Page 41 of Don't Let Me Go (Don't Let Me 2)

“Oh, I’m not?”

He shrugs but stays quiet, holding my gaze. But there’s something in his stare. Something simmering just beneath the surface. A dare? A warning? A challenge?

“Tell me this,” I prod. “If I weren’t Colt’s little sister, and you didn’t know I was a virgin, would you still think I wasn’t meaningless sex material?”

Shifting on the cushion, he moves his hand from my thigh and runs it over his face, breaking our little staring contest while giving me the upper hand. Or at least, it sure feels like it.

“I, uh, I don’t know,” he answers. “I don’t look at you like anything but Colt’s little sister, so…”

“So.” I click my tongue against the roof of my mouth and reach for the bag of cinnamon bears. “I guess I’ll have to find someone who does see me as more than Colt’s little sister.”

I don’t even bother hiding my shameless smile as I turn back to Happy Gilmore and watch him shatter glass with a hockey puck. Or at least, I pretend to watch. The man beside me is still one hell of a distraction despite my best efforts to keep from showing it to him, and he’s stiff as a board.

Good.

Let him stew. Let him be uncomfortable. Let him regret bringing up this conversation in the first place. Because it definitely wasn’t me.

“Not sure it’s a good idea,” he mutters, not even bothering to fake like he’s invested in the movie. Nope. The poor bastard is much more interested in my sex life…er, lack thereof.

“Maybe not. But it also isn’t your problem, remember?” I look up at him again. “And don’t forget why you showed up on my doorstep tonight. You came to make amends for being an overprotective ass. I suggest you don’t screw it up before the night’s even over. Besides. You’re the one who pointed out I need a guy who can break me. Who better to do the job than a man with a penchant for meaningless sex?”

“I didn’t mean––”

“Promise me one thing, though,” I interrupt. Because I know him. And I know if I give him an inch, he’ll take a mile.

He scrubs his hand over his face and closes his eyes. “What, Blake?”

“Promise you won’t stick your nose where it doesn’t belong––especially in my sex life.”

“Blake,” he murmurs, the tone bordering on annoyance and pain, though I don’t know which is more prevalent.

“I’m serious,” I tell him. “I don’t want to ruin all the progress we made tonight by you overstepping your bounds again. And call it a hunch, but I don’t think you want to ruin it, either.”

His eyes open, and he holds my stare but stays quiet.

“I’ve had fun so far, and I don’t feel like strangling you, which is a definite plus,” I add, my mouth lifting with amusement. “Seriously. Don’t ruin it.”

“I won’t,” he promises, more somber than I’ve seen in a long time.

“Good.” I shove his shoulder and snuggle into the cushions a bit more. “Now, enough talking. We’re almost to my favorite part.”

13

BLAKELY

The bass is thumping as we pull up to the Taylor House. It’s exactly like I remember it from a few months ago. Same red brick. Same dark shutters. Same ominous feeling as I stare up at it. Unfortunately, the familiarity does nothing to ease the anxiety pulsing through me. If anything, it only amplifies it.

Which is ridiculous. After my chat with Theo, things have calmed down. He doesn’t get mad at me at practice. Doesn’t give me shit for talking to the other guys. Doesn’t get all bossy and broody.

It’s been nice.

Refreshing.

I think?

Honestly, I can’t tell. But I’ve tried not to focus on it. I’ve tried to distract myself. With running. Classes. And free coffee from Tukani. Free lunch from Depp. Along with copious amounts of texts with Burrows…and Austin, though I have no idea how he got my number.

Seriously. The team has bent over backwards to make me feel wanted. Even Logan complimented me the other day. But that one was weird. Because it’s Logan. And I know what he did to Ash and Colt. I almost kneed him in the balls for even talking to me but decided against it when I realized Coach would’ve seen the whole thing. Regardless…overall, it’s been nice. Being noticed. If only I could ignore the angry glare Theo likes to pass out anytime he witnesses said hospitality.

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