Page 77 of Danger

“You might catch a glimpse of who I am, Winnie, but you don’t wanna know the rest.”

She doesn’t want to see how dark I really am. How many demons I have inside.

“Try me.” She tilts her head, studying me like she’s trying to read every shadow. “How much worse can it get? I mean… youare my fake boyfriend, aren’t you? Feels like I should know more about you—for research purposes.”

“If you knew, you’d run.”

“I don’t scare easily,” she whispers. “Thought you’d figured that out by now.”

“You think you want the truth about me, but you don’t.”

She smiles—slow, defiant, wrapped in lip gloss.

“See... that's the part I'm not buying. What's the worst that could happen if I really got to know you?” she asks, being bold again. “I like being around you.”

She steps closer until the toe of her boot bumps mine.

“Maybe,” she says, looking up at me, “it's fun watching you pretend none of this affects you.”

“It doesn’t.”

“Really?” she asks. “Because last night you seemed awfully committed to those kissing lessons.”

My jaw flexes.

“You wanted to learn. I don’t do half-ass.”

“Mm.” She nods thoughtfully. “I did learn something.”

“Yeah?”

Before I can think better of it, she leans in until her lips barely brush the shell of my ear. “I know what happens when I kiss you here.”

“Winnie,” I drawl. “You keep puttin' your mouth on me and you're gonna start something I don't know how to stop.”

She smiles.

“See?” she whispers. “Seems like I affect you more than you're willing to admit.”

Somehow she's got me wantin’ things I've spent years swearin' I didn't need. And I damn sure shouldn’t be thinking of all the dirty things I wanna do to her. I lock my hands where they are before they decide they've got better ideas than I do.

“Stop while you’re ahead.”

She tips her head, that wicked little smile flashing like she already knows she’s winning.

“Oh yeah? And what exactly are you gonna do about it?”

My smirk comes slow, dangerous. “You’re playin’ a real risky game, sweetheart.”

Her eyes darken as she drifts closer. Close enough I can feel her heat.

“I like taking risks.”

I hook a finger under her chin, tipping her face up. Her pulse jumps at her throat, pupils blown wide like she’s daring me to make the next move.

“You’re gonna be a problem for me,” I say, thumb tracing her jaw.

That smile spreads—pure challenge.