Page 20 of Tempted

***Raven***

I feel like a kid in the candy shop…onChristmas and my birthday rolled into one. I got a couple books IwantedandI didn’t have to pay for them.Sweet. Hejust found the way to my heart. No. Not heart. What he’s after is alittle farther south. Although lately, he seems different. Thejealousy, the way he talks…he wouldn’t be like this if he didn’tcare, right? Could he possibly want something more?No. I can’tthink like this. That’s how I’ll end up getting hurt. He likes meand I like him. Let’s just leave it at that.

He walks back in, wearing those sexy-as-sinboxer shorts that don’t leave much to the imagination. I lick mylips and watch as he climbs into bed.

“Put away the phone. Book time is over.”

“Oh? What time is it?”

“Gage time.”

I burst out laughing, and he raises a curiousbrow.

“What’s so funny?”

“I just got this image in my head of yousaying that while doing the ‘Hammer-time’ dance.”

I gasp as he grabs me by the waist and pullsme to him. Nothing is funny anymore. In fact, I don’t even rememberwhy I was laughing. He takes my phone and places it next to his onthe nightstand.

“I. Don’t. Dance. Got it?”

“Got it,” I whisper.

He laces his fingers through my hair thengently trails his index finger down my cheek.

“You’re beautiful, you know that?”

“So you keep telling me.”

“And I won’t stop.”

Tremors run through my body as I stare intohis eyes. With just a look, he makes me feel like the mostbeautiful woman in the world.

“Tell me something about you,” he says in alow voice.

“What do you want to know?”

“Everything.”

“Wow…that’s specific.” He leans in and bitesinto my bottom lip. “Ow!”

“Keep it up. I might put you over my kneeyet.”

“Okay, okay. Where should I start?”

“Tell me about back home.”

I shrug, not really knowing what to say. “Mydad raised me and Lonnie. She left when she turned eighteen, andthen for a long time it was just me and him.”

“How’d he die?”

“Killed in the line of duty…armed robberygone wrong.”

“What about your mom?”

“Never met her.”

“How come?”