Pretend You're Mine (Inked Hearts 3)

Light floods the room.

The door presses closed.

“Fuck, Leigh.” Ryan’s voice flows into my ears.

I wipe my eyes. Pull the blanket tighter.

“This is healthy.”

“Fuck off.”

The weight on the bed shifts as Ryan sits behind me. His fingers trail my upper arm. My shoulder. “What are you doing in my bed with a half-empty bottle of Grey Goose?”

“You’re out of Belvedere.”

“That’s why you’re trying to destroy your liver?”

No, I’m trying to destroy my mental images of the two of them together. “It’s a party.”

“You look like you’re having fun.”

“Are you here to berate me?”

“No.”

“What do you want?”

His voice gets soft. “I was looking for you.”

“Why?”

He makes that what the hell noise.

His fingers curl into my shoulder. He tugs at my skin. Turn around. Look at me. Offer me everything you have to give.

My breath is shaky. “I don’t feel good.”

“Wonder why.” He nudges me again. Look at me.

I don’t. “If you want fun, let’s go outside. Swim. Why don’t you swim?”

“The chlorine fuc

ks with my contacts.”

“Take them out.”

“Nobody sees me in my glasses.”

He’s right. Somehow, he’s spent the night at my place a dozen times, and I’ve still never seen him in his glasses.

“Okay. Fine. We can dare someone else to skinny dip,” I say.

“Dare?”

“What’s wrong with a dare?”

“You Dean all of a sudden?”