Ouch. Yup. I pegged him as being exactly that, didn’t I? Guilt trickles down my spine, clogging my pores and making my cheeks heat.
“It’s okay. I’d rather you assumed I’m shallow than stupid.”
That draws a gasp out of me. I’ve never made any assumptions about his intelligence. “No. I never thought you were stupid, Ares. Why would you even think that?” Except I have. The joke about him not knowing where the library is scorching my insides.
Another shrug, and now he won’t even let me see his sad eyes. My scars are physical, on my face for everyone to see, but his, his scars are inside, and the more he talks to me right now the more I want to reach inside his chest and soothe them somehow.
“I’m not trying to talk you out of your decision. Well, I guess I am, but not in a manipulative way.” He pauses. “For a change.” He eye rolls, but it seems more at himself than at me.
“I know what everyone thinks about me, what they see when they look at me. And yes, I’m a flashy hotshot who loves to party and have a good time. It’s not a facade by any means, but there’s more to me than that.”
I don’t know what to say to that, because it was unkind to judge him by his appearance when he didn’t do the same of me. He hasn’t ever once let my scars be an issue. He’s never pressured me to tell him about my darkness, and he’s sitting here in front of me confessing that he’s intimidated by my intelligence. Yet he didn’t let that stop him from asking me out. That’s pretty brave.
I have a lot of thoughts bubbling in my brain, and I’m not really sure I can find my voice to share them, so instead, I stamp down my insecurities. If I’m going to be this man’s girlfriend, his partner, I’m going to have to get over my nervousness. I can’t expect him to be the instigator of everything for the entirety of our relationship.
I cup his face with both my palms, stare into his intense, bottomless brown eyes, and brush my nose against his before sweeping my lips across his. He returns my kiss, his tongue skimming across the seam of my mouth, and I’m only too eager to grant him access.
The kiss is softer than our previous kisses. It’s not frantic, horny, lust filled, or demanding. It’s slow, deep, and curious. He’s exploring my mouth with every stroke of his tongue and his hand rests over my scars. I can’t say this is how I expected the day to go. I didn’t wake up this morning thinking I’d be Ares’s girlfriend, but the more he kisses me, the more time I spend with him, the more I like it.
I have no idea how things are going to work once we step outside the security of his shiny black SUV, but I guess that’s future Eloise’s problem.
CHAPTER16
Eloise
“Where have you been?” Dad is waiting in the living room like I was out all night after prom without permission. It’s still light outside, but he’s glaring at me, his annoyance almost making the air around him vibrate. Each word is gritted out, measured, fueled by irritation.
“I was at school.”
“You didn’t have classes, Eloise. I have your schedule.”
Hugging my binder to my chest, I scowl. What the heck is this? Why is he giving me the third degree? “I was with friends.”
His face says he doesn’t believe me.You don’t have friends, Eloise. And that near-true accusation in his eyes slices me deep. “It’s that troublemaker again, isn’t it?” He holds up a hand. “You don’t need to answer me. I can see it written all over your face.” His voice is hard as he chastises me.
“I’m not a little girl anymore, Dad.”
“Then stop fucking acting like one.” He thumps the arm of the recliner as he pushes himself to his feet. “Actions have consequences, Eloise. You’re living under my roof. Stop this nonsense with that boy, or we’re going to have a problem.”
He walks out before my words come back to me, before the pink mist clears enough for my higher brain function to return to something resembling coherence. Did he just threaten me? My house, my rules? His truck starts up in the driveway, and I don’t bother to cover my face before I let out a frustrated scream.
He’s going to make me choose.
Ares, or my father.
Guilt consumes me, tightening around my chest. It should be an easy decision. Ares is shiny and new, he’s temporary, fleeting, there’s probably no way we’ll last. But yet...
Ugh. Maybe it’s stubbornness, outright refusal to let my dad win, but I don’t want to give up whatever this is between Ares and me.
I’ve never been the kid who sneaks out, lies to her parents, and does things they’ve said theyexplicitlydon’t want me to. Dad’s gone more than he’s here, it wouldn’t be all that hard to keep Ares a secret from him.
Maybe it’s time I became that kid, because I’m not ready to give up either.
CHAPTER17
Ares
I’ve made a huge mistake.
