Page 45 of Truly

Excitement blooms in my stomach as I reach the top of the stairs.

What will he say? What will his reaction be?I’m not the little girl he remembers.

“Pepperoni is good,” I say, my voice perfectly detached. I don’t look at him as I take the first step. “Anything but sardines and onions I can?—”

“Holy fuck.”

I win. I lift my chin and pretend not to hear him clamor to sit upright. “Handle.”

“For fuck’s sake, Laina.Damn.”

I glance at him over my shoulder, knowing full well he’s about to get a glimpse of my bare ass as I walk by. “What’s wrong, Luke?”

“Stop it.Just stop it,” he says, the words ending on a growl. “No. Don’t stop it. Come here instead.”

“I’m going to get a glass of tea. Do you want anything?”

“Yeah. But it isn’t tea.”

He scrambles to his feet as I round the corner and out of his view.

I make myself a drink I’m wholly uninterested in to keep busy. I want him to want me.I want him to sweat.

“Did you order the pizza?” I ask sweetly. “I’m starving.”

“I can’t … what?”

I look over my shoulder. He’s leaning against the doorframe, his mouth agape.

“Pizza,” I say slowly. “You were ordering pizza. Remember?”

“Nope. I don’t.” His gaze drags down my body inch by inch. “I don’t even remember my name right now.Damn, Laina. You are fucking gorgeous.”

I grin. “Thanks. This is just a little something I found in my suitcase.”

Luke runs a hand over his chin and laughs faintly. “I can’t even find words. I feel like a fool.”

“You are a fool. You could’ve had this last night, but you turned me down.” I smile smugly and wink at him. “Now order the pizza so I can go to bed with a hot piece tonight.”

“Is that how you’re going to play this?”

“I’m not playing anything, Luke.”

Even if he couldn’t see my face, he would know unequivocally that I am, in fact, playing with him. I couldn’t keep the taunt out of my voice if I tried.And I try.

“This isn’t playing fair,” he says.

“Life isn’t fair.”

“I was doing the right thing. I wanted to make sure you weren’t doing something you’d regret.”

I level my gaze at him. “Do you want to know what I think it was?”

“I just told you what it was.”

“Hmm ... I don’t think so.” I lick my bottom lip. “I think you were making sure you weren’t doing somethingyou’dregret.”

His eyes blaze.