"Not sure you're ready for it."
I scoffed. "Please."
"It's just an idea."
Lifting a brow, I echoed his words from earlier, "I'm listening."
Tolliver sent me a grin that was like a shot to the heart. "We could turn the lie into a truth, hang out for real."
My jaw dropped.
"You okay, Kent?"
"Yeah," I breathed, sifting through what he'd said. "Did you just...?"
"Ask you out for real?" Tolliver nodded. "Yeah, I did."
As I stared at him, he shrugged.
"Too much?"
"No, I just need to process."
"Okay."
After a moment, I met his gaze. "I don't think you'll feel the same after you get to know me."
His brow furrowed, but before he could say anything, I held up a hand.
"And even if you did," I said, "I don't date jocks."
Picking up the paperback on the table, I opened it to where we'd left off previously. Tolliver came closer, basically closing the distance between us on the couch so he could reach the pages, and I dared a look at his face. "You ready to read?"
"Yeah."
He settled in, both of us acting as if nothing happened.
Yet I couldn't help but ask...
"Are you mad at me? For what I said?"
"Freya, no."
"Really?"
"Really." I looked back at him, and a beat passed. Then Tolliver gave me a quiet smile and said, "I think I'll enjoy changing your mind."
CHAPTER ELEVEN
Ithought I'd feel guilty about the whole maid thing.
Maybe I should.
But honestly? Watching Tolliver carrying stacks of books around my bedroom might be one of my new favorite things. He glanced over, caught me staring, and grinned. Okay, it wasdefinitelyone of my favorites.
"How am I doing?" he said.
I cleared my throat and gave a curt nod. "You're handling the books with the gentle care they deserve."
