Lost King by Piper Lennox (best self help books to read .TXT) 📕

Hotter than sin.

Sexy in all the big, obvious ways...but the tiny details, too.

The best, most thorough fuck a girl can possibly imagine.

“Yeah, well.” He blushes again, rearranging our blanket so it drapes across both our laps in the early chill. “I used to do the casual sex thing a lot. But it got old. I got tired of it not meaning anything.”

Huh. This, I can certainly relate to. Sex with Callum always felt the same way: just fulfilling a physical need. If that.

“You said ‘karma’s a bitch,’” Theo chuckles suddenly, drawing a breath through his teeth as he stretches, “and man, it sure is. Because what that girl did to me? I used to do it all the time, myself.”

He looks at me, a streak of shame in his eyes like a comet. “I was kind of an asshole to girls, when I was younger.”

My heart bobs into my throat. It’s become a ball of razor wire, coated in cinnamon coffee and that old, simmering anger.

“Really,” I say, but Theo misses the tone completely. He thinks I’m actually asking. He thinks this information surprises me in any way.

Well, it does…but not the info itself. Just that he’d have the self-awareness to know it, name it, and admit it.

“Yeah.” He cracks his knuckles against each of his wrists. “I’d kind of string girls along, knowing full well they thought shit was serious, then drop them when I was ready to move on. Or I’d hook up with two girls behind their backs and just, like, totally ruin their friendship. I’d tell myself it was their problem, not mine. I was selfish.”

The redness of his skin deepens. “This was back in high school, though. Not like that makes it okay—just saying, I haven’t been like that for a long time.”

Oh, you mean you’ve totally reformed? No more filming your exploits, or hooking up with fat, nerdy girls for a laugh?

I wish this thought came with the anger it used to. I would kill for that uncomplicated fury again.

But all I keep hearing is how Theo talked about his mom’s blog—the pain in his voice, hidden in sarcasm and laughter, at having his life exposed to the entire world by someone he trusted.

On the one hand, it makes what he did to me even worse, because he knew how it felt.

But on the other...maybe it makes sense. Like how bullied kids can turn into bullies themselves.

“What about you?” He pulls the blanket up to my chin when he notices I’m shivering. “When was your last opportunity?”

I do the math. “A few weeks ago. Right before we met.”

Theo nods, but I catch the pull of his mouth as he chews his cheek. I smile and elbow him.

“Jealous?”

He nudges me back. “About as jealous as you secretly were, asking me about Fourth of July.”

When I sink down into the couch, defeated, he takes my cup and kisses me.

“But not too jealous,” he whispers.

The taste of him on my lips is deep and smooth, like the espresso. I start second-guessing my whole “let’s not fuck the day away” plan. “Why not?”

“Because whoever that guy was, he’s not here now.” Theo sets my mug down somewhere without even looking—without, for one second, taking his mouth off my neck. “I am.”

19

After breakfast, Ruby asks if she can shower. I’m tempted to join her, but as soon as I show her around Dad’s bathroom she gets this weird look that makes me think she’d rather bathe without me.

“Towels are in here,” I add as I leave, knocking my hand against a cabinet.

“I know. You said that, already.”

“Did I?” I genuinely can’t remember. My brain’s too busy thinking up ways to keep her here all day. Maybe all night again, too.

After showering in one of the guest baths, I pull on jeans and a white Henley with both buttons missing. It’s a size too small, fitted tight to the chest.

“A lost-and-found castaway,” I explain when I come downstairs. “All I packed were summer clothes.”

Ruby stares while I roll the cuffs up to my elbows, trying to disguise the fact the sleeves are too short. “It, uh….” She clears her throat, flustered. “It still looks good on you.”

“I can tell, with the way you’re staring at me.”

“So? You’re staring at me.”

“I am. And if I get my way, I’ll get to keep doing it until tomorrow morning, too.” I slide her plate of unfinished Pop-Tarts the length of the counter. She catches it. “Now that we’re all clean…feel like getting dirty again?”

She tamps her smile. “Never did call out of work, actually. I’m debating whether or not I should go.”

“I vote ‘no.’” I check the clock on the fridge display. It’s ridiculous: this house, purchased exclusively for vacations where no one has anywhere to be, has more clocks than all our other properties combined. “You’re already late, right? Might as well skip the whole shift.”

Warily, she slides onto one of the island stools and takes tiny little bird-bites of her food.

I sock-skate closer, skidding to a stop right in front of her. “Please stay.”

“I don’t know.” Through her damp hair, I catch her glance at me. “Probably not the best idea.”

“Wholeheartedly disagree.” I fold my arms on the counter and rest my head there, leaning until she’s got no choice but to look at me again. “Do you like me, Ruby?”

“Thought we covered that last night.”

I take her hand when she reaches for the food again. “No—I know you want me. I know there’s sexual attraction between us. And I know my body is extremely good at making