Red Thorns (Thorns Duet 1)

“Otaku,” I mutter.

“I know what that means, and since you do, too, then you’re a geek as well. What’s your favorite anime?”

“I…don’t have one.”

“Mine is Hunter X Hunter.”

“The manga is better.”

“Aha. So you prefer manga. Noted. Let’s buy you some and fuck on top of them.”

It takes everything in me not to crack a smile at the tone of his voice. “Does everything need to be about sex with you?”

“Eighty percent of the time. I’m trying to free your dormant fantasies, after all.”

“I…I don’t have fantasies.”

He lowers his head, surprising the hell out of me as he stares straight into my eyes with his imploring ones. “The stuttering just proved you do. I knew you were special.”

With him being so close, the only thing I can breathe is his fragrance and hot breaths. His mouth is inches away from mine, his lips slightly parting—

Goddamn it. Stop ogling his lips.

Just when I’m about to pull away from him, an annoying voice filters in our direction. “If it isn’t Naomi.”

I push Sebastian away as Brianna, Reina, and a few others from their exclusive club saunter by us.

Damn it. Damn it.

The last thing I want is to be seen in Sebastian’s company by this band of thieves. They’ll never let me live it down and will make a whole big case about how he’s out of my league and blah, blah, blah.

“Rei,” Sebastian greets her with ease. But at least he’s not trying to touch me.

She raises her brows at me. “You aim big.”

“Don’t you have some people to torture or make their lives miserable?”

She smiles. “Maybe.”

“Yours included, Naomi,” Brianna screeches.

“Go take a hike, Bee.”

“It’s Bree!”

Reina inches toward me and whispers so only I can hear her, “Careful what you get yourself into. You never know what happens in dark corners.”

My breath hitches as she saunters away, followed by her clique.

Oh my God.

Did she see? No. It’s not possible. It was only the two of us in the forest. But maybe I was so caught up in the role that I didn’t notice what the hell was going on around me.

I stare at Sebastian. “Did you tell her?”

“Tell her what?”

“Never mind.”