Page 35 of Strip Bare

"I was watching a movie in the park." Kat gave me a look and I sighed, giving up the rest of the info. "With a guy."

"You were on a date? And you left?"

"You said it was urgent," I protested and she laughed.

"Oh god, I'm sorry Leo. Was it going well at least?"

I shrugged. "It was fine."

"Does this mean you're moving on from Kit?"

"I don't think I'll ever move on from Kit. It's not that simple."

"Well in that case, I think we should get you a drink."

"Fuck, yes."

CHAPTER TEN

"How was your date with Harley?" Kit asked as he crunched into a near-burnt piece of toast. All three of us were in the kitchen for a change, it felt like we didn't get to say more than a fleeting hello or goodbye now that exam season was coming to a close. But it wasn’t like Kit and I were doing much talking lately anyway.

"Fine." I didn't bother to elaborate or tell him it wasn't really a date, more like an experiment or a test that I’d failed. But maybe it was better this way. It would be easier to move on if Kit thought I was seeing someone else.

Xander cleared his throat awkwardly and I rolled my eyes.

"You need to call my sister," I said, shifting the topic as I stared Xander down. "She said she hasn't heard from you since she left." I’d been hoping my sister would stay a few days extra while my parents headed home, but she’d chosen to go back with them, much to my disappointment.

"I didn't know she wanted me to call." His face turned solemn, dark brows furrowing, and I believed him. Xander wasn't hugely self-aware and with girls, he was hopeless.

"Girls always want you to call."

"How would you know?" He snorted and nearly spat orange juice everywhere when he choked.

"Because I have a sister and she wants you to call her. So do it because I don't want to have to hurt you." I gave him my iciest, most pleasant smile and he immediately picked up his phone before leaving the room, mumbling.

"Nicely done," Kit said with a smirk and I relaxed. For a second, everything felt normal again. But then his eyes dropped to my mouth and my breath caught as he leaned over the breakfast bar to wipe the corner of my mouth with his thumb.

"You had a crumb," he said casually, brushing it away and I clenched my jaw.

"Thanks," I ground out and he nodded. "Harley is coming over on Friday morning by the way, so we're going to need the kitchen."

Kit stilled. "He's coming here?"

"Yes."

"Why?"

"Study. Hang out. You know how it is." Maybe I was making my study session out to be more than it was, but it felt good to see some kind of reaction from him other than chilly indifference. Harley was the only one who seemed to bring it out of him. Maybe Kat had been right after all and there was something to this jealousy thing.

A horrible thought crept up on me and my stomach dropped. What if he wasn't jealous that I was seeing Harley but rather that Harley was seeing me? Maybe he wasn’t jealous at all and all this tension was just in my head.

"You need to be careful with him."

"Thanks," I said, sarcasm thick in my voice. "Are you going to tell me to be home by nine, too?"

Kit rolled his eyes. "I'm just saying you don't know him that well and he doesn't know you or how to make you feel comfortable."

"I felt plenty comfortable last night," I lied and watched in fascination as a muscle in Kit's jaw jumped. But was it for me? Or him?

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