She narrows her eyes on my hand as if it has some kind of flesh-eating disease.
“I’m not sleeping with you if that’s what you think,” she blurts.
I throw my head back and laugh. “Did I ask you to sleep with me, or did I conveniently forget that part?”
Her cheeks burn. “I know your type,” is all she says.
“We’re going to be spending a lot of time together,” I say by way of explanation. “I figured I should clear the air of any hostility. I can’t promise not to hit on you, I’m a natural flirt,” I joke with a hint of a smile, “and I can’t promise to not be an asshole sometimes or to mess with you, but—”
“This is the most pathetic starting over speech I’ve ever heard.”
“Have you heard many?”
“Only this one,” she admits, fighting a smile. “But it doesn’t take a genius to see how pitiful it is. I expected more groveling.”
“You already saw me naked.”
“Practically naked,” she shrieks, turning redder.
My lips twitch. Messing with her is way too easy.
“Look, I’m trying here,” I say in a placating tone.
“Fine,” she grumbles. “I’m Mia. Nice to meet you doucheknozzle.”
“Ouch.” I place a hand over my heart. “That hurt.”
“Good. Can I go now?”
“No goodbye kiss?” I jest.
She narrows her eyes. “Nice try.”
I crack a grin. “Goodnight, Mia.”
She rolls up her window without another word and pulls away. I head back out on the sidewalk, watching until her taillights disappear around the corner.
I can’t help but feel like I won something pretty important tonight.
* * *
“Where have you been?” Cannon asks from the back of the couch, chewing on a toothpick. He always gets antsy when he’s stuck inside and can’t smoke.
I shrug, my hands shoved deep into the pockets of my jeans. “I walked around for a bit. I wanted to clear my head,” I explain.
He stares at me, like he’s assessing my truthfulness. After a moment he turns back to the flat screen TV.
Rush watches me from the chair. His lips fighting a smile. I want to punch the smirk off his face.
Is that how Mia feels about me?
“If you were scouting for chicks you could’ve told me,” he says.
“Like I said, I was only walking around.”
“Mhmm,” he hums, not believing me, but I’m actually telling the truth.
With a sigh I stalk past the two guys and into my room, closing the door behind me a little sharper than I intended. The clang of the door reverberates in the room.