Chapter Eight
Ω Blakely Ω
The mixed signals that Bronx always sends out messes with my head. He was this way when we were friends in high school, too. Always going back and forth. Flirting heavily with me, and then not. Keeping me right beside him, and then not caring what I do.
Talk about whiplash.
“Do you have a boyfriend?” Bronx blurts out randomly.
I snap my head to him. “What?”
“Do you have a boyfriend?” he repeats.
“No?”
“Why is there a question mark at the end of that sentence?” Bronx sits on the bed beside me. “If you don’t want to talk about it, we don’t have to.”
“I don’t have a boyfriend. There was a question mark at the end of that sentence because your question kind of threw me off guard. That’s all. Do you have a girlfriend?” I ask him.
He was a big player in school. And with him being a town hero? I’m sure he has girls throwing themselves at him all the time.
“No. I don’t date.” He chuckles. “I’ve never really been a big dater. Do you think you failed as a romance writer because you’ve never dated anyone?”
I laugh hard at that. “Firstly, how do you know that I’ve never dated anyone?”
There’s no way he would’ve been able to figure that out. Bronx brings out his usual smirk. “Have you ever dated anyone?”
“I have gone on dates,” I tell him.
The few people I’ve gone on dates with never lasted. Well obviously, because I’m single. There were a lot of reasons. I know what I deserve, and I won’t tolerate anything less than what I want.
Bronx turns to look at his TV before he pulls his phone out of his pocket. I’m sure to cast something for us to watch. “I think you should retry the whole writing thing,” Bronx tells me before he grins. “Ah ha! I found it!”
What was he looking up?
“What did you find?” I question.
Bronx smirks at me. “What do you think I found?”
He found my book that fast?
“Don’t you even think about getting that book,” I warn him.
“Oh yeah? What are you going to do if I do?” he teases.
It’s an empty threat. I wasn’t expecting an actual response from him.
“Uh…” I don’t know what I could even do to him.
Bronx leans back on his bed and puts his hands behind his head. His shirt tightens against his muscles. I can’t help but stare. He was fit before, but this is like a whole new level.
I’m not going to be able to stop staring at him. “Eyes up her, butterfly.” Bronx snaps his fingers at me.
I feel my cheeks turn pink. I need to do better at that. “I can’t help myself.” I shrug it off. “Look at you.”
Bronx shakes his head. “If you think you staring at me and imagining me naked is going to make me not buy your book, you are sorely mistaken.” He waves his phones in front of me.
I move for it, but he’s faster than me. Bronx holds it behind his head. That won’t stop me, though. I don’t want him reading that book. I honestly don’t want anyone reading it, but I haven’t had the time to reset the password on my account and remove it.
I straddle him and reach for the phone.
“I’m buying at least one copy,” he tells me.
“I won’t let you get the package when they deliver it.”
“How would you stop that? You don’t live with me,” he shoots back.
“Yeah, but you’re gone for at least forty-eight hours at a time a few days a week. Do you know how easy it would be to come over here and check for it while you’re gone?” I ask.
Super easy. I know the way to his house now. I don’t think his neighbors would even call the cops about it. I could just easily tell them that Bronx asked me to check for the package. See? Super easy.
“Do you know how easy it would be for me to get cameras?” He grins, keeping it going.
“What do you think a camera is going to do?”
“I could show it to the police.” Bronx boops my nose.
I laugh. “And what are the police going to do?” I tease. “My dad knows every single last one of them.”
Bronx chuckles his deep throaty chuckle. I love his laugh. It makes this feel just like old times.
“I keep forgetting your dad is my boss. Why don’t you want me to read your book? Be honest with me,” he tells me.
I go to move off of him, but his hands fly to my hips to keep me on top of him.
I’m surprised about that but stay where I am.
“Because I’m embarrassed about it. It was always my intention to remove the book from the website, but I don’t remember my information, and I haven’t had the time to go and try and reset it.
The book is awful. Can’t you just trust me about that? Besides, I thought you hated books.”
Bronx rubs his thumbs across my bare skin. “I hate books, but I would support you in anything you did. No matter if I hated doing something or not. That’s what best friends do, right?”
I smile at him. “That’s what best friends do. Didn’t take me long to go back to being your best friend again,” I tease him.
He laughs. “I wouldn’t want anyone else as my best friend. I promised you that’s always going to be your spot.”