Page 60 of Coveted

“Feels like I’m in a spaceship,” I murmur to myself.

He angles his face at me. “What did you say?”

“This car is like a spaceship.”

My comment seems to amuse him. He looks down at the glowing dash as if seeing it with new eyes.

“If you want to ride in a spaceship, I can make it happen,” he says, like it’s the most normal thing ever.

I can’t tell if he’s serious.

He probably is.

Nighttime turns everything to black velvet, the moon shining like an eye.

Lucan drives as though he has nine lives. It’s dark enough that I can pretend he doesn’t see me, even though I feel his gaze on me periodically.

“Does it bother you what people think about you?” I ask. “There are all kinds of rumors.”

“It doesn’t bother me what people think about anything,” he replies.

“Even if they believe you do evil things for fun?”

“Evil things,” he says with a snort. “Like what?”

“You chased me through the forest for fun,” I say. “You ordered me to sit on the table at Altar for fun.”

“I chased you because you ran. And I let you off easy at Altar. I didn’t touch you at all, remember?”

“For as long as I live, I will never, ever forget a single moment inside that parlor with you.”

“Good,” he says without a tinge of remorse. “Neither will I.”

Heat washes up my neck. Staring from the window, I pray for him to drive even faster, just so the ride can end.

“You’re so prissy,” he says.

“No, I’m not.”

I might be inexperienced with men, but I’m not uptight. It’s Lucan specifically who makes me uncomfortable. He’s the problem.

He lowers his voice. “Are you a virgin?”

“The way you constantly strive to outdo your own creepiness would be impressive, if it weren’t so disgusting.”

“Yeah, yeah, I’m a fucking creep,” he says with a sigh. “Answer the question. How many people have you slept with?”

He drastically slows the car as he waits for an answer, prolonging my torture.

“None of your business,” I say.

“Three?”

I’m silent.

“Seven?” he guesses.

I say nothing.