So Bad (Bad Boy Next Door #1)(31)

My hair’s disheveled and my cheeks are ruddy. I look deep into my own eyes, searching for an answer to these things I feel and can’t explain, even to myself.

When he came—when we came, oh my lord, it was the most perfect moment, as though at that second everything was right in the world. And when I was in his arms, I felt safe. Not as though protected from a burglar, but it’s as though there’s no war, no sickness, no death that can touch me.

How can I feel like this about someone so bad? He’s a mess. He’s rotten to his parents. Rude to me most of the time. He obviously just wants a piece of ass, though I still can’t figure out why me. Must be because he knows it will get under his parents’ skin. Maybe that’s why he doesn’t want to hide it. I’m just one more way for him to aggravate them.

If he tells them, I’m done. I may not be able to resist him, but if he breathes a word of it to anyone, and I get kicked out, I’ll never speak to him again.

My shoulders slump. I might as well pack my bags. If he’s in this to stick it to his parents, it won’t take him long to rub it their faces, and I’ll be toast.

I brush my teeth and slip between my sheets, still naked. Each time I move, the scent of sex wafts around me. Danny invades my every thought. The way he kissed me until my toes curled. His body covering mine as he filled me. The words he whispered—even though my head knows they don’t mean a thing, my heart beats faster nonetheless.

I am so screwed.





NINE





I lie in bed as the sun takes its sweet time coming up.

Fuck if I could sleep last night. How the hell does she get to me so damned much? Shouldn’t she just say thank you when I pay her a compliment? Why does she automatically think I’m lying?

I drag my ass out of bed and head down to the pool.

The water is cool in the gray light of morning. My body slices through the surface like memories from last night cut through my brain. The harder I swim, the more I think about how fast my heart beat against hers and how Mo came apart in my arms.

Then her comments skip back through my mind.

Fucking wild oats.

I push through the water, but it doesn’t matter how fast I go, I can’t get away from the fact that she considers me a wild oat to be sown and nothing more.

Fine. She wants wild? I’ll give her wild.

She wants to sow oats? We’ll sow some fucking oats.


*

She comes out of the coffee shop, carrying her books close to her chest. I step up to her from behind, bumping her shoulder as I sync my steps with hers.

She stops. “What are you doing here?”

“Oh, I just thought you might have time to spend with your fuck buddy.”

She frowns. “Fuck buddy?”

My smile spreads. “Ha. I got you to say it!”

“Got me to say what?” Her expression is puzzled, but only for a second. “Oh. That. Well, see? You were wrong. I do have fuck in my vocabulary.”

I take her books. “Want to sow some oats?”

She heads toward her car. “You drove all the way across town to ask me that?”

“Sure, why not? That’s what we’re doing together right? Just having fun? I’m horny as hell, and since you weren’t home, I came to find you.”

“You are so ridiculously bad. Seriously, you think I’m going to work in a fuck buddy break in the middle of my day, because you show up and tell me you’re in the mood?” She unlocks her car and takes her books from me, tossing them into the passenger seat.

I push the hair out of her troubled eyes. “I could take you to lunch first if that would make it better.”

“You’re a pig.”

I shrug. “Maybe.”

“You’re a real piece of work, Danny.”

I grab her hand and lace my fingers through hers, pulling her to me as my other arm goes around her waist. My heart rate speeds when I touch her. I lean in and whisper in her ear. “Then just have lunch with me. I’ll settle for lunch.”

Her body relaxes against me. “Lunch? That’s all?”

I brush her mouth with mine. “Lunch, and maybe a kiss or two. Just to tide me over until you get home later.”

She licks her lips. “Lunch. That’s it. No later.”

I squeeze her hand. “We’ll discuss later later.”

With a shake of her head she extricates herself from my hold and locks her car. “Where to?”


*

I pull out her chair.

Mo gives me side-eyes, as though she thinks I’m joking.

I nod. “I’m not going to snatch it out from under you. Promise.”

We sit and she nibbles at the tortilla chips and salsa, taking in everything in the restaurant—or she might be avoiding looking at me.