Chapter 10 #2
"Maid for a week," I said as Tolliver stared at me. "I thought about it, and that's what I want from you. If you insist on helping and still want to hang around..."
He gave a curt nod.
"...then I have some things I need help with. I even made a list."
"How did you come up with this?"
I grinned. "Hazel told me to use you. It sounded like a good idea."
"Hmmm," he said, scanning the paper that I handed him. "I'll have to remember to thank her."
"Hopefully, it'll make you feel less guilty."
"I told you already. I'm not here out of guilt, Freya," he said.
"Aren't you?"
"Nope." Tolliver looked up from scanning my list and met my eyes. "But if it makes you feel better to think that, you can."
As he pushed my hair behind my ear, I shivered.
"I have my own reasons for being here."
"And those would be...?"
"Pretty sure you know," he said, leaning in, his voice deepening.
But before he could get too close, I drew back with a forced laugh.
"Well, after the week is over, I'm sure you'll be sick of me," I said.
Tolliver made a sound of disbelief. "Doubtful."
"Did you even read the list?"
"I skimmed it."
"So, do you agree?"
Surprising me, he grinned and took my hand. "Yes. I agree to be your maid for a week, Freya Kent. I will do anything you say—including the items on your list. And I'll even wear a maid's costume if you want."
I laughed at that. "Even the frilly white apron?"
"You know it."
"Not sure they make those in your size, Stone."
"I'm sure I could find something."
"That's okay," I said, patting his shoulder. "So long as you show up ready to work hard for me each day, that'll be good enough."
Tolliver's eyes sparkled. "I like hard work. Especially if it means being around you."
"We'll see."
"We will," he said then added, "my turn."
I blinked in surprise.
"About Sabrina's party," he began, "I had some thoughts."
"Okay."
"The goal is to convince your ex and everyone there that we're together, correct?"
I gave a slow nod, not understanding where he was going with this. "That kiss at the rink was pretty convincing."
"Yeah, but we can't just kiss the whole time," he said.
Why not? my heart whispered.
As if he could read my mind, Tolliver's lips tilted up. "I mean, unless you want to."
Face burning, I answered his first question and said, "My number one goal is to make it out alive, but yeah. I guess not getting caught in a lie would be nice."
He shrugged. "Then I think we should practice."
"Practice what exactly?" I asked.
"Being together," Tolliver said.
I looked around the empty living room. "Aren't we doing that now?"
"That's not what I mean. As much as I love reading with you—and I do, Kent—we should get to know each other better, in different settings, before Saturday."
I frowned, and Tolliver shook his head with a smile.
"Okay," he said, "I can see you're not following."
"It feels like you're confusing me on purpose."
"I'm not, I promise."
"What other settings? What does that even—"
"I want to take you out," Tolliver said.
No hesitation.
Confidence in every word.
The space around us went silent after his declaration. You could've heard a pin drop, and the more I stared at him, the more charged that silence felt. Tolliver's eyes were intent as he held my gaze.
"When you say 'take out,'" I repeated.
"Yeah," he said.
"That could mean a lot of things."
"It could."
"Do you mean 'take out' like a hitman or...like a date?"
Tolliver bit back a laugh. "The second one."
"Oh."
I felt hot all over, and when he squeezed my fingers, I realized he was still holding my hand.
"So, we'd be practicing for our fake date on Saturday?" I asked.
Tolliver was obviously trying not to laugh. "That's the idea."
"I...would be good with that."
"You sure?" he said.
"Yeah, it's a smart idea actually," I said, finally taking my hand back, putting some distance between us. "It would make the lie more believable. Good thinking."
"Mmm. Although, I did have another thought."
"What?"
"Not sure you're ready for it."
I scoffed. "Please."
"It's just an idea."
Lifting a brow, I echoed his words from earlier, "I'm listening."
Tolliver sent me a grin that was like a shot to the heart. "We could turn the lie into a truth, hang out for real."
My jaw dropped.
"You okay, Kent?"
"Yeah," I breathed, sifting through what he'd said. "Did you just...?"
"Ask you out for real?" Tolliver nodded. "Yeah, I did."
As I stared at him, he shrugged.
"Too much?"
"No, I just need to process."
"Okay."
After a moment, I met his gaze. "I don't think you'll feel the same after you get to know me."
His brow furrowed, but before he could say anything, I held up a hand.
"And even if you did," I said, "I don't date jocks."
Picking up the paperback on the table, I opened it to where we'd left off previously. Tolliver came closer, basically closing the distance between us on the couch so he could reach the pages, and I dared a look at his face. "You ready to read?"
"Yeah."
He settled in, both of us acting as if nothing happened.
Yet I couldn't help but ask...
"Are you mad at me? For what I said?"
"Freya, no."
"Really?"
"Really." I looked back at him, and a beat passed. Then Tolliver gave me a quiet smile and said, "I think I'll enjoy changing your mind."