“No, but that’s okay. I like this better.” I placed my chin on Blake’s shoulder and rested the side of my head against his, content. “You did good.” A big smile spread across my face as I recalled the look on Blake’s face when he realized where we’d taken him.
“I still can’t believe you guys did that to me.” Blake peeked over his shoulder. He raised his eyebrows, and I bit back a smile. “It wasn’t so bad, though. They were all kind of cool.”
“Yeah, they’re good people. Jace’ll be happy. You passed his little test.”
“Did I now?” He looked forward and smirked, all happy with himself.
“Yes, you did. With flying colors, my friend.”
He shook his head. “I knew the little fucker had something up his sleeve.”
“He always does.” I laughed.
When we reached the subway entrance, I hopped down, a bit reluctantly. I’d enjoyed that more than I’d thought I would. “Thanks for the lift.”
“Anytime.” He winked.
Blake laced his fingers with mine and together we entered the subway, coming one step closer to being behind closed doors. As the blinding white lights approached, my heart rate kicked into high gear.We entered the car and sat down beside one another in silence, listening to the sound of the jangling car. My head rested on his shoulder as he traced circular patterns on top of my thigh.
At the sound of our stop, Blake stood and guided me from the train. We walked a few feet and through the turnstiles when he stopped out of nowhere, his sweaty palm tightening around mine.
Rubbing his free hand over the side of his face, he forced out, “Listen, Angel, I don’t want you to do anything you’re not comfortable with. I know things got heavy back there, but if you’re not ready . . . my feelings for you won’t change. Got me?”
“I know. I wouldn’t.” I fidgeted from foot to foot, still unsure of how this would unfold.
“Good.” He lightly brushed his thumb over the top of my hand in a soothing manner.
Seeming content with my answer, he relaxed and tugged me alongside him once again. We ascended the stairs, and the cool October breeze hit us. Blake shrugged out of his blazer and slipped my arms into it before he tucked me into his side, sheltering my partially unclothed form from the bite in the air.
I wrapped my arms around him, grateful for his warmth. I could feel the hard muscles of his abdomen through his thin shirt. It was a mystery to me how someone could be so hard and so soft at the same time.
As much as I was attracted to him, the cool air and dissipation of alcohol from my system had me second guessing my earlier reasoning for leaving with him. I didn’t think I was ready for this.
When we reached my door, I fumbled with my keys, my hands trembling. Blake watched my failed attempts to get the key in the lock and delicately lifted them from me. “Here, let me.”
I didn’t say anything. I just looked at him, the uncertainty of what I was about to do swimming through my mind.
The door popped open, and Blake stretched out his hand. “After you.”
With trepidation, I stepped over the threshold, rubbing my shaky, sweaty palms over my hips. I walked to the middle of the room and stood there in his blazer; the sleeves hung below my hands, the bottom hem falling below my shorts. I should probably have taken it off, but I didn’t want to. I was enjoying the way his scent was wearing off onto my skin, imbedding itself in my hair.
Blake stepped forward, his eyes soft and reassuring. “It’s just me, Angel. Relax.”
“I know,” I whispered, fiddling with the oversized sleeves.
We stood about five feet apart. A long awkward silence passed, neither of us brave enough to break the barrier. Something I needed to confess was knocking around in my head, fighting to make its way out. Finally, I figured it was better out in the open and decided now was as good a time as any.
I gulped and cleared my throat. “I have to tell you something. Something no one knows besides Jace. Not even the girls.” My voice was shaky as I continued to mangle the sleeves.
Blake’s stance sharpened. I’d never opened up to him before and I could see the eagerness in his eyes to know what I was about to share. “Okay. I told you, you can tell me anything.”
I inhaled a deep breath and dropped my hands that now tingled from loss of circulation. “I . . . I don’t have a boyfriend. I never did.”
I chanced a look up at him, expecting to see shock, but instead, he looked embarrassed as he averted his gaze from mine and shuffled his feet back and forth. “Yeah, I um . . . kinda knew that.”
I stared at him openmouthed. “Wait. You knew? But how? H-How’d you know?”
He puffed out his cheeks and expelled a big breath of air. Shoving his hands in his pockets, he rocked back on his heels. “Promise not to get mad?”
I wasn’t about to agree to that. I cocked an eyebrow and placed my hands on my hips, waiting for him to proceed.
“Remember that weekend after we first met when I wanted to hang out with you, but you told me you were going to see your boyfriend on Saturday? It was right after the night in the bar when you sang that song, and we got into the fight—”