Page 34 of Taken With Trouble

I take two deliberate steps away from him. “If you insist.”

Five minutes later, he places a cup in front of me at the counter then turns to get his own.

“Is it poisoned?” I ask, dropping the powder into mine while his back is turned. I stuff the toilet paper in my pants then give the tea a quick stir.

“Try it and find out.” He turns with a flourish, raising his cup to his lips.

“So…” I run my finger along the rim of the teacup. “You won’t mind trading?”

His eyes flash with something. Excitement? “Not at all.” He lowers his cup and slides it across the counter as I do the same. We eye each other as we lift theporcelain cups. Neither one of us wants to be the first to crack. But his brows are raised and waiting to call my bluff. I have to sell it.

I take a little sip and try not to gag on the horrid plant juice, which is harder to do when his eyes trace every little movement I make. It’s eerie. I pull the cup away from my lips, licking the nonexistent excess. His gaze snaps back to mine.

“Is that all you’re going to drink?”

“Why? Does the poison only work if I consume the whole cup?”

He simply raises the cup to his lips… and chugs. I take it as a challenge and drain the rest of the tea in one long, scalding, disgusting gulp.

“Sweet dreams.” He smiles.

“Goodnight.” I grin right back, then stand and head down the hall to his room.

But he follows me.

“What are you doing?” I whirl on him.

“Let’s call this what it is.” He steps forward until his solid chest brushes mine. “Neither of us trusts each other, so we are both going to sleep right here in this king-sized bed.”

I can’t think straight with him this close. The warmth of his body is distracting and not entirely unenjoyable. But wrong. Completely wrong.

“Fine.” I agree, if only to get him away from me. I shove him back then spin on my heel and walk into the room. I’m exhausted, and my body hurts from jumping out of a car and being knocked out a ridiculous amount of times in the last forty-eight hours. The bed looks like heaven. Too bad I won’t be enjoying it.

I yank the atrocious throw pillows off the neatly made bed, then line them down the middle.

“What are you doing?” he asks, humor evident in his voice.

“Creating a wall.”

“Worried you’ll put the moves on me in your sleep?”

I scoff. “It’s clearly the opposite.”

He slips into my periphery, pulling a lock of hair out of my face. “Oh Cruz, not even a wall the size of China would keep you safe from me.”

A shiver runs through my body, slamming to a halt in my midsection with something akin to desire. But that can’t be right. I do not desire Liam in that way. He’s good with words and manipulation.

I flick him away, lifting the covers. “You get the other side.”

“Only one problem.” He grabs my hand, stopping me. “Thisis my side.” My back is against his chest, his warm breath brushing my cheek. It takes everything in me not to cave or cower.

I clear my throat. “I always sleep closest to the door.”

“Me too.” He runs his fingers up my arm. “Seems we’re at an impasse. Shall we kiss for it?”

I spin around, landing my elbow in his stomach. He only laughs as I unwillingly take the other side of the bed. I refuse to look at him as I lie on my side, turned away from him.

“Sleeping with your shoes on?” he muses. “How relaxing.”