Chasing Desire (Chasing Love 3)

“Please,” he scoffed. “You must have drugged me then.”

“Do you hear yourself when you speak? Are you really this pissy about being left?” The minute the words came out of her mouth, she thought about what Penny had said about some woman doing a number on him. Then she thought about the other things Huck had said to her.

Things like:

I’ll walk away.

I’ll leave.

He wanted to be the leaver. That’s what this was all about. That’s why he wanted another night with her. It was so he could leave. And his plan had been foiled. Again. Autumn was equal parts pissed off, excited, and…numb.

“So what are you looking for this time?” she said. “Round three?”

“I’m after however many rounds it takes for us to get this right.”

She ought to tell him no, but she had to admit the challenge he presented thrilled her. Plus, all this time she’d been afraid, wondering what his angle was, why he was so desperate to be around her, but now she knew.

He was a leaver. She’d known this from the beginning. But apparently it was his ego, not his heart suffering, despite what Penny had said.

Penny walked over and placed Huck’s pancakes in front of him, then hustled off. Little did she know, shit was about to get real with the town playboy. Autumn wasn’t going to sit there and take his crap. No matter how sexy he looked. Which was really sexy. The man pulled off tattoos and T-shirts like no one’s business.

Focus. She was going to call him out. Not ogle him.

“All right, here’s how this is going to go,” Autumn said. “You’re going to stop being a brat and just say what has your panties in a wad.” Even though she could guess, the sooner he admitted it, the sooner they could move on.

Huck looked at her with venom, and if she wasn’t mistaken, a little lust. Then something shifted in his demeanor, as if the charming side of him was back in play.

“I’d prefer to talk more about your panties. Say tonight?”

“You’ve got to be kidding. You were just blustering about me sexually inducing you into a coma.”

He shrugged and took a bite of his food. “Icing tasted good on you. Maybe we should try syrup tonight?”

“You said you wanted one night.” She held up her finger, because she was getting the feeling that Huck’s thick skull needed a visual aid. If this was a game, which it was, he was changing the rules. Her will had already been tested. Hell, she’d even conceded a little and let him take over more than anyone she’d ever been with. Now he was going for more?

Only because he wants to be the leaver.

Nope. No way was she signing up for round two. Well…round three, technically. But whatever.

“We did that, big guy. You wanted not just one night, but one full night. So I stayed until the sun came up. Now we’re done, and you said you’d let me be.”

“Sun up just means we can have a little afternoon delight.”

She rolled her eyes. He was good, and the charm was working. Time to get back to the truth though. “Just admit it. You want to walk.”

He stared at her for a long minute. “What I want is another night.”

“So you can walk away in the morning.” She scoffed and shook her head. “Are you that shallow? God forbid a woman exits the door before you.”

He didn’t falter. Didn’t look rattled. Just stared her down like he didn’t know how to respond. But to his credit, he kept his control intact. Autumn didn’t need to hear the answer to know that was his intent. And yet, she was waiting another heartbeat. The tiniest twinge of hope pulsing that he’d deny it.

One Mississippi.

Still wasn’t denying it.

Two Mississippi…

He stayed silent. She’d called him out. Given him the chance to admit or deny his angle, his real reasons behind this cat and mouse game he played with her. But he did neither.