Page 144 of Make Me Mean It

His mouth brushes the side of my neck.

His lips move slowly over my skin, barely even kissing me, just enough contact to make my breath stall. My shoulders tense as I fight the instinct to tip my head and give him more room.

For one second, I almost do.

Then everything I’ve been avoiding since I woke up comes rushing back in.

The warmth in my chest twists.

I swallow and pull forward, putting a sliver of space between us.

“Theo.”

It comes out differently this time.

Softer.

He hears it, the change in him is so fast it makes my stomach sink.

He freezes behind me, his mouth leaving my neck. His hand disappears from my side. Even the easy weight of his body against mine pulls away.

He exhales slowly.

“I know that tone.”

His voice is colder now, a wall going straight back up.

I close my eyes, Theo leaning away from me.

He braces himself on one hand, and the loss of his warmth is immediate enough that I almost reach back for him.

This is exactly why we need to talk.

I turn around to face him, tucking one leg beneath me, Theo already watching me.

The lazy amusement is gone now. His mouth has flattened, and I can practically see him preparing himself for whatever he thinks I’m about to say.

“We should probably talk.”

Even to me, it sounds ominous.

Theo gives a dry laugh, my stomach dropping further.

“Let me guess.” He drags a hand through his already wrecked hair and settles back against the headboard. “This is the part where you remind me you’re not gay.”

I stare at him as he does the same thing he does every time we get too close to something real.

Make it a joke.

Make himself the asshole before I get the chance to hurt him.

Except now I know what it looks like when I actually do.

“Don’t do that,” I snap.

Theo’s brows lift.

“Don’t act like an asshole because you’re scared.”