Whoa. I froze. That came out of nowhere.


    Hayden wasn’t just bold–he was downright blunt.


    My heart was hammering, and before I could even process it, I blurted, “Why?


    He swallowed, his throat bobbing. “I just don’t want to be away from you.”


    It was so simple, almost too honest. I guess when you’re into someone, it’s like you can’t stand to


    be apart, even for a minute.


    “But I’m not the kind of girl who just casually does stuff like that,” I said, not even thinking about it.


    Hayden’s face tightened, and his ears turned this cute shade of pink. It was kind of hrious how he


    could be so straightforward yet blush so easily.


    “I didn’t mean it like that,” he said, tripping over his words. “I just… I want to be with


    you.


    I bit my lip, trying not tough. Seeing him all flustered made me want to mess with him more. “So,


    you’re saying you want to stay over, sleep in the same bed, but, like, just talk under the covers?”


    He cleared his throat. “Pretty much.”


    “Can you promise that?” My questions were getting bolder by the second.


    But, hey, they were legit questions.


    Hayden said, “Why don’t you find out?”


    I was speechless. Well, okay then.


    Besides, wasn’t I the one testing him before, wondering if he’d think about me that way?


    “I’m gonna grab my stuff from my ce. You’re not gonna lock me out, are you?” Hayden asked,


    still totally unbothered.


    I raised an eyebrow. “Just don’t chicken out.”


    His smile widened. “I won’t.”


    As he went to grab his stuff, I leaned against the bathroom sink, trying to steady my breathing. My


    mind was racing, and I wasn’t sure if I was ready to go that far with Hayden tonight.


    ‘She made a move, but I’m not into her.” Jace’s words from before echoed in my head, sharp and


    painful, Jike a thorn digging into my chest every time I remembered them.


    It made me wonder if there was something wrong with me, if I really was that unappealing, that I


    couldn’t even make a guy want me.


    Feeling a surge of determination, I slipped into a ckcy nightgown that was more daring than


    anything I’d worn before.


    Tonight, I wanted to make him lose his mind over me.


    With that thought, I opened the door and stepped out. Hayden was already back, dressed in his


    pajamas.


    11


    *25 BONUS


    Our eyes locked, and in that split second, I knew Hayden’s heart was probably pounding as hard as


    mine.


    I wanted to stride over confidently, but my legs were practically jello.


    Before I could do anything, Hayden was already moving toward me. His Adam’s apple bobbed as


    he picked me up without a word.


    I instinctively grabbed his shirt, and as I got closer, I caught the scent of his soap–clean, simple,


    and totally different from Jace’s.


    Jace always smelled like that fancy, artisanal stuff, but Hayden’s scent was familiar andforting,


    the kind you get from everyday brands. Stronger, more grounding.


    Between the scent and the sudden rush of being lifted, my head spun for a second, leaving me


    breathless.


    Hayden carried me toward the bedroom, and with every step, my heart felt like it was about to burst


    out of my chest. I held on tighter, barely processing what was happening. “Why are you carrying


    me? I can walk, you know.”


    As soon as the words left my mouth, I cringed. Way to ruin the moment.


    “Afraid you’ll chicken out and bolt,” Hayden teased, his tone knowing, like he’d read my mind.


    N?velDrama.Org owns this.


    I pressed my face against his chest, refusing to back down. “If I wanted to run, I wouldn’t have let


    you in.”


    “My bad, then,” he shot back with that easy confidence, not missing a beat.


    My cheeks burned as he carried me to the bed and set me down gently, his eyes never leaving


    mine.


    But he didn’t move away, Instead, he just looked at me, his gaze intense