Hatred With Benefits novel Chapter 19

EVA.

"Are you okay?" Dan asks as I take my seat and I nod with an assuring smile. "I am. "

Dan responds with one of his before turning to Noel to continue their conversation, and my eyes move behind him to see the booth empty.

He left. And my lips still tingle from his earlier sudden kiss.

"What's on your mind?" Dan's voice pulls me out of my thoughts and I drop my gaze to see him leaning forward.

"Stuff. " I shrug and he hums. "Does that stuff includes how hot Dan is and how you can't wait to get your hands on him?" He lifts his brows with a mischievous smile on his face.

"So fucking far from it. " I emphasize the words and Dan wears a hurtful expression. "So you mean you don't want to follow me to my place after this?"

I lean towards him. "I don't want to come with you to your place after this. "

Dan throws a hand over his chest. "That's painful, Eva. You're breaking my heart so soon already. "

I laugh, sinking back in my seat.

"What's the score?" Dan suddenly says and I draw my brows together. "For this night. "

"Why?" I furrow my brows and he smiles. "That dictates how close I am to winning you over. "

"Is it a game?" I chuckle and he nods. "A game to win your heart. " We stay silent after those words, just gazing into each other's eyes before I break the contact and lift my chin, tapping a finger to it in a contemplation expression.

When I look back at Dan, his eyes are more curious than expected and I give him a half-smile. "A six. "

Dan's eyes widen. "A six?"

"Too high?" I taunt him and Dan throws me a playful glare. "Too fucking low. You're hard to impress, Eva Carson. "

"So I've been told. " I say before we fall back into silence and he stares at me with those watchful eyes again.

~

"Can I take you home?" Dan asks with a soft smile as we walk out of the restaurant and I turn to meet his gaze, a chuckle slipping through my lips as I say. "I think I'm capable of taking myself home, Dan. "

He nods. "I know that, but I thought that's what the guy says to the girl after the date?"

"You sound like it's your first time going on a date. " I laugh, and when he keeps his expression unfazed– I stop.

"It is?" I ask with wide eyes and he hums. "My dates are usually more hookups than actual dates. We both know what comes next after the sweet talks is the bed. You're the first girl I'm not hitting up on the first meet up, Eva. Do you have any idea how lucky you are?"

I shake my head. "It's not called luck if I'm the one stopping your routine. "

"You amuse me a lot. Do you know that?" He raises his brows as he takes a step closer.

"Your first time saying it and I'll take it as a compliment. "

Dan's smile widens and he stays silent for some seconds before saying, "Can we do this again? I don't want you to disappear on me. "

"We go to the same school. " I remind him.

"Still, " he raises a shoulder and I smile. Dan is fun and sweet. He is the perfect picture of a bad boy in the body of a good man.

"Sure, we can," I tell him and he beams. "Not friends hanging out on a chilly night. An actual date. " He demands and I tease him by frowning, taking a step back.

When Dan's face falls as he stares down at the movement, I laugh. "An actual date it is. "

That gorgeous smile covers his face again and he opens his mouth to speak, but before he can, he's interrupted by the presence of Noel– who I didn't notice next to us.

"Are you done, dude?" Noel scowls at him.

"Obviously not if she's standing right in front of me, Noel. " Dan hisses, dismissing him with a wave when Noel tries to speak again, before turning his attention back to me.

"Give me a call when you get home, please?" He requests and I bob my head. Dan closes the gap between us to press his lips to my cheek before he moves away with Noel.

With a sigh, I look back to the restaurant and to the spot where Emerson and his friends previously occupied. Then that moment from the restroom comes to mind– I shake it off before I can dwell much on it.

~

I close the door behind me and walk to the couch. I let out a breath as I fall on the couch and lift my phone at the vibration of a new text.

ALIYA: Tell me everything!

I shake my head and sink back into the seat as my fingers move across the keypad.

ME: I'm not telling you about Dan until you tell me what happened with your girls.

The text is quick to change from delivered to read, and the three dots appear at the corner of the screen.

A pouting face glares at me from across the screen before a new text comes in.

ALIYA: Her name is Chloe.

ME: Give me the details, bitch!

I laugh at my text, knowing Aliya will curse me for it.