My heart was racing, pounding like a drum.

I’d been the one who wanted to tease him, to test him, but now that he was actually responding, I totally chickened out.

I was breathing like I’d just run a marathon. “Hayden, you….

He stepped closer, and I completely froze, taking a step back on instinct.

With each step, he went from being outside the door to inside my apartment. I was now pinned against the shoe rack, both of us still holding onto this stupid bowl of oatmeal.

Gotta give him credit, though–he hadn’t spilled a single drop, even with all this back and forth.

My heart was going so fast I thought it might jump out of my chest.

Hayden didn’t say a word. He just stood there, so close, staring right at me.

I couldn’t look at him anymore, full–on panicking. What was I thinking trying to provoke him like this?

Lena had pushed me into it, but she also warned me: guys can’t resist being teased.

Well, I’d definitely lost my mind for a sec and done something dumb.

But it was too late to backtrack now.

I had to pull it together, fast. I could only handle Hayden if I kept my cool. I could tell I’d gotten to him, that I’d stirred something up.

But he was holding back, trying to keep it under control

The vein on his forehead was practically popping.

“Oatmeal delivered, you can leave now,” I said, holding my breath.

Hayden didn’t move. He didn’t say anything either.

“Hay”

“Kiki…”

He cut me off, his voice low and husky, like a feather brushing against my heart.

Every nerve in my body felt like it was about to snap, and this weird, intense sensation surged through me.

“Hm?” My voice trembled.

It sounded way too seductive, so I bit my lip, afraid to say anything else.

I didn’t even know I had this side to me. It was honestly kind of embarrassing.

I watched as Hayden’s Adam’s apple bobbed, and then he suddenly cupped the back of my head with his free hand, pulling me against his chest. His husky voice tickled my ear. “Don’t speak.*

Wait, what?

U2

or now.

“Don’t move, and don’t speak,” he murmured, his voice scared I won’t be able to hold back.”

My eyes went wide. Was he saying he was actually thinking those kinds of thoughts about me?

“Don’t move. Be good,” he whispered, his fingers softly running through my hair. He pulled me closer, his arms locking around me even tighter.

I was in this super–thin silk nightgown, and he had on a light T–shirt. The barely–there fabric wasn’t doing anything to stop the heat between us.

I’m not like Lena. I don’t know much about, like, anatomy or whatever, but I knew my nerves were on fire, buzzing with this insane, restless energy.

They were screaming at me.

It was like I was craving something I didn’t even know I wanted,

I wasn’t a kid anymore. I was in my late twenties–totally grown up–but I’d never really, you know, done it before.

And that empty, aching feeling inside me was seriously messing with my head.

I could tell Hayden wasn’t doing any better. His heartbeat, his breathing, the way he felt so hot against me

-it was all saying the same thing

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was totally into me. No question.

But he still hadn’t made a move. What did that mean?

But he still hadn’t made a move. What was up with that?

Was it self–control? Restraint? Or, like Lena said, did he just not love me enough to take that step? Or maybe he was just too freaked out to deal with what would happen after?

I couldn’t let it slide. I needed to know. I had to get an answer.