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“I’m okay with that.” He slanted one of his shy smiles my way.
“Does this mean you’re going to take me up on my offer?”
One of his shoulders lifted slightly—the closest he could come to a shrug without jostling me. Considerate bastard. “If you were serious about it. But you don’t owe me anything.”
“Fucking you to discharge a debt would make me a prostitute, Leo.”
“That’s… I didn’t—”
“And I very much see myself as a dedicated amateur in this particular arena.”
“I just meant,” he went on, with that effortless patience he had, “you might well prefer to rest. It’s late and youhavesprained your ankle pretty badly.”19
“Not a fan of resting.”
“You’re going to have a fun convalescence then.”
“Why? How long will I take to heal?”
“Two to twelve weeks.”
“Oh shit, really?” That would probably necessitate a stay with my parents. Who would be lovely to me until I wanted to scream and break their crockery.
He nodded.
“Then I definitely want to fuck,” I said. It would give me something filthy and delicious to think about while I was recovering. Because the prospect of all that time—of any time really—was terrifying. I didn’t let myself stand still for a reason. There was too much to be kept at bay.
I couldn’t read everything that flickered across Leo’s expression in response. I didn’t know him well enough, and whatever was going through his head was too complicated. Too conflicted. Which, at the very least, I understood.
“What?” I asked, failing to translate any of that understanding into what I actually said. “It’s obvious you want me.”
He gave me another frustratingly elusive glance. “Who wouldn’t?”
“I’d say straight men. But I’d be lying.”
“Turn them, do you?”
“Fully corrupt them. When I can be bothered. It’s a lot of work.” I poked him with the toe of my non-injured foot. “As are you proving to be. What’s the problem?”
“It’s… I just don’t do this anymore.”
“Which? Have fun?”
“Treat people like they’re—take advantage of them.”
I received this with the derisive laugh it deserved. “I love that you think you’re capable of taking advantage of me.”
He gave an uncertain shrug.
“Look,” I went on, “what else does sex come down to? We’re taking advantage of each other. That doesn’t make it wrong.” I rolled my eyes at him. “You’ll still get your moral carbon-offsetting points.”
“Do you think that’s what I care about?”
“I honestly have no idea.” Clasping my hands above my head, I stretched. Because fuck him. One way or another. “But you shouldn’t need me to tell you it’s okay to have what you want when it’s offered.”
Leo was silent for a frankly insulting length of time. He was lucky he was my only prospect, and that I couldn’t walk, or I’d have left him to his internal crisis.
“Well”—at last, he extricated himself from my legs and rose—“all right, then.”
