Page 174 of Withered

“Son or not, I’d seduce you either way.” He smirks. “Come on in.”

“Were you in the shower when I knocked on the door?” I ask him as he leaves a wet trail of water with every step. I scrunched my face at that.

“Yeah.” Jake nods. “Mum must have left it open. I was planning on inviting you to join me.”

“Which reminds me, where is she?” I ask, wondering why she did not answer the door.

He folds his arms, causing his biceps to bulge slightly. My eyes betray me for only a moment after I look at them for too long. “She left about an hour ago and took Aria with her.”

He takes a step forward, trapping me between him and the closed door behind me. “That means we’re all alone,” he says as he leans in closer.

He smells divine, like a combination of wood and citrus. I giggle as the damp strands of his hair touch my neck. I shoved him away in a playful manner. “What have you planned for today?”

“Nothing,” he says, raking his hand through his hair, “but now I have a thousand different things I’m planning to do.” He looks down at my outfit, with his gaze lingering on my legs for far too long.

I don’t miss his obvious sexual, heated tone of voice, and I surely don’t miss the sentence’s double meaning.

I roll my eyes and stifle the smile that is trying to escape. “Did you eat lunch?”

“Yeah,” he says. “So, what do you want to do?”

I shrug. “I don’t know. We could watch a movie?” I suggest. Jake and the movie don’t seem to go together, but his answer surprises me.

“Netflix and chill?” His smirk grows, his eyes gleaming with lust and, I guess, a hint of humor.

I roll my eyes and walk into the living room, saying, “Just Netflix.”

“Pick any one,” he says with a hoarse chuckle. “I’ll be right there.” Then I hear his footsteps ascending the stairs.

I go through the films, seeking and selecting one, but it’s more difficult than I expected. I’m not sure what movies Jake likes. Instead, I select the one I prefer. I’ve been meaning to see it for several days. I put it on as I heard his footsteps descending.

“What did you choose?” Jake flops down next to me. He’s dressed in gray sweatpants with no shirt. I don’t mind the no-shirt policy, but it’s giving me werewolf vibes.

“I’m not a werewolf.” Jake chuckles.

I bury my face in my hands. I spoke out loud again. I feel a small tap on the side of my head.

“It’s all wicked in here today,” Jake comments, then adds, “Good to know you’re just like me.”

I look up at him, confused. “As Hemingway says,‘All things truly wicked start from innocence.’I happen to take wickedness to another level.” He winks and flicks my nose.

“Idiot,” I mutter, focusing my attention on the opening credits of the movie.

Jake glances at the screen rather than at me. “You’ve got to be fucking kidding me.”

I pause the screen, which now shows the name of the movie. “What’s wrong with this one?” I sigh. I somehow knew this was going to happen.

“No. We are not watching this.” Jake announces.

“What are you thinking?” I ask him when he stops and stares at me.

He tilts his head to one side, resting his elbow on the couch’s arm. “Is it too late for me to unfriend you?”

“Ha-ha. You’re stuck with me.” I sweetly smile and start the movie again. “And we are watching this.”

Jake groans. “Why not a horror movie? Or something with a lot of sex in it?”

I snort loudly. “Have you watched it?” No way was I watching a horror movie; it scares the hell out of me. Ghosts and fights gross me out. I’d rather watch surgery videos on YouTube.

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