“Do what?”
“Refuse to talk to me?”
“Maybe we can talk after,” I say sweetly.
He gapes at me. “Seriously?”
I shrug, trying to look innocent. “I need you right now.”
“You want me. You need me, but…”
Will I ever love him? Not if I’m smart.
“Wanting and needing… that’s important, isn’t it?”
“And maybe I want and need to talk to you about something that’s going on in my life. What do you think about that?”
I hang my head. “Is something wrong?”
“It’s not something that I can give you the Cliff Notes version. It’s long and involved, and…” He eyes me, his gaze slowly lowering as he gives me the once-over. “Fuck. Maybe we can talk later.”
He grabs my hand and yanks me down onto his lap, and needless to say, there’s not much talking at all to be had.
CHAPTER26
When we’re done,I can’t help sighing with relief. It felt so damn good to let out some of my frustration sexually, but I eye Rob, and he doesn’t look tired at all. I’m a little worn out, but he wants to talk, and maybe I should give in and let him have his way.
“Can we talk now?” he asks.
“Talk about what?” I ask warily.
“I want to prove to you that I’m not just what my reputation suggests,” he says. “I never talk to girls about my parents, but…”
“Rob, you don’t have to do this,” I beg.
“Why? Because you don’t want to talk about yours? I heard from Ace that your father is an asshole.”
“Do you want to join the club?” I ask.
Rob blinks a few times and sits up, forcing me to sit up too since I had been resting on his long, hard body.
“No,” he says hoarsely, and he looks so utterly lost that my heart aches. I don’t know if I can trust him with knowing all about my parents and my situation, but I can at least listen to him about his.
“Did I just open-mouth, insert-foot?” I ask, wincing.
“You didn’t know. Not many on campus knows this.” He works his jaw and turns away from me.
I cup his face and turn him to face me again. “Talk to me. I’m listening.”
“When I was fourteen…” His voice cracks. “My father died in a car crash.”
“Fuck, I really need to keep my fucking mouth shut.”
“You didn’t know. How could you? The driver had been high. They managed to track him down, but by the time the police went to arrest him, he overdosed and died. What kind of justice is that?” Rob scowls, and he swallows audibly.
“I’m sorry.”
“That’s not the worst part.” He flares his nostrils. “By the time I turned fifteen, I was able to become emancipated.”