Page 39 of Slumming It

"Nothing."

I tried to laugh. "Oh, please. I'll need to tell hersomething."

"So tell her the same thing we'll tell everyone else."

"And what exactly is that?"

He paused as if thinking. Already, we had left the small downtown area firmly in the rear-view mirror. Ahead of us, the long country road loomed long and endless.Where were we going, anyway?

When I'd asked, he'd called it a fact-finding mission to check out the local landscape. When I tried to offer my own insights about the landmarks we'd passed along the way, he'd silenced me by saying that he wanted to see things for himself before hearing whatIhad to say.

So, why exactly was I here?

Probably I should have asked, but as far as questions went, I had a million more of higher priority. And he still hadn't answered my last one.

When another mile passed with no reply, I said, "Well? What's our story? What can I tell my family?"

Once again, his gaze shifted to mine. Something in his look made me feel just a little uncertain, like he was getting ready to shiv me in the shower.

My spine grew twitchy, and nervousness sharpened my tone. "Well?"

He returned his gaze to the road before saying in a casual sort of way, "We'll say that I'm slumming it."

Chapter 14

Emily

I stiffened in the passenger's seat. "Slumming it? You mean withme?"

His gaze remained on the road. "Yeah. Getting some townie ass. It's supposed to be wild, right?"

I turned in my seat to stare. "Townie ass?"

"Wildtownie ass," he corrected.

Speaking of asses, my own backside was suffering from one heck of a wedgie thanks to those godawful shorts. I envisioned burningthoseon a bonfire as I coldly informed him, "We're not saying that."

Sounding only mildly interested, he asked, "Why not?"

"Because it's not true."

His gaze slid in my direction, making me feel oddly naked as he replied in a voice as smooth as honey, "Baby,nothingabout this is true. Or did you forget?"

I swallowed.Baby?Why did that sound so sexy in spite of his open disdain? By now, I was so rattled, I could hardly think. "I didn't 'forget' anything. But therearelimits. You can't say that you're slumming it."

"Says who?"

"Saysme, that's who." I meant it, too. If that was to be our story, I could only imagine what my life would look like after he left town. Morgan and Nikki would never let me hear the end of it. Probably they'd give me a new nickname, like slummie or slumdog or something just as bad.

And this wasn't even the worst of it. I considered my own family. What wouldtheythink?

But of course, I knew the answer, which I felt compelled to voice aloud. "And my parents would be ashamed – and rightfully so."

He shrugged. "Fuck your parents."

My body grew suddenly rigid. "What?"

"You heard me. Fuck 'em. They're trash, too, right?"