Page 32 of Anton

When she starts to pull away, my arm tightens around her back. A faint crease forms between her brows, and her lips part like she’s about to say something.

“What is it?” I ask.

“How do you always manage to show up wherever I am?”

“Because I’m stalking you.”

She laughs, clearly not believing me. “Well, I hope it’s been worth your while.”

I tug her in and tip up her chin, keeping her face inches from mine.

“Trust me…” My attention catches on her mouth, temptation pulling hard before I lift my gaze back to her face. “It has.”

CHAPTER ELEVEN

THORA

I don’t know what it is about him, but being near him makes me smile. Somehow, he has a way of making even the worst day feel a little easier.

I can tell how unfamiliar all of this is for him. Talking to me, comforting me, holding me the way he just did. His body was rigid at first, his arms hesitant around me until he slowly began to relax. And the fact that he asked whether it was okay…

I bite back a smile. That was sweet.

I would never say that to his face, of course. He’d probably glare until I took it back.

When I look up at him again, I find myself wishing the night didn’t have to end here. I want more time with him, though I doubt he would ever admit to wanting the same.

Then again, maybe he does. Maybe asking is the part he doesn’t know how to do.

“I should probably head inside and tell my friend that I’m leaving.” I brush my hands down my dress, needing something to do with them. “If I don’t, she’s going to come out and find us.”

He studies me. “Does she not like me?”

I huff out a laugh. “It’s not that. She just…knows who you are. And she likes to protect me. They all do.”

His knuckles brush underneath my chin, sending warmth shooting through me. “You don’t want to be protected?”

“Depends who’s doing the protecting.”

His eyes lower to my mouth, and my pulse stumbles beneath the intensity of his stare. The same hunger burning through me is there in him too, held back by whatever keeps him from closing the distance.

“Okay, so this might be a really crazy idea, but…can I come over?”

His brows jerk, and heat floods my face.

“I don’t mean like that,” I rush out. “I’m not talking about sex or anything. Oh my God, I shouldn’t have even said that. Wow. Okay. I’m just gonna…”

I back up a step, wishing I could rewind the last five seconds of my existence.

“I just don’t feel like being alone tonight, and I figured maybe we could…I don’t know, hang out?”

He continues to stare at me with a blank expression like I’m an alien. And right now, I sure as hell feel like one.

“Forget I said anything,” I start, hoping I can exit this embarrassing conversation with some grace.

“Okay.”

I jerk my head back. “Really?”