Page 21 of Up in Flames

“Well, you’re nice now, though… right?” I ask.

He grins, but there’s a touch of wickedness to it as he scrunches his brows together. “Make no mistake. I’m here for selfish reasons. I’m a bad guy. There is nothing good or safe about what I want to do to you. So I guess all you could say is, I’m trying.”

“Well, that’s all that matters. The past is the past, and I want to get to know you, Cain. So please… let me.” I take his hands in mine, and he exhales a puff of air as his eyes drop to the floor like he’s weighing up his options.

“Goddammit! I hope I don’t regret this, but… okay. On one condition.”

Furrowing my brows, I tilt my head, waiting for the ultimatum.

“You can’t tell anyone about me. Trust me, it’s safer this way.” His gaze is stern, unyielding, controlling.

“Not even Joey?” A small laugh escapes me.

“Especiallynot Joey.”

Shaking my head slightly, I let out an unladylike scoff. “Why can’t I tell my roommate who I’m… seeing? Dating? Whatarewe doing exactly?”

He chuckles. “We’reseeingeach other.Exclusively. You can’t date anyone else while you’re with me.Understand?”

I lean back, shocked by his sudden outburst of…whatever that was.“Well, if I can’t date other guys, then you can’t date other women,” I state sternly.

“For me, there are no other women, Makaylie. You’re the only one I want.”

This man!He can turn me from pure anger to putty in his hands with a flick of a sentence.

Exhaling, I bite my lip to try to hide my smile. “Wow!” He looks at me curiously. “You really know how to switch my moods, don’t you?”

“What?” he asks, his lips turning up in an amused smirk.

“One second, I am ready to slap you. The next, you make me weak at the knees,” I tell him honestly.

His cocky grin returns, and he tilts his head. “Weak at the knees, huh?”

I giggle and nod as he leans in, kissing me much softer than last time.

***

The rest of the afternoon is about getting to know each other—favorite foods, bands, books. It surprised me to know that Cain is quite the book lover. He even admitted to readingThe Twilight Sagaand was a firmTeam Jacob. He said he has deep-dived into smut books and enjoys reading all the dark, depraved kinks that women get into. And I guess that doesn’t surprise me as he seems dominant, which is the total opposite of me.

We found ourselves making out more often than not, but every time it was getting a little too hot and heavy, he stopped it before it went too far, much to my dismay.

He pulls away from me again as our breathing is frantic, and I roll my eyes.

This is the fourth time he’s stopped going further than a good make-out session.

“Did you just roll your eyes at me?” he asks, narrowing his eyes on me sternly.

“I might have,” I reply.

“Well, that just won’t do. You need to be taught respect,” Cain chides.

I laugh as he pins me to the sofa, and Cain runs his hands on either side ofthat spoton my hips. The shudder runs through me, forcing my entire body to convulse while I jerk and buck underneath him. The sensation runs over my whole body, sending vibrations through my soul. It makes my insides twist and turn and my stomach flip. My legs kick out of their own accord, and a combination of screams and laughter launches from my mouth as I can’t control my body’s reaction to the hilarious agony.

“Cain!” I call out with a mischievous chuckle.

“I told you to learn respect,” he declares, grinning like the Cheshire cat.

“Okay, okay,” I groan, and he tickles that spot again, making me almost gag in laughter as my body spasms in reaction. “Okay, okay. I fold,” I yell as I struggle to yank his hands away from my sides. “I’m sorry for rolling my eyes, Sir. It willneverhappen again.” I gasp through fits of laughter as tears trickle down my flushed cheeks.

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