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I turn to the door and open it. Ford glances up and stares at me for a few seconds too long. His eyes widen, just a hint, and I feel myself blushing. He licks his lips, tilts his head and lowers his phone, and he’s about to say something, make some stupid joke, but I cut him off before he does.
“I want to make a rule,” I say loudly.
“Okay,” he says and puts his phone aside. “You have my attention.”
I chew on my lip and wring my hands together before holding them out, palms up. “Let’s pretend there’s an invisible line down the middle of the bed. That invisible line is made up of sharks—”
“Sharks?”
“Very hungry sharks with a taste for human flesh.”
“Why not lasers? Or lava?”
“Sharks are scarier. Can you just?” I glare at him and put my hands on my hips.
“Fine, okay, shark line.”
“I want you toswearyou won’t cross that line. You’ll respect the sharks. Fear the sharks even. You willnotcome to my side of the bed tonight under any circumstances.”
A smile quirks his scarred lips. “What if you ask me to?”
“Assume I’m under duress and refuse to comply. Remind me about the sharks.”
“What ifIwant to?”
“Sharks.”
He sighs and runs a hand through his hair, and I reconsider this idea but only for a second. One nice arm isn’t going to change my mind, even if it’s averynice arm. “Okay. I swear I won’t cross the invisible line, but sooner or later we’ll have to call an exterminator to take care of the sharks.”
“Let’s just give it some time, okay?” I move toward the bed, feeling a little bit better. “I’m still new at this.” I climb in and pull the sheets over me and lie there staring at the ceiling not sure what the hell we do now.
Ford hesitates then turns off the light. The room plunges into darkness. “Have you ever shared a bed with a man before?” he asks.
“That’s an extremely rude and personal question.”
He laughs softly and shifts down lower. “That’s a no.”
“Don’t be a jerk. I’ll move the sharks closer to your side.”
“Have you ever had a serious boyfriend? Oh, god, don’t tell me our kiss was your first kiss.”
I glare at him as my eyes adjust to the darkness. He’s looking at me with a massive smirk. “That wasnotmy first kiss, you prick.”
“I figured. You’re much too good of a kisser for you to be completely inexperienced.”
I hesitate and shimmy slightly. “I’m a good kisser?”
“An extremely good kisser.”
“You have a lot of experience then? I mean, with, uh, kissing.”
“Yes, Kat, I havea lotof experience.” His eyes are practically shining in the darkness and I bite my lip trying to imagine Ford with his countless women. I feel a pang of jealousy, but that’s crazy, right? He might’ve gone through dozens of flings and one-night stands, but here I am alone in his bed with him, wearing his ring—
And I don’t care about any of this, he doesn’t mean anything to me, this is just a mutually beneficial arrangement, and I have to keep reminding myself of that.
We lapse into silence. I’m intensely aware of him on his side of the invisible shark line. Each breath, each movement, everything is magnified tenfold. I last maybe thirty seconds before I ask him, “What were you thinking that night? When you came into my cab?”
He glances at me and doesn’t seem surprised by my question. “I wanted to get your attention.”
