Exit Stage Six: A Contemporary New Adult Romance Novella Read Online Free PDF

brutally
beautiful. His tattoos were bright against my white sheets where his shoulder
lay nearest me, the expanse of his back muscled without being over developed
was smooth and unmarked. His one arm, the one sleeve was his only tattoo that I
could see.
    I smoothed his hair gently off of his eye, and arranged it
artfully along the side of his face, his long lashes a dark crescent above the
sharp jut of his cheekbone. I lined up the shot, adjusted the focus… God the
light was perfect. I snapped the picture. His green eye opened at the
sound of the shutter, his lips curling into a smile at the corner and before I
lost the opportunity I captured that as well.
    “Really?” he asked sardonically.
    “You owed me two.” I said softly and he groaned. Cue
hangover misery. I thought to myself.
    “What time is it?” he asked.
    “Eight-thirty.” I said softly.
    “Don’t you have class?” he asked.
    “Some things are more important.” I said truthfully.
    “You’re too good.” He stated flatly and pushed himself up
and over, flopping onto his back. He stared at the ceiling for long moments.
    “Don’t even think about it.” he said when I raised my
camera. I laughed.
    “Why not?” I asked.
    “You said I owed you two.” He said holding up two fingers,
“You got them.”
    “You’ve been a dick more than two pictures worth.” I stated
dryly and he scowled.
    “I know.” He said and looked at me.
    “Why do you put up with my shit?” he asked.
    “Why do you keep shoveling it in my direction?” I countered.
    “I don’t know.” He said and he was frowning as he thought
about it.
    “Me either.” I said softly and raised my eyebrows, though I
had an idea... It felt like Evan Lake was testing me.
    He propped himself up on one elbow and winced. I went to
throw back the covers and get up but his hand shot out and grabbed my wrist to
stop me. Not hard, just there. Goosebumps swept up my arm from where he touched
me. I swallowed.
    “Sorry. Give me a minute before you do that.” He said and
swiftly let me go.
    “Uh, why?” I asked.
    “It’s first thing in the morning and I’m a guy.” He stated
dryly.
    “Oh.” I said frowning and then it dawned on me, “Oh!” he
laughed.
    “I like you L.B.” he said. I scowled.
    “What’s that supposed to mean?” I asked.
    “What that I like you?” he asked giving a luxurious stretch.
    “No, L.B.”
    “London Bridge.” He said and I frowned. He smiled.
    “Not sure I like that.” I said.
    “Noted.” He looked me over, really looked.
    “What?” I asked.
    “I know we didn’t but first thing in the morning, with your
hair all like that, you’ve got that freshly fucked look.” He said calmly. I
felt my eyebrows go up.
    “Come again?” I said.
    “That’s my fucked up way of telling you that you look
beautiful.” He said and cleared his throat. I felt myself color.
    “Oh. Thank you.” I said.
    “One day when I’m not so fucked up in the head, I’m going
to.” He said and got up. I frowned at his retreating back as he headed for my
bathroom.
    “Going to what?” I asked, heart in my throat.
    “Kiss you at the very least.” He said and I blinked as he
shut the bathroom door behind him.
    Well Hell.
    I pressed my thighs together around the sudden warmth at
their apex. I had mixed feelings over what he’d just said and unfortunately no
map with which to navigate through the tangle.
    I got out of bed and when he emerged from the bathroom had
it neatly made. He silently moved around the small space getting dressed. I got
him a glass of water, handed him two aspirin and started the coffee.
    I didn’t know what to say so I didn’t say anything…

Chapter 9
     
    It was a couple of days before I saw him again and when I
did it happened to be as I was bolting out the door to go to work. I locked the
door and spun to crash down the stairs when I crashed into Evan instead.
    “Woah!” his hands went automatically to my hips to steady
me.
    “Oh my God,