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Shit. He nearly dropped a piece of greasy pizza on the couch that wasn’t technically even his, before he was able to lean forward and set it back on the edge of the box he’d flipped open on the coffee table. Fucking five-star gourmet right there.
“Sorry. I didn’t mean it that way. I just thought that…”
“That what?”
“That this was a one time thing. You were talking about doing some firsts. You showed up buzzed. Wanted to get a little more buzzed. I don’t know. I just got the vibe that you were kind of just using me to get over all the shit you’re going through. One-time deal, firsts included.” Her head cranked around so sharply her neck made an audible creaking noise. “Don’t worry. I mean, if that’s what you want, that’s totally fine. I’m good with being used by a beautiful woman. Use away.”
“That’s not why I came here.”
“No?”
She shook her head in that emphatic, horrified, overly honest kind of way she had. Noemi was a good person. She wasn’t just a good girl. She was probably one of those people that was good straight down to the tips of their toes and clean through to their soul. The kind of person who would never want to hurt anyone else. He didn’t know much about her, which said a lot about him- that he’d chased her across the country in an effort to convince her to marry him just so he could sell his stupid shoes in Europe- but he was willing to bet that she would have volunteered. That she loved the hell out of her family. That she was one of those loyal people who would do anything for her friends and loved ones.
“No.” Her lips wobbled, but thankfully her eyes remained dry. “That’s not what I came for.”
“There’s no shame in wanting to do something with no strings.”
“Okay, maybe it was what I came for.” She dipped her head, her face coloring again. “I- I don’t know. I did think about it briefly, a few times, but that’s not me. I know you don’t do that, but I don’t do- I’m normally not so- quick about things. I don’t rush into things. I don’t just do- what we did already so soon. I- I don’t know what I’m talking about. I don’t know what I’m even doing. I don’t know. I just…” Her eyes swiveled back to his face, almost frantic. “I’m sorry. You seem really- great. I didn’t plan any of this. You’re right, I’m in a bad spot. I wasn’t trying to use you. I am sure about that. I don’t know how long I’m going to be here. I don’t even know if I’m coming or going or my own name after everything that’s happened, but if you wanted to- I don’t know- hang out more, I wouldn’t say no. It’s okay though, if you don’t want to.”
“I want to,” Byron said, and he meant that shit. One hundred percent meant it.
Which shocked him. Scared the living hell out of him. Confused him. Confounded him. And made his cock ache a little more fiercely, if that was even possible. The damn thing was probably in danger of getting so hard it would snap right off with one wrong move. His balls felt like they were two balloons, getting fuller and fuller until… BLAM.
“Really?”
“Of course.”
“Like, you’d want to go on a normal date? Or if you want to do the friends thing, that’s okay too. I don’t have any idea what I’m actually doing. I’m sorry. I’m a mess.”
“A beautiful mess,” he amended.
It earned him a deeper shade of red coloring on her cheeks. Noemi shifted on the couch, tucking her legs up under her so that his t-shirt covered absolutely everything. Fuck. How was that hot as well? How was everything she did so hot? She reached for a piece of pizza and started chewing on it thoughtfully, and that was hot too.
“I was thinking that I’d pick a movie and try my best to very smoothly make a move, but if you’re not up for that, that’s fine too.”
She actually snorted. “Oh my god. You’re the perfect gentleman. You’ve done everything tonight to try and convince me not to do this. Sort of. I thought maybe you weren’t into it, a little bit, but now I realize that you’re just really, really odd.”
This time he snorted. “Odd? I’ve been called lots of things before, but never that. At least to my face.”
“Yeah. Odd. You’re hot. Obviously. You’re the hottest man I’ve ever seen…” she had to look away to get that bit out and he stifled the urge to laugh. He didn’t laugh. Not often. With her though, he’d laughed. A lot. “You’re gorgeous. You’re stacked. You probably melt panties off when you walk down the sidewalk. Can you smell them burning? Do you stifle those fires with oversized oven mitts as well?”
