He laughed, peering up at the ceiling.Even his neck is hot. He took a deep breath, then pinned me with a heated gaze.Or did I just imagine that? “What are you going through today?”
I slumped in my chair. “Don’t look at me like that.”
Raising his arms at his sides, he asked, “Like what?”
“Like you want to…” I grumbled a curse. “I don’t know. Do something to me?”
“Like take you over my knee and spank you?”
I choked on my lemonade. Embarrassed, I wiped my mouth with a paper napkin. “This is dumb.”
He laughed.Punk. “I’m just playin’ with you.” I didn’t like it. “You’re acting crazy as hell. I can’t look at you now?”
“Not like that.”
“Whatever you say,” he said.
We ate in silence for a few minutes. It was uncomfortable when it had always been comfortable. I didn’t know what to do to turn things around, and it bothered me that I’d made it this way. “I’m sorry.”
He eyed me over the rim of his glass. “For what?”
“For everything. I’m just tired. And a little bit stressed.”
“How can I help?”
The question was innocent, but it felt loaded. To me. And the irritating part? I was pretty sure it wasn’t that deep for him.
“I’ll be fine.” I ran my finger over the edge of the bowl. “I’ve been working really hard lately.”
“You need a massage.”
“From you?”
Duke’s eyes flashed to mine. “From a massage therapist.”
Oh.
“I’m not sure what’s going on with you,” he said, “but you know you can talk to me. Is it your mom?”
I shook my head.
“Your dad?”
“No.”
“Dorian?”
“Hell no. That fool disa-muthafuckin-ppeared after you threatened to throw his stuff in the harbor.”
He laughed. “Well, he knew what to do.”
I let out a soft sigh of relief. That laugh seemed to break the ice, and I was able to focus on food, and not Duke’s body.
A few seconds later, he said, “I did ask you a question, though. You didn’t answer me. And you hate when I do that to you.”
“Now I understand why you do it.” I shrugged.
“Listen, Demi.” He leaned forward, and once again, I was transfixed by his mouth.Damnit.
