The Love Experiment (Stubborn Hearts 1)

“Would it help?”

“I’d like to try it.” For the first time ever. Derelie wriggled about, changing her posture. He knew what she wanted because he wanted it too. “Stay on your side.”

“Move the box.”

“If I move the box we’re done with the questions.”

“We can extemporize.”

“By which you mean make it up.”

“I thought a ten dollar word might win you over.”

She didn’t need to win him over. He was so far over any line that should be drawn between them, and still he wanted to protect this unexpected thing they had from needless regrets because it felt precious.

“No you didn’t. You’re being a brat, hoping I’ll do something about that.” She stuck her tongue out at him. Oh Christ. He felt that in his body in places not suitable for picnics in public places.

He checked the page for the next question. “‘If you were going to become a close friend with your partner’—that would be me, in this example—’share what would be important for them to know.’”

“I have an IUD, barely used, and a clean bill of health I’m not afraid to get dirty.”

He groaned and looked away to where a couple of kids were trying to get a kite to fly. “Friend, the question says friend. Do you go around discussing birth control with all your friends?”

“Only the ones I want to jump.”

“You won’t wear your aligner—” he pointed at her mouth “—in front of me, but you’ll tell me that.” He tried to stare her into behaving. She wasn’t embarrassed; she was delighted he was. “How did we get to the place where you’re not treating this seriously?”

“I’m treating it very seriously.”

“Give me the real answer to that question.”

She laughed and rolled to her back. “Payback is a bitc

h. I don’t care if that’s a cliché.”

He took an apple from the box and crushed it against his teeth, biting down on the tart, crisp flesh with a degree of savagery no piece of fruit required. He wanted to crawl over Derelie, pin her down and eat her laugher. He managed to poke her with his foot to remind her he was waiting without further damage to his tenuous equilibrium.

She looked over at him. “What else is important for you to know? How about I’m strong, I’m ambitious and I’m banking on myself to succeed?”

Great answer. No false modesty and no bragging. And an IUD. This woman.

He stuck to the question because it had self-preservation qualities. “I want you to know I don’t have a bad temper. I can get a little intense. I intimidated you, and I’m not proud of it, but I’d never hurt you physically. The violence in the boxing is a separate thing from everyday me. It’s hard to explain, but I’d never bring that to you.”

She sat up, the smile stripped from her face. “I never thought that.”

“Look at me.” He didn’t look like the kind of man she’d want to video-call home with. “You had to wonder.”

She gave him direct, unwavering eye contact. “I don’t see you as a violent man, Jack. You intimidated me professionally, but I never felt physically threatened and we wouldn’t be here if I had.”

He closed his eyes. His lenses were tinted, so the relief he felt at that would be hidden from her. How many more goddamn questions were there before he could have her in his arms?

He took another bite of apple and rolled his neck, hearing it pop as some of the tension he’d been holding on to let go. “I haven’t been tested for a while.” There’d been no need. “If we like what happens between us, I’ll get checked out.”

“We are so going to like it.”

She grinned at him, and the muscles in his shoulders went slack. He referred to the page for next question. “‘Tell your partner what you like about them. Be very honest. Say the things you might not say to someone you’ve just met.’”

“I like that you’re more than my first impression.”