Dallas comes behind me and swipes some hair off my neck. My entire body shivers, and I stand straight, prepared to walk away, but his arms band around my waist. “I came here because I like him, and I like you, and I’m sick of waiting for you to reach out to me.”

“You don’t like me. You just want to get laid.”

“I won’t deny that I want to fuck you because I do, Shelby. I want to fuck you, and only you. Bad. But that’s not the only reason I can’t stop thinking about you. And you can fight with me and pretend you’re not gettin’ wet right now, but I know if I stuck my hands down your pants, you’d be drenched because you want me as much as I want you. You’re just too afraid to admit it. So what we’re gonna do is eat some steaks, and yeah, I know you lied about being a vegetarian, but I don’t care about that right now. After steaks, we’re going to eat cake that I know is going to be gross, then you’re going to open your presents—”

“What presents?”

“Shh. You’re gonna open your presents, then we’ll watch a movie until he goes to bed, then I’m gonna take you to your bed.”

Luckily, he can’t see my face because my eyes are squeezed shut, trying desperately to block out how much I like the image of him in my bed. If I could close my ears the same way, I would. I like what I’m hearing from him too much, so much that I believe him even though I shouldn’t.

“Then I’m gonna give you two or three, maybe even four more presents before you give me my early birthday present. Or belated, whichever way you want to look at it.” He nips at my skin, and I shiver all the way down to my toes.

“What presents?” I’m so flustered that I legitimately have no clue what he’s talking about. “When’s your birthday?”

With a chuckle, he grazes his lips over the skin on my neck, and he presses a kiss there. “Orgasms, Shelby. I’m gonna make you feel good and give you a bunch of orgasms, then I’m gonna fuck you. That’s my present.”

“I’m not a whore.” It takes all of my strength to turn around, but I do it. “You might be used to women throwing themselves at you and spreading their legs because you blink at them, but that’s not me. I have morals. I have a kid to think about, and I have self-respect.”

His stupid lips tilt up in a smirk. “I never said you were a whore, and trust me, I’m not treating you like one. But you are a woman.” He crowds me into the counter. “And you have needs. We all do. I just wanna take care of them for you. All of them.”