Tempting (Inked Hearts 1)

"No. Of course not. I'm glad. Anybody I know?"

"No."

"You coming often, at least?"

"Excuse me?"

"We're gonna be around each other. We should be friendly."

"Pretty sure you coming often goes past most people's idea of friendly."

"Of course, Vi. Would never want to make you uncomfortable." He smiles, the look in his eyes screaming I guess that's a no.

I clear my throat. "Yeah, I'm coming a lot. Every night." By my hand, but that's a technicality. "Sometimes multiple times."

His expression flares with frustration. "Great."

"And you? Enjoy screwing strangers at bars?"

"Depends on the stranger."

I laugh-scoff. "I guess it would."

He smiles.

Even though we're hate-flirting, I fucking melt.

Chapter Six

Violet

Sometimes people tell me that STEM students don't have enough creativity. That's dead wrong. Math is all one plus one equals two at the lower levels. Once you get into the stuff I study, it's not objective. It requires thinking outside the box. It requires a hell of a lot of creativity.

At the moment, I can feel every drop of my incredibly vivid imagination. I can practically feel Ethan's body on top of mine, can practically smell his sweat and taste his lips.

I open the door and go to slide Ethan's jacket off my shoulders.

"Hold onto it," he says.

This time, I say the right thing. "No. It's yours." I hand over the jacket. "I'm sure you get cold screwing strangers in alleys."

"Actually, the screwing keeps me pretty warm."

Dammit, I'm smiling. I let out a full-blown belly laugh. "Does it?"

He nods. "You really have to ask?"

No, I don't. But I don't like thinking about Ethan with other women.

Dammit, I'm hot. I need to leave before I do something I'll regret. "Thanks for the tea." I dig my car key out of my wallet.

"Anytime." He nods goodbye.

I slam the car door shut but it doesn't shut out his presence. Even after I drive all the way home, Ethan sticks around in my head and my heart.

Ethan Strong, rock star guitarist, does not want me. Not the way I need him to. Guys like him, like the new Ethan, use girls like me.

No matter what happens, I can't fall for him again.