I peeked out the elevator doors, glancing down the hallways to make sure Eros wasn’t in the hall. Kasey told me to keep my distance from him until she showed me all the tricks. Twenty-four hours Eros-free should be easy, right?
When I knew that the coast was clear, I hurried to my apartment, gaze remaining on his door. If it opened and he walked out, I’d be done for. I needed to win this game against him. I wanted to get him back for frustrating me all the damn time. I wanted sweet and sinful revenge.
After fumbling with my key, I finally pushed my door open and rushed in. I made it. No flirting with me tonight, Eros. Too late for—
Eros, Zane, and Maria were sitting at the kitchen table, each with a plate of pizza in front of them.
Damn it.
“Dani!” Maria said, grease on the corner of her lip. She placed the open pizza box on top of a closed one, making room for me. “Come eat with us.”
Eros leaned back in his seat, tattooed arms resting on the table, biceps flexing. I gulped. His forest green sweater was clinging to his chest, his lips were set in a soft smirk, and his eyes were fixed on me.
“I can’t,” I said quickly, peeling my gaze away from Eros.
“Why not?” Eros said, brow cocked.
“Because…” I fiddled with the zipper on my coat. “I need to go take a nap.”
Wow, Dani. That was the best you could come up with?
Eros pulled out a chair next to him. “Oh, come on. It’s just a slice of pizza.”
“Maybe later.”
Maria stood and snatched my wrist, her blonde flyaways falling into her face. “Dani, I need to talk to you for a minute.” She pulled me into the farthest corner of the living room. “You’re not leaving.”
“I’m not staying,” I said.
“Eros is here. Why don’t you just get to know him? It’d be good for you.”
Little did she know that he was exactly who I was trying to avoid. “No, Maria.” I gazed at Eros who was turned away from me.
“Don’t you ever want to have some real fun, instead of just dreaming about all the things he could do to you?”
“No.” But, oh, I did.
“Don’t you want him to touch you like he does in your dreams?”
“No.”
“Kiss you?”
“Maria.”
“Fuck yo—” I slapped my hand over her mouth.
Sure, Eros knew that I dreamt of him. But I didn’t need him knowing that I had dreams of him doing dirty things to me. That’d be beyond embarrassing.
Maria removed my hand. “Girl, he’s right there—wanting to actually do those things to you. Stop hiding from him.”
My eyes widened, and I glanced over at him again. He was talking to Zane, but his gaze was on me. I could only imagine that he heard every single word of our conversation, knew that I, in fact, had dreamt of him many times.
“I’m going to take a nap, Maria.”
She crossed her arms over her chest. “Then I’m going to tell him.”
“Tell him what?”
“That you’ve been dreaming of him.”
“He already knows.”
She smirked. “Well, I guess you won’t mind then.” She turned on her heel.
Damn it, Maria. I snatched her arm and yanked her back. “You’re an asshole,” I whisper-yelled at her.
“I’m just trying to get you back on your feet by making sure you get a guy that you deserve.” She grabbed my hand and brought me back to the table, pushing me down in the chair next to Eros. “Great news. Dani is going to eat with us!”
Eros grinned, a hint of triumph in his eyes. I pulled out the chair and sat, stewing. She was so annoying. All I wanted was to continue Project Hermit for one more night. Just one. But everyone had other plans for me.
As soon as Maria sat, she fell into an easy conversation with Zane. I grabbed a piece of pizza, picking the pepperoni off of it and stacking it up on the edge of the plate. I chewed on the inside of my lip, watching the shiny small bubbles of grease roll down the side of the slice as I picked it up.
“Why’re you ignoring me?” Eros asked.
I took a big bite of cheese and wiped my fingers on a napkin. “I’m not.”
“Afraid that you’ll lose?”
I scoffed and put the pizza down. “No.” Yes. 100% yes.
“I think you are.”
“Well”—I narrowed my eyes at him—“I think you’re going to be the one to break first.”
He leaned one forearm against the back of his chair, the other on the table. A few strands of his dark hair fell into his face. “And what makes you think that?”
“You can’t seem to stay away from me.” I pressed my lips together and sat up tall. “You’re everywhere I go. You flirt with me every chance you get.”
“You’re right,” he said, eyeing me. I raised my brows, not expecting him to agree so blatantly with me. “I can’t stay away from you.” He leaned closer. “I think about you more than I should admit.”
My breath nearly caught in my throat. Eros thought about me?
He placed a hand on my knee, fingers grazing against the insides of my thigh. “But I know that you think about me too.”
I parted my lips. He’s just trying to break me. “I-I do not.”
He chuckled, his hand moving higher up my thigh. “You’re a terrible liar, Dani.”
Breathe, Dani. Breathe.
His hand slipped under my skirt.
Oh, my God.
Maria and Zane were too busy flirting with each other to notice what was happening on this side of the table, and I silently cursed them for that.
“You love this, don’t you?” His fingers brushed across the hem of my underwear. I pressed my knees together. I did love it. I loved every single second of it. He leaned closer, breath fanning my ear. “Answer me and I’ll give you what you want.”
Don’t let him break you. Don’t let him win.
“It’s… okay.”
He raised his brows, and I took this as a chance to regain my composure. I sat up and brushed out my skirt. My core was throbbing, aching, begging me to take back what I said. He was more than okay. I wanted more of him.
But I also wanted to win.
“I can’t love something I’m not impressed with,” I said.
His eyes darkened, so dark that I thought that I was in another one of my dreams. “Fair enough.” He sat back and removed his hand from my leg.
Fuck, I didn’t want him to stop. I just wanted to tease him a little, just wanted to break him first.
His jaw was clenched tightly, his gaze fixed on me. Oh, God. Maybe “not impressed” was a bit too harsh.
I glanced at Zane and Maria, trying to ignore his intense stare. They were laughing with each other, then suddenly Maria looked at me. “We’re going to the bar. Do you wanna come?”
“Uh—”
“No, we’re going to stay here,” Eros said, voice tight. My eyes widened, and I found myself nodding along with him.
Maria raised her brows at me. I, on the other hand, tried to give her my best don’t-leave-me-I-don’t-know-what-I-just-got-myself-into look, but she just brushed it off with a smile.
I wanted to follow them because I was stricken in absolute fear that Eros would break me, but I didn’t move. Not even when Maria flipped her blonde hair over her shoulder and gazed back at me.
The door closed behind them, and I finally found the strength to stand up. “Well, uh… I’m going to go to my room.”
Eros stood and stared down at me. “Unimpressed by my company now?” He stepped closer to me, and I stepped back, bumping into the table.
“No, Eros… that’s not what I meant.” My heart raced. “I-uh—”
He took another step toward me, and I placed my palms on the table behind me, leaning against it. He pressed his fingers against the front of my skirt, rubbing gently. “What did you mean, Dani?”