Page 70 of Girl Abroad

Instead, I remain silent. It’s rare to get Jack talking. About anything substantive anyway. I’m afraid that if I speak, he’ll stop, and I desperately want to hear what he has to say.

“I think you’re bloody amazing.” His gaze never leaves mine. “Smart. Gorgeous. You make me laugh.” He licks his bottom lip. “Turn me on.”

I can scarcely breathe now. “I turn you on?”

“Yes. Christ. There’s nothing I want more right now than to throw you on that bed and smash your back out.”

I blink. “I’m sorry, what? You want to—ohhhh.” As usual, my cheeks burst into flames. “I take it that’s more of that Aussie slang?”

His lips twitch with a slight grin. “I keep forgetting you don’t get half the shit I’m saying. I’ll say it clearer.” His eyes become molten. “I want to fuck you.”

My core clenches.

Do it, I want to beg.

“I want to be on my knees with my face between your legs.”

Oh.

My.

God.

“I want to feel you squeezing my cock while I come inside you.”

Yup. I’m dead. He’s killed me and my vagina.

“All those things sound…nice,” I manage to croak out, my voice shaky and lust drenched.

Jack’s face clouds with regret. “But I can’t. We can’t.”

The disappointment is so visceral and all-consuming I feel my entire body deflate.

“You’re my flatmate. But more than that, I like to think we’ve become friends, ay?”

“Ay. I mean, yeah. Yes.”

This is incredible. I had no idea it was possible to go fromferally turned ontohorrifically mortifiedthis fast. I drop my gaze to my socked feet, afraid he’ll see my hurt and frustration.

“Abbs. No. Don’t do that.” He steps closer, touching my chin to tip it upward. “Look at me. I’m trying to do the right thing. We’ve a good arrangement here. Can’t have this exploding in our faces, yeah? Lee and Jamie adore you. They’d kill me if I fucked this up for everyone.”

“Who says you would?”

“I don’t do relationships,” he admits. “And you”—he blows out a breath— “you don’t do one-night stands.”

“Says who?” I counter, because I hate it when people tell me who I am.

He slants his head in challenge. “Do you?”

Goddamn it.

“No,” I mutter. “I don’t.” I straighten my shoulders and muster a dismissive look that takes some effort. “Okay. I guess that’s settled.”

Jack shifts uneasily. “We can pretend it never happened then?”

“I’ve already forgotten about it.”

“All right.” He hesitates. “Good night.”

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