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8

JACK

W hat does this dumb bunny want? I’m starting to worry that agreeing to meet up with him again might not be the best way to get rid of him. But it will be fine. I’m confident that I know how to make him back off.

I was more than a little surprised to see him come into the nature center like he was on a mission, especially when he made a beeline for me. I was all set to dismiss him — tell him to kick rocks, pound salt, take his stupid ideas and werewolf-dick fantasies back to wherever the hell he came from, but something stopped me at the last second.

And by something, I mean his face. Specifically, his eyes: Big and blue with an annoyingly sweet blend of fear, determination and desire tumbling around in them. I tried my best to shoot him down, but the little shit looked so upset I went against my better judgment and relented. Maybe one more go-round will get this out of both of our systems. Because if I’m being honest, the other night is still blazing in my mind — infuriating and incendiary.

I did need to put him off for a few days though, because as soon as I agreed, wheels started turning in my head. Once he’s out the door and I can see him getting back into his car, I grab my phone and navigate to a browser. Ugh, my search algorithm is never going to be the same after this.

“Oh, Bunny,” I mutter under my breath as I click. “You don’t have the slightest idea what you’re hopping into.” He doesn’t know what he’s asking for, or have the slightest idea that he’s getting in way, way over his head — which I’ll make sure he is. That’s the key to making this work, because this situation is getting untenable.

I douse the flicker of guilt inside of me. I need to scare him off. I can’t let this wild hair of a tryst become, well, a thing between us. It can’t become entrenched, because I don’t need to deal with this.

I don’t need another entanglement, another person in my life. Especially not a whiny little rich boy. I’m kicking myself for even letting his stupid puppy-dog eyes sway me just now into agreeing to a next time.

It’s a slippery slope. Way too risky. Because I know what will happen if I keep doing this. My hunger for pain, my craving to see him hurt, will demand that I drag him ever deeper to satisfy that appetite — until a day when I push him too far and everything blows up in my face.