know what I do about the secrets in her household. What a waste.

9

Duke

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