Page 44 of Collided (Dirty Air 2)

“We both don’t want a friendship. Friends don’t feel how we do about each other.” His nonchalance pisses me off.

“Well, I do. Just because we’re attracted to each other doesn’t mean anything more than that.”

“Glad you admitted how you’re into me. Was it that hard?” He smiles at me.

Well, shit.

“I didn’t mean…”

He tilts his head to the side. “It’s okay to let go and have fun.”

At what expense? His brand of fun looks a lot like missed calls, other women, and an end-of-season trophy of being the biggest loser.

I straighten my spine and look him straight in the eyes. “If you keep making things weird, I won’t hang out with you anymore.”

He laughs, his eyes sparkling. “We both know that won’t happen when you like me too much and I find you too fucking irresistible.”

I hate how handsome he looks. Almost as much as I hate the way my heartbeat picks up while looking at him, silently acknowledging how much my body craves the things he shared today. I really dislike how his words burn inside of me and eat away at my reasoning.

“I’m leaving now. If I don’t answer any of your apology texts, it’s because I’m ignoring your ass until Canada.”

His laugh is the last thing I hear before I shut the door of his suite. My back presses against the metal frame, my hand clutching onto my star necklace while I gather my thoughts.

Holy shit. What the hell is happening here?

* * *

I flip my pillow over, craving the cool side as I toss and turn in bed. My mind won’t calm down, my thoughts reeling from my earlier conversation with Liam, wondering if he stays awake thinking of me.

What the hell did he do, opening up Pandora’s box, letting out our hidden desires?

Okay…more like my hidden desires.

I lie on my back and stare at the ceiling. My eyes close as my fingers trail the hem of my underwear, running across the cotton. Thoughts of Liam take over, of him getting himself off to the idea of me, of him staying up late thinking of me. I dip a finger inside of my underwear and press my thumb against my clit. My other hand rubs against my pebbled nipples, goosebumps breaking out across my skin as I think of Liam touching me. My finger brushes against my entrance before dipping inside of me.

My phone buzzing on the nightstand interrupts me. I ignore it, choosing to focus on my task, but the repeated vibrating disturbs me. The charger rips from the wall as I rush to grab my phone, not looking before answering.

“What?” my hoarse voice croaks.

“I’m sorry for being a dick earlier. I didn’t mean to flirt with you… Well, that’s a lie. But I didn’t mean to make you uncomfortable with me. Don’t ignore me. Please?” Liam’s voice carries through the speaker.

My cheeks warm as I think of what I was doing minutes before. Here he is apologizing when I’m just as guilty of doing what he admitted earlier, thinking of him while getting myself off. What a messed-up situation.

I groan. “It’s okay. Let’s pretend it didn’t happen.”

“But what if I don’t want to pretend?”

My heart clenches at his vulnerability. “We aren’t pretending in general; we’re only ignoring what happened today.”

“Just like you want to ignore what you’re doing awake at three in the morning, your voice strained and needy?”

No freaking way he knows what I’m up to. He fishes for a response, testing my control. Don’t give in.

“Liam…stop.” My breathy voice fails to hide how I feel.

“Admit it. You were touching yourself. I dare you to lie to me.”

“Nope,” I say fast. Too freaking fast.