Page 109 of His Temptation

“Don’t talk with your mouth full.”

“Evading the question, I see.” Ryan swallowed the bite and took a drink of water before curving his arms against his torso and flapping them like wings. “Bawk. Bawk.”

“Keep that up and you’re buying lunch.”

Ryan snorted. “Really, though, Dad. Call him. I talked to him yesterday, and he asked about you.”

“He did?”

“Yep. I told him you were shacking up with that blond bastard.”

My stomach dropped. “You better be joking.”

“I am. Man, you should see your face.” Ryan laughed. “I told him you were working on another big case. He seemed happy we were talking again and stuff.”

“I plan on reaching out to him,” I said.

“But?”

“ButI don’t want to be a distraction right now. I know how much school means to him.”

“Whatever,” Ryan said, eyeing me. “I guarantee he’d love to hear from you. Just sayin’.”

Truth be told, I was afraid. It had been a month since I’d talked to Cason. What if he didn’t want me anymore? Fuck, what if he was dating someone else? The next time we saw each other, it would be extremely awkward.

After dinner, I dropped Ryan off at his dorm and began the drive back home. I turned on the radio and smiled as I recognized the god-awful song that played. It was one of Cason’s favorites. I glanced over at the passenger’s seat of my Lexus, remembering the way he looked as he sat there. I remembered the wide grin he gave me as he reached over and grabbed my hand.

I tightened that same hand on the steering wheel. It felt cold now.

When I got home, I went to my room and sat on the edge of the bed, still trapped in my memories of Cason. His laugh, his warmth, and the amazing way he made my heart soar with just a look.

Quit being a coward and call him.

Seeing the low battery on my phone, I opened the nightstand drawer to grab my charger and froze. The bottle of lube was tucked inside, still with the crazy face Cason had drawn on the side with a sharpie.

“Hey, Larry Junior,” I said, taking it from the drawer. “Pretty sure I’m insane for talking to an inanimate object, but I’m kind of missing the guy who gave you that goofy face.”

Then an idea struck, and I jumped off the bed to run into the kitchen and open the junk drawer. I rifled through it until I found the duct tape, and then I went back into the bedroom.

Cason had pulled a ridiculous stunt to get me to talk to him at the beginning of our relationship. Only fitting for me to do the same to get him back.

Chapter 25

Cason

“I’m thinking of inviting Faith to the anime con in Northwest Arkansas next month,” Vincent said as we sat in our dorm. “Do you think she’d be into that?”

“You really have to ask? I can hear her freaking out about it now. Just prepare yourself for the epic fangirling, and I’m sure she’ll want to cosplay.”

A shy smile crossed his face, and he looked back at his World History textbook.

I had only known Vincent for two weeks, but he’d already become a good friend. To both me and Faith. The three of us ate dinner together in the dining hall each night and hung out after classes. Sometimes Faith came to our room, and other times we met her at a coffee shop to do homework and catch up.

“You wouldn’t be, like, mad or anything if I liked her, right?” Vincent asked.

I smiled at his question. Faith had a huge crush on him and would flip shit when she learned he felt the same. “Not at all. Go for it.”

“Awesome. My cousin’s gay by the way,” he added. “I could set you guys up sometime. You’re totally his type.”