“If it’s my ink you want, if this is all a damn game to you, forget it.” She’s here. I’m hard for her, and we’re arguing about the damn tattoo. This is familiar territory, and I relax. “I’m not drawing a dragon on you, and that’s final.”
“I want the dragon, you know that,” she whispers, and her hands slide up my chest. “But this isn’t a game, and it’s not all I’m here for. Give me a chance, Zane. Everyone deserves a chance.”
My thoughts are all screwed up. Is she talking about the tattoo, about being my roommate or something else entirely?
“Dammit, girl.” I tug on her hair, pulling her head back, exposing the pale line of her neck. She’s panting, pressing her body to mine, and it’s driving me crazy. “What am I gonna do with you?”
“Draw something on me,” she breathes. “Anything.”
I shake my head, confused. What is she playing at? She says it’s no game, but this sure feels like one.
Draw on her again. I should tell her no. That I don’t normally draw on people. That I don’t let them come over unannounced and cook me breakfast, screw with my head. That all I wanna do is fuck her.
My dick twitches, agreeing.
But I can’t. Because if we fuck, she’ll know just how messed up I am. She’ll run, and I’ll take any damn excuse to make her stay a little bit longer.
Chapter Six
Dakota
“Another drawing?” Tessa stands at the door of the bedroom, in a tight-fitting black dress and high heels, all dressed up for the party she’s throwing Dylan for his birthday. Her blond hair hangs around her face in soft waves. She’s so pretty I gape at her.
Dylan is an idiot if he doesn’t want her.
Then again, maybe he likes his women a bit more spunky?
I twist and glance at my back in the mirror. I’m wearing an off-the-shoulder black T-shirt with the logo of our band, and the drawing Zane made on my upper arm two days ago is still visible. I’ve taken pains not to scrub it when showering, to keep it on me a while longer. It’s a hawk, wings spread, its beak curved toward the inside of my arm. When I hold my arm close to my body, it’s right over my breast, as if it’s about to bite my—
“Wasn’t it a bird last time, too?”
It was. He likes drawing birds on me—birds in flight.
“So what are you going to wear, the skirt or the pants?” Tessa, obviously fed up with my lack of answers, picks up the items from the pile of clothes on my bed. Black stretch pants and a short black skirt with ruffles. “I’d say the skirt.”
“Why?” I take it from her hands. I’m already wearing ripped black tights. I look tiny next to Tessa and awkward, like a boy. She looks like a supermodel.
“Boys like seeing your legs. And there will be plenty of boys tonight.”
“That wasn’t so subtle,” I mutter. “I mean, I get that you’re worried about Zane breaking my heart, but I’m not interested in boys.” Just Zane. “Isn’t he going to be there?”
“He’s been invited, but he never replied. He’s been like that lately. It’s driving Ash nuts. But I’m sure if someone tells him you’ll be there, he’ll come.”
I smile in spite of myself. A rush of warmth fills me. “Do you think Zane would like me in a skirt?”
“Zane likes you in just about anything, girl. He’ll have to be pried off you with tongs if he comes tonight. He’s acting like he’s in heat when he’s around you.”
I laugh. “He’s cute.” And hot like hell.
“Yeah… I’m worried.” She sits on top of the pile of clothes. “I told you how Zane is with girls. I mean, are you just friends or…” She wiggles her fingers.
I think of how he has always watched me, with such heat in his eyes, and how he made me come on his sofa that night after the disaster at the park. I think of how he let me hold him two days ago, how he spoke of his sick sister
, how he asked me if this was all a game to me.
“I don’t know,” I confess. “We aren’t anything. We just hang out together sometimes. I like him.”
She doesn’t look convinced. “We all like him. He’s an awesome guy. But this business of drawing on you, and the way he looks at you…”