59 parts Complete MatureBook #2 of Dueling Desires series
It all started with a dare. Of course, it did.
"Come on, Lemi. I dare you," Grace grinned, nudging me at the party. "I bet you wouldn't last five minutes in a room with him. He'd drive you crazy."
"Please," I scoffed, rolling my eyes. "He's not that bad. Besides, I've seen worse."
Grace arched an eyebrow, mischief dancing in her eyes. "I don't know. He's Aiden Finn. The guy has a way of getting under people's skin."
I found myself standing by the bar, sitting next to the one person I had no business approaching.
Aiden didn't even glance up when I sat beside him, completely focused on his phone. Typical.
"You gonna keep pretending I'm not here?" I said, my voice dripping with sarcasm.
He finally looked up, slow and deliberate, and when our eyes met, there was that trademark smirk. "Didn't realize you were that desperate for my attention, Tsukumo."
Ugh. That tone. Smug, infuriating, and annoyingly attractive-if you were into that kind of thing. Which I was not.
"I'm just here to make sure your ego stays in check," I shot back, crossing my arms. "Not everything's about you, Finn."
He chuckled, and for a second, I almost forgot why I found him so irritating.
"You sure about that?" he said, leaning closer. His voice dropped to a low murmur, the kind that made my heart skip for reasons I'd rather not admit. "Because it looks like you've been watching me all night."
I rolled my eyes, trying to ignore the way his words sent a shiver down my spine. "Please. I don't know why anyone falls for your act."
Aiden's gaze lingered, like he was trying to figure me out, leaning back with that casual confidence I hated. "Maybe they know something you don't."
I raised an eyebrow. "Oh yeah? And what's that?"
He locked eyes with me, his smirk fading into something more serious, more intense. "That you're just like me. You're scared of letting anyone in."
For a second, I froze. His words like he could see straight through me. But no.
